28. Sleep medicine

Graduate Diploma in Medicine (Sleep Medicine)

(GradDipMed(Sleep Medicine)) KF031

Graduate Diploma of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine)

(GradDipScMed(Sleep Medicine)) KF032

Master of Medicine (Sleep Medicine)

(MMed(Sleep Medicine)) KC041

Master of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine)

(MScMed(Sleep Medicine)) KC042

Overview

Sleep medicine has evolved to something of a sub-specialty area with relevance across a number of fields, including respiratory medicine, cardiology, neurology and dentistry, with wider implications for health sciences and public health.

The program aims to provide up-to-date information on theory and practice of sleep medicine through distance education; the courses provide training in clinical, theoretical and research techniques in the field of sleep medicine and help to establish criteria for best practice in the field. These courses are suitable for those already working in the area of sleep medicine, or for those wishing to undertake a career change. The courses provide a firm basis for vocational training in this discipline.

The Master of Medicine (Sleep Medicine) and the Master of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) are essentially the same program with different admission requirements, and the same applies to the Graduate Diploma in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) and the Graduate Diploma of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine). Only medical graduates (ie those with an MBBS) may be admitted to the Master of Medicine/Graduate Diploma in Medicine while non-medical graduates may be admitted to the Master of Science in Medicine/Graduate Diploma of Science in Medicine. Students follow the same program of study, with the only difference being the title of the course they are awarded on completion.

Admission

Graduate Diploma in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) and Master of Medicine (Sleep Medicine)
Admission to the program normally requires a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS) from the University of Sydney or another approved institution. Candidates are also required to have a minimum of one year postgraduate experience in the field of sleep medicine.

Graduate Diploma of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) and Master of Science of Medicine (Sleep Medicine)
Admission to the program normally requires a bachelor's degree in an appropriate discipline (such as biology or a health science) with first or second class honours from the University of Sydney or another approved institution. Candidates are also required to have a minimum of one year postgraduate experience in the field of sleep medicine. If candidates do not have an honours degree, they may be admitted on the basis of having completed equivalent work or passing a preliminary examination, as prescribed by the Faculty of Medicine.

Structure

The graduate diplomas are embedded in the master’s degrees (see chapter 8 for an explanation of embedded degrees).

The program is taught predominantly via the internet. Enrolled students are provided with a user name and password that allows them to access a protected course website. Coursework units of study are delivered as online tutorials and self-directed learning tasks. In some units of study, candidates are required to make formal presentations and analyse case-studies in groups.

Internet conferencing technology ensures that students maintain regular contact with staff. The coursework in the first three semesters consists of core subjects. The fourth semester includes both core and elective subjects, with students able to take either the adult or paediatric stream.

Students have the option of attending a one-week residential program in late November to early December of each of the first two years of enrolment. The practicum introduces candidates to the technical aspects of sleep medicine and is the time during which students will have the opportunity to discuss the research project that they will complete if they are completing the Master’s degree

It is also an excellent opportunity for students that are not involved in sleep medicine on a day-to-day basis to gain valuable practical experience in sleep medicine. The residential school is recommended but is no longer an essential component of the course.

Assessment is by formal examination (which is administered via the internet), assignments and presentations.

The treatise unit of study is normally a small research project that is designed and carried out by the student in their place of work in consultation with staff from the sleep medicine course. The resultant treatise is a body of work that generally is in the order of 20,000 words, with the following sections: introduction/literature review, methods, results, discussion/conclusion.

The graduate diploma comprises 19 core units of study and a further one elective unit of study chosen from the list of electives (see tables on core and elective units of study below and chapter 31 for unit of study details).

The master’s degree comprises 20 core units of study, including one treatise unit, and a further one elective unit of study chosen from the list of electives (see tables on core and elective units of study below and chapter 31 for unit of study details).

Sleep medicine core units of study

Sleep medicine elective units of study

Further enquiries

Mark Norman
Phone: +61 2 9515 7311     Fax: +61 2 9550 3851     Email: