Creating my own beh. sleep med experience

[bmedclinic]

Hello All,
I am a clinical psychology phd student who has just matched to internship in my regional area. Unfortunately, because our match really has some glaring errors, I matched to an internship that does not fit my desires as well as I'd like. One of these is that I will not get sleep medicine experience built into my internship year. I'm looking for ways to create that experience for myself.

I say all this to gague how successful I might be at approaching a sleep lab that has two AASM boarded pulmonologists on board. Is it likely that they'll be interested in collaborating on research with me, or dismissive of a "psychology student"? Would they potentially be open to letting me create (with my internship's blessing) my own rotation of sorts, or is that highly unlikely? What about doing CBT-I or learning to read a PSG?

My hope is that I can gain enough experience to make me competative for a behavioral sleep medicine post-doc, as that is now my primary goal. Much of my background within clinical psychology is in health psychology, neuropsychology, and primary care psychology related.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[michaelrack]

I say all this to gague how successful I might be at approaching a sleep lab that has two AASM boarded pulmonologists on board. Is it likely that they'll be interested in collaborating on research with me, or dismissive of a "psychology student"? Would they potentially be open to letting me create (with my internship's blessing) my own rotation of sorts, or is that highly unlikely? What about doing CBT-I or learning to read a PSG?

A private sleep lab isn't going to be interested in research (other than lucrative clinical trials, which probably isn't what you are talking about)

If you are interested in hanging around the technicians, you may be able to arrange that, and learn about sleep studies that way
You could also go through an A-STEP program and try to get hired on as a tech-trainee.

If you have someone to supervise you in CBT-I at your internship, they the pulmonologists would probably be happy to refer insomnia patients to you. They probably aren't going to let you go down to their office and see patients there.

It doesn't hurt to ask, though.

 

[bmedclinic]

Thanks, Dr Rack.
It seems rather ironic to me that my own field (clinical psychology) has so few people who are interested in researching something that is believed to be such a huge factor in so many of the disorders with which we work.

If I wanted to get experience with severe child psychopathology, it'd be a call away... but work with sleep in any capacity seems limited at every turn.

 

[bmedclinic]

Dr Rack,
Is there anything I can offer these pulmonologists that could potentially make me being around and exposed to their facility worth their while? Maybe they cant bill for things I do and maybe I cant do research with them, but maybe I can add something of value besides being an outside referal source?

 

[bmedclinic]

For the record, I'd love to work with clinical trials, too. Heck, at this point I just want any exposure I can get to the sleep world beyond attending the national sleep meeting.

 

[michaelrack]

Sorry, don't have any great answers for you. Unfortunately, it is hard for a physician to work directly with an unlicensed psychologist in that capacity.

Sleep educator certifcation/training might be one inroads to getting experience at a sleep lab ( check out http://www.brpt.org/default.asp?contentID=185)

Too bad you aren't in my area. As you may be aware, I have the CBSM certification (I got it when physicians were still eligible)

Good luck

 

[bmedclinic]

Dr Rack,
Thanks for the reply. Though I am not in your area, I am in TN and would be interested in potentially following up in the future. I'll look into attending sleep educator training and any other opportunities in the sleep medicine world. Perhaps I'll see you and others in baltimore in the summer.

 

[michaelrack]

Dr Rack,
Thanks for the reply. Though I am not in your area, I am in TN and would be interested in potentially following up in the future. I'll look into attending sleep educator training and any other opportunities in the sleep medicine world. Perhaps I'll see you and others in baltimore in the summer.

I'll be in Baltimore; I am lot more low key in person than on SDN

My main practice is in Southaven MS (just south of Memphis). PM me if you want to f/u

 

[Faebinder]

I'll be in Baltimore; I am lot more low key in person than on SDN

My main practice is in Southaven MS (just south of Memphis). PM me if you want to f/u

Sweet. Me too.