DARIEN, IL – The American Board of Sleep Medicine will discontinue the Registered Sleep Technologist certification examination following the administration of the last exam from April 4 to May 2. The ABSM will continue to offer recertification through 2032, when it will permanently sunset the RST credential.

The ABSM established the RST credential in 2011 to provide another pathway for sleep technologists to demonstrate the professional competencies required to work in an accredited sleep facility. At the time, there were concerns that the number of sleep technologists being certified annually was insufficient for the sleep field. Today, those concerns have been alleviated, as there are more than 18,000 active Registered Polysomnographic Technologist credential holders certified by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists.

The RPSGT credential is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. In addition to administering the RPSGT exam in the U.S. and internationally, the BRPT is expanding opportunities for sleep technologists by offering the entry level Certified Polysomnographic Technician exam, the advanced Certification in Clinical Sleep Health exam, and the Pediatric Sleep Certificate exam.

“The ABSM board of directors appreciates the hard work of everyone who has contributed over the last decade to the development of the RST exam, which has helped advance the profession of sleep technology during an era of significant change in the sleep field,” said ABSM President Dr. Vishesh Kapur. “We’re also grateful for all the sleep technologists who earned the RST credential, and we pledge to support and assist them during this transition period.”

The application deadline for the last RST exam is March 18. The ABSM will provide a full refund to any registrants who choose to cancel their registration for the exam.

RST Recertification

Current RST credential holders must recertify every five years. The ABSM will administer recertification and will continue to maintain and verify active credentials through Dec. 31, 2032. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the RST credential will continue to satisfy the sleep technologist training requirement as described in the AASM Standards for Accreditation until the final expiration of all RST credentials.

RPSGT Exam Assistance

The ABSM has been in communication with the BRPT about the eligibility criteria for the RPSGT exam. The BRPT has agreed to include the RST credential in the list of accepted allied health credentials for RPSGT Pathway 2.

The ABSM is committed to helping RST credential holders transition to the RPSGT credential over the next three years. Any RST credential holder who does not have the RPSGT credential can receive a one-time reimbursement of the full RPSGT exam fee after submitting to the ABSM a receipt for payment of the fee by Dec. 31, 2024. The ABSM also will reimburse RST credential holders for the cost of the RPSGT Exam Study Guide, which should be purchased when registering for the RPSGT exam. (Instructions on how to register for the exam and purchase the study guide as one transaction are available from the ABSM.) RST credential holders who do not have the RPSGT credential also can request from the ABSM free access to the AASM’s sleep technologist practice exams on-demand.

Anyone with questions about the RST exam or RST credential recertification can contact the ABSM at absm@absm.org or (630) 737-9701.

Updated March 11, 2022