Located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Northern Essex Community College is a public, two-year institution approximately 30 miles from Boston. The college is home to nearly 15,000 students, as of May 2010, and offers the only CAAHEP-approved sleep tech program in New England. To qualify for the program, students must have previous course work experience in high school-level biology, anatomy, chemistry or another natural science. Space in the program is limited, and students who meet the requirements but do not receive admission are placed on a wait list for subsequent years. Students must also pass a criminal background check and drug screening prior to beginning classes. Those who receive admission spend one year completing courses in biology, physiology, sleep disorders and respiratory procedures, as well as two clinical rotations at area medical centers. Federal and state financial aid is available. An on-campus day care provides low-cost child care for students' children. Job placement assistance is provided for all students.
Northern Essex Community College
45 Franklin St.
Lawrence, MA 01841
978-738-7274
necc.mass.edu
Founded in 1948, Orange Coast College is a public institution with more than 25,000 students, as of May 2010, at its suburban campus in Costa Mesa, California, approximately 40 miles from Los Angeles. The college's polysomnography or sleep tech program culminates in an Associate in Science degree and lasts for about two years. Admission requirements for the program include college-level course work in anatomy and introduction to health occupations. Among the courses featured in the program's curriculum are medical terminology, respiratory technology, child development, pharmacology, cardiac rhythm analysis and pathology. Three part-time clinical rotations and one full-time internship are mandatory. In addition to the traditional stand-alone program, students can pursue a degree in both sleep technology and respiratory therapy or sleep technology and neurodiagnostic technology. Eligible students can take advantage of federal and state financial aid programs. The college features its own day care center.
Orange Coast College
2701 Fairview Road
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-432-5072
orangecoastcollege.edu
A private for-profit institution founded in 1997, Central Florida Institute, Inc. offers its sleep studies technician program at its Tampa Bay branch, located in Palm Harbor. The program lasts about one year with students receiving a certificate upon completion. Topics covered in the curriculum include the administration of electroencephalography (EEG), continuous electro-oculography (EOG) and electrocardiogram (EKG) diagnostic tests, as well as respiratory care. All students are involved in a brief clinical internship prior to graduation. The school participates in federal and state financial aid programs and offers assistance with resume writing, interview preparation and job research.
Central Florida Institute, Inc. at Tampa Bay
30522 U.S. Highway 19
Suite 300
Palm Harbor, FL 34684
727-786-4707
cfinstitute.com