Certification for sleep specialists has been available for more than 25 years. Up until 2006 the independent American Board of Sleep Medicine offered an annual exam by which specialists in sleep medicine could prove their expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sleep disorders.
In 2007 authorized boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties began to offer the certification examination for sleep medicine. The establishment of this exam recognizes sleep medicine as a medical subspecialty.
Additional certification is available for sleep clinicians who specialize in the treatment of sleep disorders through behavioral and cognitive methods. This certification exam is administered by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Select one of these links to learn more about sleep medicine certification:
Disclaimer
Certification by the American Board of Sleep Medicine does not in itself confer authority to practice medicine beyond the authority granted by a state that issues a license to practice medicine.
The American Board of Sleep Medicine throughout its history offered non-physicians, specifically PhDs, the opportunity to sit for its examination. Many PhD candidates over the years successfully passed the examination and received the designation “diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine." This designation must not be interpreted to mean that the American Board of Sleep Medicine designation supersedes any state or federal law with regard to medical license requirements for the treatment of patients. Those who have successfully passed the exam MUST be careful not to practice medicine outside of their legal limits.