The Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) has chosen a PSG student from Little Rock, Ark, as the recipient of its 3rd Andrea Patterson Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship, named in honor of a highly regarded leader in the field of sleep technology, awards a $2,500 tuition grant each year to “a promising student of polysomnography,” according to BRPT.
This year, the BRPT selected Amanda Perry, a polysomnography student enrolled at Baptist Health Schools in Little Rock.
“We are delighted to recognize such a diligent and hard working student as Amanda with this award,” said BRPT President Cindy Altman, RPSGT, R. EEG T. “It’s terrific to witness her excitement and desire to reach her goal of becoming an RPSGT.”
“I’m honored to receive a scholarship in the name of Andrea Patterson and everything she represented,” said Perry, who is originally from Conway, Ark.
Perry is a member of the Sleep Professionals of Arkansas Association and had worked for 12 years as an administrative assistant at St. Joseph Catholic School in Conway. In 2011, she began researching career choices in the medical field hoping to find a good fit.
“The more I learned about the field of sleep technology, the more excited I got,” Perry said. “Part of my application process for the sleep technology program at Baptist Health required an observation at the Baptist Medical Center Sleep Lab. At that moment, I knew I was squarely on the right path.”
Perry is expected to graduate in June 2013, then she plans to take the RPSGT examination.
“Amanda took a very thoughtful approach to changing careers. She researched the field, learned more about the far-reaching impact of sleep disorders, and committed herself to helping patients improve their overall health,” said BRPT President-Elect Theresa Krupski, RPSGT, RRT, the 2012 Chair of the Andrea Patterson Memorial Scholarship Committee.
