The first CAS on sleep medicine kicks-off with 17 students from 10 countries

Prof. Claudio Bassetti welcomes the students of the first
Prof. Claudio Bassetti welcomes the students of the first "CAS in Sleep, Consciousness and Related Disorders" in Bern (image: photolocatelli.ch)

Institutional Communication Service

29 October 2018

On October 18, during the traditional Bernese Sleep-Wake conference days at the Inselspital Bern University Hospital, 17 students from 10 countries attended the kick-off session of the the first «CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) in Sleep, Consciousness and Related Disorders». The new continuing education programme in the field of sleep medicine – the first at international level – is organised by the University of Bern in cooperation with Università della Svizzera italiana, together with the clinical partners Inselspital of Bern and Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale in Ticino.

We spend about one third of our lives asleep. Restful sleep is vital for the recovery of mind and body and for repair processes in the brain and in various organs to take place. In Switzerland, over 30 percent of the population suffer from occasional sleep-wake disorders, 10 to 20 percent from chronically disturbed sleep. Despite the large body of research that has been conducted over the past 60 years it has not yet fully been eluctidated why we humans sleep.

The department of sleep medicine and sleep research at the Inselspital Bern University Hospital as well as at the Neurocentro della Svizzera italiana has intensively been developped and greatly contributes to the scientific understanding of sleep mechanisms.  The ”CAS in sleep, consciousness and related disorders” has been set up to ensure the continuity of excellent sleep medicine research in the future by educating and fostering a new generation of top notch sleep scientists.

17 students from 10 countries and 3 different educational backgrounds

Seventeen students enrolled in this first educational program in sleep medicine. Hence, the original target of 15 students has been exceeded. This year’s group of CAS students represents 10 nationalities, USA, Mexico, Norway, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Their educational backgrounds are in medicine as well as psychology and neurosience. During this year they will acquire an expertise in scientific as well as clinical aspects of sleep medicine.  

This program is a joint venture between the University of Bern and the Università della Svizzera italiana, in collaboration with the Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and and Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale of the Canton Ticino. The CAS is generously sponsored by the European Sleep Foundation. 

Further Information: Academy of Sleep and Consciousness ASC www.asc.unibe.ch