First Course Begins September 1
World Sleep Academy is a sleep medicine education program designed by World Sleep Society, a nonprofit organization of sleep physicians and researchers with thousands of members worldwide.
- Faculty of practicing sleep physicians
- Completely online
- Low cost
- Scholarships available
World Sleep Academy is designed for working health care professionals. Learn the foundations of sleep medicine while interacting online with an international network of practicing sleep physicians and your fellow learners.
Our Students
World Sleep Academy students are internationally diverse and motivated to help their patients and community sleep better.
The curriculum is designed for people with some knowledge or experience in health care but little specific training in sleep health and sleep disorders. For example:
- Nurses
- Family physicians
- Community health workers
- Psychologists
- Technologists
- Nursing assistants
- Allied health professionals
Bring the latest knowledge of sleep medicine to your patients and community.
Learn More about World Sleep Academy
See what it looks like to be a World Sleep Academy student.
An International Learning Community
World Sleep Academy is an online education program in which the students work through units together on a schedule. Your learning experience will be an international one, learning alongside people from cultures across six continents.
Participation is required, and there are low-stakes assessment activities to ensure the class of students stays on track through the units.
Click below to see sample materials and activities for Unit 3, Patient Evaluation in Sleep. This unit is two weeks long and designed to be reasonable for a working professional to complete.
Sample Unit: Patient Evaluation in Sleep
Meet Your Instructor
Each unit has a sleep expert who delivers an original lecture and interacts with students. For Patient Evaluation in Sleep, the Academy expert is Dr. Bingqian Zhu. Meet Dr. Zhu!
Dr. Zhu is currently a full-time Research Associate Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Nursing. She received her PhD in Nursing from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2018. She was selected as a mentee by the “International Sleep Research Training Program” of the World Sleep Society (cohort 2021). The long-term goal of Dr. Zhu’s research is to develop interventions to improve sleep in an effort to decrease the cardiometabolic risks associated with sleep disturbances and maximize the well-being of adults. During the past five years, Dr. Zhu has received national, municipal, and intramural funding. Her research has been focused on sleep health among various populations, including people with diabetes, pregnant women, and patients with chronic pain. She has expertise in using novel data collection methods such as Ecological Momentary Assessment and wearable devices including actigraphy and continuous glucose monitor.
Text Guide
Each unit has a text guide written specifically for World Sleep Academy students. Each text guide provides a foundation of knowledge in the unit’s topic area and includes a list of references for further reading if desired. Students will build on this foundation in future learning activities. All text guides will be available for download to students.
Below is an excerpt from the text guide for the unit on Patient Evaluation in Sleep, including the first seven pages of the 24-page manuscript.
Live Lecture
Each unit will feature a live lecture from a practicing sleep physician or researcher. The lecture will cover key topics and examples for the unit. Each lecture will be approximately one hour long, including time for questions. Lectures will be recorded and accessible to students afterward for re-watches or if a student cannot be online at the scheduled time.
The lecture for Unit 3: Patient Evaluation in Sleep will be given live by Dr. Bingqian Zhu.
Video Assessment
The following is an excerpt from a presentation on the goals of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It was presented on March 12, 2022 by Dr. Sanjay Patel during a course on OSA at the World Sleep congress in Rome. Each unit will contain a research presentation by an international expert in that topic area.
Dr. Patel’s presentation is about 20 minutes in length, and students will complete a simple quiz after watching it. The introduction to his presentation is available for free below.
This excerpt is used with permission from Dr. Sanjay Patel.
Case Study: Patient Evaluation
Students will apply their learning from text guides, videos, and discussions and analyze a case in each unit. These case studies are submitted as individual assignments to be reviewed and assessed by faculty, who will provide feedback.
Journal Club
Each unit will contain a journal club discussion forum. Students will read one article out of a selected set of readings and then write a response. Students will also discuss the article’s information together and how it can be applied in their careers.
Topic Discussions
Throughout the course, a general discussion forum will be open to students and faculty. Students will be encouraged to use this space to ask questions, discuss cases, and get to know each other. Faculty and lecturers will interact in the discussion forum also.
Additional Materials
Each unit has additional, non-required materials for students to read, watch, and download as they wish. Examples include additional research articles for reading and polysomnogram reading walkthrough videos from Academy director Dr. DelRosso.
Other Unit Topics Include…
- Sleep science
- Sleep technology
- Sleep studies
- Sleep case studies
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- Non-OSA sleep-related breathing disorders
- Non-invasive ventilation
- Hypersomnias
- Sleep-related movement disorders
- Parasomnias
- Insomnia
- Psychological aspects of sleep
- Circadian disorders
- Pediatric sleep concerns
- Pharmacology
- Setting up a sleep lab
- Introduction to research methodologies
- Action research
Tier 1
September 1, 2022 – November 12, 2022
Tier 2
November 20, 2022 – May 20, 2023
Tier 3
May 28, 2023 – August 31, 2023
Common Questions
Is World Sleep Academy accredited?
All World Sleep Academy content is written and delivered by practicing sleep physicians and researchers who work at prestigious institutions and who volunteer their time for the Academy.
However, World Sleep Academy does not provide any credit or license. Learners who successfully complete a tier will receive a signed digital certificate with a curricular description of key competencies. Learners who successfully complete all tiers (and so the entire World Sleep Academy program) will receive a signed digital diploma and a digital letter of recommendation from a key faculty member.
Who can enroll in World Sleep Academy?
If you are a health care worker, particularly in a place underserved by sleep specialists, who is interested in knowing more about sleep medicine and research, then the Academy is designed for you.
Practicing physicians will find much value in World Sleep Academy, but you do not have to be a licensed or certified physician to enroll. Nurses, community health workers, and clinicians – among many other allied health professionals – are also encouraged to apply. Our accessible curriculum is designed with you in mind.
How do you successfully complete World Sleep Academy?
To pass the first two tiers, you need to submit a portfolio of activities and pass an evaluation. There will be specific deadlines to submit the portfolio and pass the evaluation.
To pass the final tier, you need to submit an action research project, detailed case study analysis, and an evaluation that covers all of the sleep disorders in Tier 2.
How much does tuition cost?
- Tier 1: US $750
- Tier 2: US $1250
- Tier 3: US $750
All three tiers together: US$2500 (savings of $250)
Scholarships will also be available to accepted individuals based on financial need.
Is World Sleep Academy a non-profit program?
World Sleep Academy is a program of World Sleep Society, a non-profit organization registered in the United States. World Sleep Society organizes a range of programs that promote sleep medicine education, research, and awareness.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. Scholarships that cover all or most of the tuition are available to students based on financial need. You can apply for a scholarship in the same form used to apply for entry into the Academy.
Is World Sleep Academy entirely online?
Yes. All courses take place online and use both asynchronous and live formats.
Can I complete World Sleep Academy while working full time?
The Academy is designed to be a learning experience for active health care workers. The Academy’s online format and learning materials are designed to be flexible to the needs of a working professional.