What degree do you need to be a perfusionist?

You need at least a bachelor's degree or the equivalent in health science to be a perfusionist. Most positions also require previous patient experience.

Perfusionists are trained to operate heart-lung machines during open-heart surgery and often work with other ancillary devices, such as the cell saver machine or an intra-aortic balloon pump.

Perfusionist training programs vary in their entry requirements and degree offerings. Some perfusion programs require students to have completed between 60 and 80 credit hours of coursework before beginning their education, while others allow them to enter directly into a certificate program if they meet certain prerequisites.

Others require applicants to have a bachelor's degree or equivalent in health science, and experience working with patients.

Applicants seeking their bachelor's degree in perfusion science are required to complete 60 semesters, or 90 quarters, of coursework in the liberal arts and sciences. This includes completion of prerequisite courses in organic chemistry, physics and anatomy, and physiology.

Prospective students must also satisfy minimum grade point requirements. Students receive classroom and clinical training, which includes participation in adult and pediatric open-heart surgical procedures.

Graduates from the program are eligible to take their certification examination through the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion.

There are several programs in the United States which offer post-baccalaureate certificates. These are typically one-year programs where didactic education and on-the-job learning are combined within the same year.

For these programs, applicants are required to have a B.S. or B.A. degree before their enrollment, along with the required prerequisites.

Applicants seeking a master's degree in perfusion science should first have a bachelor's degree. They must meet minimum grade-point average requirements and usually take prerequisite courses before applying for the program.

To start medicine, you need to take additional courses and training in the fields of biochemistry, microbiology, and organic chemistry. A master's degree in perfusion science can be completed in two years.

During the first year, many hours will be dedicated to lectures on theories, models, and principles, and the second year will consist of clinical rotations at different hospitals

To work as a perfusionist in the United States or Canada, you must study and train in one of these countries.

Any training obtained outside of the United States would not be looked upon as accredited, and therefore, you would not be eligible to take the American Board examination for certification. So you would need to retrain in the US.