Pre-Clinical Perfusion Education

The Clinical Perfusion Profession
Perfusionists are skilled allied health professionals, qualified by academic and clinical education, who deal with all phases of regulating and controlling blood flow outside the body.  The Perfusionist operates life-sustaining equipment during any medical situation where it is necessary to support, or temporarily replace, the patient’s circulatory or respiratory function.

The Perfusionist has diverse responsibilities that include the mechanical support of a patient’s circulation and pulmonary function during medical procedures such as open-heart surgery, transplantation, and emergency medicine.  The Perfusionist is an integral member of the cardiovascular surgery team involved in infant and adult cardiac surgery.  The starting salary for new graduates has ranged from $60,000 to $80,000.

Clinical Perfusion Education
The University of Nebraska Medical Center offers the only program in Nebraska in Clinical Perfusion.  Upon completion of the 21-month program, a student will have earned a Masters in Perfusion Science.  The first two semesters consist of didactic course work with an introduction to clinical perfusion.  The remaining 11 months consist of clinical rotations, a research project and elective courses.  Graduates are eligible for examination and certification by the American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion.  To locate programs outside of Nebraska, follow the link provided by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs at http://www.caahep.org/caahep/programs.asp and under the “Profession Name” search for Perfusion.

Undergraduate Preparation
For admission to the University of Nebraska program in Clinical Perfusion, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree and must have satisfactorily completed the minimum hours specified in required course work.  It should be noted that these prerequisites are minimum requirements.  Most successful applicants present substantially more course work than required, particularly in the biological sciences and chemistry.  The stronger the academic credentials in the sciences, the greater the chance of being accepted into the program.  There is no minimum GPA but successful applicants generally have a GPA better than 3.0. 

Required and Recommended Courses
The following are entrance requirements for UNMC School of Allied Health Professions Clinical Perfusion Education program.  AP credit is not accepted.  Students who are considering Clinical Perfusion programs outside of Nebraska are encouraged to contact those programs directly for a list of entrance requirements. 

1.  Required Coursework 

English Composition - 6 hours 

General Biology - 6 hours

Anatomy and Physiology - 6-9 hours 

General Chemistry with lab - 6-8

Mathematics - 6 hours

General Physics - 3-5

Social Sciences - 6 hours 
Select from the following to apply towards the requirement:
Anthropology, Art History, Classics, Economics, Geography, History, Literature, Music Theory, Music Literature, Foreign Language, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology

2.  Recommended Coursework
Microbiology with lab - 4 hours 
Organic Chemistry with lab - 3 hours 
Biochemistry - 4 hours 

Extracurricular Experiences
Pre-Clinical Perfusion students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular experiences such as leadership roles, volunteer work, research, and shadowing, which will help prepare them for a profession as a Perfusionist.  Extracurricular experiences play a significant role in a student’s application to a professional school program and exploration of the profession.  Such experiences demonstrate a commitment to and knowledge about the profession.  In particular, shadowing Perfusionists, working in lab settings, and involvement with clubs such as the Pre-Health Club will help students to learn more about the perfusion profession.

Application and Admission
The deadline for applications to UNMC School of Allied Health Professions Clinical Perfusion Education program is February 1 to begin school the same year.  To obtain an application, contact the Clinical Perfusion Education department directly at (402) 559-7227 or apply on line at http://www.unmc.edu/cpe.  The Graduate Record Examination is required.  To be considered, UNMC also requires three personal references and an interview.

Additional Resources
University of Nebraska Medical Center
School of Allied Health Professions, Clinical Perfusion Education
985155 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE  68198-5155
Phone: 402-552-7227
Email: dwholt@unmc.edu
http://www.unmc.edu/dept/alliedhealth/cpe/

The American Society of Extra-Corporeal Technology (AmSECT)

http://www.amsect.org/