Distinguished colleagues,

Turkish Sleep Medicine Society (TSMS) continues with its training activities in 2008. Basic Sleep course was organized in January to 70 specialists from different branches. People enthusiastically exchanged information at this course. They have completed an examination period which started with reservation, but finished in enthusiasm. They separated to start a longer clinical training marathon after this 5-day marathon. We suggested that six-month clinical training would be sufficient for now when it was still discussed in Europe “whether the practical training should be one year or six months”.

We also worked in March. We organized a course for those who are actively involved in sleep medicine and for certified physicians. This was TSMS Advanced Course. 25 participants who were interested in sleep medicine attended to this course. The course was completed successfully after two days of intensive training.

In April, a regional meeting, which turned into a feast, was organized by Turkish Sleep Medicine Society with the efforts and hospitality of Head of the Department of Neurology, Kafkas University Faculty of Medicine and also the Chief Physician of Faculty of Medicine Hospital Dr. Recep Alp; and with the contribution of Prof. Eyup Sabri Uçan, President of Turkish Thoracic Society. Eastern Anatolia meeting was a meeting where almost 60 participants in the hall listened for 5 hours without moving. Prof. Eyup Sabri Uçan was the chair. He was an energetic, decisive, knowledgeable about the subject, sharing and integrating chair, which was effective in the success of the meeting. Professor Eyup gave the message in his opening remarks that integration in sleep medicine is a must for Sleep Medicine to develop in a healthy manner. He was in control with his easeful, nonassertive and participatory attitude.

I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this successful regional meeting and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the President of Turkish Thoracic Society Prof Eyup Sabri Uçan, Associate Prof. Dr. Recep Alp and TSMS Board of Directors.

Last week, we described sleep diseases, respiratory diseases and chronical oxygen therapy for respiratory failure, noninvasive mechanical ventilator and nebulizer use at Social Insurance Authority (SIA). 

It has been a source of happiness that SIA adopted the rules and conditions proposed by Turkish Sleep Medicine Society and published them.

We target setting diagnostic and treatment standards at the Ministry of Health with a similar initiative. Ensuring this framework and maintenance thereof will be appropriate for sleep medicine to be established as an individual specialty. We think that this is the fruitful approach both from scientific perspective and from the perspective of public health.

It is necessary to consider the multidisciplinary nature of sleep medicine for it to be developed in a sound manner. Rather than posing a barrier before sleep medicine, It is a must and enrichment to make sleep medicine an individual specialty, which is our long-term objective. Our efforts to this end should continue until the solution is found.

Associate Prof. Dr. Sadik ARDIC
President of Turkish Sleep Medicine Society