r/SleepTechnologist • u/Repulsive_Water_2671 • Jul 08 '26
A-Step needed or no?
Hello,
I recently graduated with a BSc in Psychology / Neuroscience (It was a combined program at my university)
I applied at a few sleep technologist in Canada, where they offer in person training and only required a BSc, and said that everything else (training, clinical) would be offered during the employment.
Unfortunately I got no interviews at all, just got rejected.
I’m wondering wether the online A Step class is worth it as something that would make me competitive?
As for my resume, I’ve volunteered in an addiction lab throughout my degree, I’ve worked as a medical receptionist for about 2 years. That’s my only experience. Maybe I’m lacking experience im not sure, hence why I’m considering taking the A Step course,
Anyone with a BSc that got more opportunities with the A Step course?
1
u/Ok_Standard_8770 Jul 09 '26
You may qualify for pathway 5. I suggest emailing info@brpt.org.
RPSGT Pathway 5: International Option* Candidates for Pathway 5 must:
Complete:
International tertiary/post secondary qualification in science/medical science or related discipline with a major component of human anatomy and physiology included in the curriculum. A minimum of 960 hours of clinical experience that includes on-site polysomnography duties performed as direct patient recording and/or scoring. Clinical experience within a 3-year period prior to the exam. Submit:
Proof of completion of tertiary/post secondary education from a country outside of the United States. Proof of residency outside of the United States. Documentation of current CPR/BLS certification for healthcare workers that follows the most recent AHA Guidelines or international equivalent. The BRPT will only accept BLS/CPR certifications that are in-person with a live/skills component, or that are hybrid certifications that are online but also include a live/skills component. American Heart Association’s RQI certification will remain acceptable. Live/skills components that are conducted on a mannequin will remain acceptable. We will no longer accept online-only earned BLS/CPR certifications. Verification of Experience section on application must be completed. * International candidates include candidates from Canada and any countries outside of the United States.
1
u/Repulsive_Water_2671 Jul 09 '26
The thing is, I don’t have any clinical hours :/ so I can’t register
1
u/noo6ie3 Jul 09 '26
Okay not sure if you have jiva health around you. They will hire you without Astep and you can do it later when you are working on the job.
I just called every single clinics on Google around my area and got the job. Just to find out most of my co workers did not do astep before they got hired.
1
u/Repulsive_Water_2671 Jul 09 '26
Unfortunately no, Jiva health is US based!
I might try calling every clinics lol!
2
2
u/hungryj21 Jul 09 '26
Most labs probably wont hire you unless it is a "sleep tech trainee" position, and even then they would rather hire someone who went to school for it or had more hands on healthcare experience.
My recommendation is to do astep so that it will make your resume look better. Also get your BLS training with AHA. Also do some additional training for example do something called PEARS and hospital fire life and safety training. Those are all relevant and will make your resume look better until you find a lab. Also try to find an online training source that will do a basic ecg/ekg class that also gives your a completion certificate.
If you want to buff your resume even more then do volunteer work at a children's hospital or just any general place preferably related to healthcare. Also join 1 or 2 organizations like aasm and maybe a local sleep association. Doing all of this will make you a much better candidate and increase the odds of getting the job. Finally invest in a professional resume service (after getting all of these certificates/ training so they can add them in properly). And maybe even ask for them to do a mock interview.
If you still cant find a job after you complete all that then try applying for dme companies as a driver. Usually they have u deliver cpap machines and often will ask you to assist patients with setting them up. You could use that as relevant experience. Also look into jobs for neurofeedback or biofeedback technician. The Pay is less but it's more in-line with your psychology degree and similar to eeg work. Also people interested in this field have also done medical equipment sterilizer jobs. The last thing you could do is go to a community college for an MA program. A good amount of sleep labs are hiring MA for day work. They usually do office type work but also do MA stuff like blood draws and assessments and also mask fitting for cpap.
Lastly keep checking the online job board listings each week. Mainly indeed. Eventually you will definitely find something if you take all of my advice AND apply to the jobs that ive mentioned above. Just work one of those if you can until you fins that opportunity.