Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsJob DescriptionResponsibilitiesTrainingSubspecialtiesCareer Outlook
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Job Description
Responsibilities
Training
Subspecialties
Career Outlook
This article explains what a cardiovascular perfusionist does and what education, certification, and licensing are required to start practicing. It also looks at career opportunities in the United States, including the salary a cardiovascular perfusionist can expect to earn.
What Is a Cardiovascular Perfusionist?
These include:
What Is a Heart-Lung Machine?
Heart Surgery Risks and Complications
What Does a Cardiovascular Perfusionist Do?
The cardiovascular perfusionist shares responsibility with the surgeon and anesthesiologist for the maintenance of vital functions during surgery. By commandeering the normal function of the heart and lungs. the perfusionist allows the surgeon to operate on a still, unbeating heart.
During open heart surgery, several thin tubes called cannulas are inserted in blood vessels to redirect the flow. One is inserted into thevena cava(a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood to the heart) while the other is inserted into theaorta(the artery that pumps oxygenated blood from the heart).
Some of the responsibilities assigned to the perfusionist include:
The perfusionist may also be responsible for collecting blood from the patient before the surgery (known asautologous blood collection) if a transfusion is anticipated.
How a Heart-Lung Machine Works
Training and Certification
In the United States, a four-year bachelor’s degree is required to enroll in an accredited perfusion program. The journey usually takes a minimum of six years from start to finish and involves:
As a high-demand medical profession, cardiovascular perfusionists can opt to specialize in specific procedures or populations. Some may choose to work in pediatric cardiothoracic surgical units or medical centers specializing in heart, lung, or liver transplants.
There is even a need for perfusionists who can operate a modified heart-lung machine, calledextracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), for people with severeheartorlung failureor those awaiting alung transplant.
Additional training for subspecialties is required. Although fellowships are rare, there are several available to board-certified perfusionists who want to expand their skill base.
In larger facilities, a perfusionist may be promoted to a senior position to manage junior perfusionists and perfusionist assistants.
According to the American Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology (ASECT), there are around 3,700 perfusionists currently employed in the United States.It is regarded as one of the top health careers in the United States with practitioners typically working in an operating room within a hospital or large surgical center.
The demand for cardiovascular perfusionists is great due largely to the scarcity of new applicants. In 2021, only 260 perfusionist candidates applied for the final part of the ABCP exams, among whom 223 passed.
Moreover, with a job vacancy rate of over 12% and a turnover rate of nearly 15%, the demand for perfusionists is expected to grow.
How Much Does a Perfusionist Earn?The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track the salaries of cardiovascular perfusionists, but the most recent nationwide survey published in theJournal of Extra-Corporeal Technologysuggests that top earners have the potential to make more than $145,000 annually.
How Much Does a Perfusionist Earn?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track the salaries of cardiovascular perfusionists, but the most recent nationwide survey published in theJournal of Extra-Corporeal Technologysuggests that top earners have the potential to make more than $145,000 annually.
While cardiovascular perfusionists tend to work 40-hour weeks, they are frequently on-call and may be required to work rotating shifts, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays, This is a factor you need to consider if you decide to pursue a career as a perfusionist.
Summary
Becoming a certified cardiovascular perfusionist takes a minimum of six years, including four years to obtain a bachelor’s degree and two years in an accredited perfusionist program.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
New York State Education Department.Perfusionist.
SHRM Foundation.Perfusionist.
American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion.The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion 2021 annual report.
Extracorporeal Life Support Organization.ECLS international summary of statistics.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.You’re a what? Perfusionist?
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wages, May 2022: 29-2031 cardiovascular technologists and technicians.
Colligan M.Results of the 2019 survey on perceptions of vacancy and turnover among perfusionists in the United States.J Extra Corpor Technol.2020 Mar;52(1)27–42. doi:10.1182/JECT-2000001
Lewis DM, Dove S, Jordan RE.Results of the 2015 perfusionist salary study.J Extra Corpor Technol.2016 Dec;48(4):179–187.
Lewis, D.; Dove, S.; and Jordan, R.Results of the 2015 Perfusionist Salary Study.J Extra Corpor Technol.2016 Dec;48(4):179-87.
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