Dr. Anuj Chandra has received his second board certification in sleep medicine, making him one of only two “double-boarded” physicians in the Chattanooga area. He treats patients from the Chattanooga atea and North Georgia – including Chatsworth, Ringgold and Whitfield County – in his Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders in Chattanooga.
Dr. Chandra scored in the 90th percentile on the board certification test, placing him in the top 10 percent in the country. According to the American Board of Internal Medicine, which granted the certification, "A growing body of research suggests that board certified physicians deliver higher quality care than non-certified physicians. Board certification demonstrates to the public that physicians have met the highest standards of internal medicine and its sub-specialties. Board certification is voluntary and includes an exam that tests a physician's ability to diagnose and treat patients with a broad range of conditions."
Dr. Chandra took advantage of an opportunity that arose because of growth in the field of sleep medicine. The system of board certification for sleep specialists shifted from a specialized organization to be administered by the group that oversees board certification of all medical specialties.
Although sleep specialists who became certified under the original system retain their board certification for life, Dr. Chandra felt it was important to become certified in the newer program as well.
“This new certification is a sign that sleep medicine is coming of age and is now part of mainstream medicine. I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to have the most up-to-date board certification in my field,” said Dr. Chandra.
Dr. Chandra’s original board certification in sleep medicine is from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which created its certification program in the 1970s. At that time, sleep medicine was a brand new field, so the certification program was established outside of the organizations that certify all other medical specialties.
Because sleep medicine has grown so much in recent years, responsibility for the specialty’s board certification program was taken over by American Board of Internal Medicine and its parent organization the American Board of Medical Specialties. The first certifying examination was administered in 2007. Dr. Chandra took the new exam in 2009 and received his second certification in January 2010.
Dr. Anuj Chandra’ Advanced Center for Sleep Disorders, located in Chattanooga at 6073 East Brainerd Road, offers state-of-the-art sleep diagnostic testing in a home-like setting and treatment for sleep disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome and others.