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 If you're having trouble sleeping, a referral to a sleep specialist near me might be appropriate. But, how do you choose a sleep doctor? Your primary care physician may choose for you based on available resources in certain situations, but you may have more choices. When choosing a professional, you can look for those attributes to ensure that you get the testing and assistance that you need. Learn what a sleep specialist is, what training and board certification qualifications are needed, and how to find a sleep doctor who has the support you need with sleep study Richmond VA.
Who is the sleep specialist?
If you seek treatment for a sleep disorder, multiple people will be interested in your care. Your primary health care provider will most likely be the first to assess you. This may lead to a referral to a sleep specialist, usually a physician, but sometimes a mid-level provider such as a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant operating under the supervision of a physician.
Auxiliary workers, such as polysomnographic technologists who conduct sleep tests, may also be involved. The choice of your sleep doctor and the center that will provide testing and care is one of the most significant factors.
Residency and Fellowship
Doctors who are qualified as sleep specialists have undergone rigorous training. To become a doctor, they must first complete a four-year college degree and then attend medical school for another four years. Following that, they complete a three- to five-year medical residency and a one- to two-year sleep medicine fellowship. Doctors are specialists in their profession.
Sleep doctors who are board-certified have completed the requisite training, which requires fellowship training in sleep medicine, and have conceded a national exam indicating their expertise. Fresh graduates must show continued medical education and pass the board exam again. Recent graduates must show continued medical education and re-certify the board exam every ten years.
Seeking a Credentialed Sleep Professional
It is advisable to search out a physician who is accredited with sufficient sleep medicine certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties, regardless of specialty training. This ensures that the doctor's credentials have been checked and that they have passed a board test that assesses their sleep medicine skills
If you need more sleep monitoring than a clinic assessment, like most people do, look for a sleep center like CanISleep. In certain cases, commuting to a larger nearby community with sufficient services may be advantageous.
