Polysomnography Student at Sandhills Community College in North Carolina Receives $2,500
McLean, VA – January 20, 2011 – The Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) today announced that Dana Marie Mason Daniels, of Raleigh, North Carolina is the winner of the first Andrea Patterson Memorial Scholarship. Daniels is a student enrolled in the Polysomnography Technology Associates Degree Program at Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Daniels worked for 17 years as a telecommunications specialist, before her company eliminated her division due to the struggling economy. Following extensive research into the allied health fields, coupled with a deep personal connection to sleep disorders through family members affected with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Daniels was eager to take on a new challenge in the field of sleep technology.
Said BRPT President Janice East, RPSGT, R. EEG T., “The BRPT is honored to recognize such a determined and hard working student as Dana with this award. I’m impressed by her motivation and strong interest in patient care, professional growth and leadership. I’m certain she will go on to make great contributions to our profession.”
According to Bonnie Robertson, CRT, RPSGT, Chair of the Andrea Patterson Memorial Scholarship Committee and past BRPT president, “As a result of today’s tough economic times, Dana had to pursue a new career path from scratch. She was adamant about educational training and starting on the right track. By immersing herself in a comprehensive academic program she is laying the foundation for a strong career in polysomnography.”
“I’m extremely excited and grateful to receive this award,” said Dana Marie Mason Daniels. “The tuition grant will ease the financial burden, allowing me to focus on my coursework and clinicals. My goal is to someday become the manager of a sleep center. I can’t wait to apply what I’m learning now, and what I’m certain to learn along the way, to helping patients with sleep disorders.”
Daniels is on track to graduate in the Spring of 2012 after which she plans to take the RPSGT examination. She is a student member of the NC Association of Sleep Technologists and the National Sleep Foundation. In addition, Daniels holds a Bachelors of Science degree from East Carolina University and an Associate of Arts degree from Peace College.
The Andrea Patterson Memorial Scholarship Program, named in honor of an early and highly regarded leader in the field of sleep technology, awards a $2,500 tuition grant each year to a promising student of polysomnography. Scholarship applicants must be enrolled in or accepted by a CAAHEP-accredited program in PSG or a CoARC-accredited program with a PSG add-on.
About Andrea Patterson
Andrea Patterson, RPSGT, R. EEG T., managed the Hennepin County Sleep Program in Minneapolis, Minnesota for almost 30 years and was a leader in early efforts to develop a standardized competency-based test for sleep technologists. Those efforts were instrumental in the development of the RPSGT credentialing program. She published extensively in scientific journals and served on the BRPT Exam Development Committee for over 20 years, until her death in 2007.
The BRPT is an independent, non-profit certification board that cultivates the highest professional and ethical standards for polysomnographic technologists. For more information, visit www.brpt.org.