How To Become A Perfusionist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a perfusionist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A cardiovascular perfusionist is responsible for setting up and managing the cardiovascular bypass machine to take over the function of a patient's heart during surgery. As a cardiac perfusionist, you will assist mainly in cardiac surgeries and organ transplants. In case of emergencies, you may lend your skills when a patient is going into cardiac failure. Your daily duties as a perfusionist include scrubbing in for surgeries, setting up and monitoring the cardiovascular bypass machine. You are in charge of monitoring patient's blood flow and temperature, analyzing their blood chemistry, and administering anesthetics or medications to them through the machine. You may also collect blood prior to surgery, be involved with the procurement of cardiothoracic donor organs, and assist patients recovering from heart surgery.

To qualify as a perfusionist, you need to complete a bachelor's degree, preferably in the fields of chemistry and biology, a two-year perfusion training program, and pass two sets of board exams to be fully and independently qualified as a perfusionist. This position requires you to have excellent team-working skills as you will be part of a surgical team. You need to be quick on your feet, pay attention to detail, and make quick educated decisions. You need to be attentive and able to apply biochemical and physiological theory to real-life situations.

ScorePerfusionistUS Average

Salary

8.1

Avg. Salary $118,459

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.73%

Asian 10.47%

Black or African American 8.55%

Hispanic or Latino 16.07%

Unknown 5.08%

White 59.11%

Gender

female 38.85%

male 61.15%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Key steps to become a perfusionist

Explore perfusionist education requirements

Most common perfusionist degrees

Bachelor's

65.8 %

Master's

15.3 %

Associate

9.6 %

Start to develop specific perfusionist skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	31.63%
Patient Care	12.29%
Heart-Lung Machine	8.27%
ECMO	8.04%
Life Support	3.92%

Research perfusionist duties and responsibilities

Manage floor, ICU and rehab in-patients as well as respond to ER and hospital consultation.
Manage patients who suffer respiratory/cardiac arrest per ACLS protocol.
Operate centrifugal ventricular assist devices, intra-aortic balloon pump, and cell saver devices.
Assist surgical team by passing instruments sutures, sponges, holding retractors and suctioning patient.

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