u/big7867

Hey everyone,

I've been working on PerfusionPrep and just put together a comprehensive directory of perfusion technology programs. Every accredited program, contact info, program details - all in one place.

Right now if you want to compare perfusion schools you have to bounce between CAAHEP listings, individual school websites, AmSECT pages, and Google.

As far as I know, this is the only site that has all of this together so you don't have to go all over the place.

Head to perfusionprep.com and click "School Directory" at the top.

If I missed a school or anything's outdated, let me know and I'll update it.

I updated my site with a searchable directory of all 23 accredited cardiovascular perfusion programs in the country - state, degree type, length, GPA requirements, program directors, all in one place. No signup, no catch. I got tired of the info being scattered across 25 different websites.
You can find it at perfusionprep.com/schools.
A few things I've learned from 35 years in the field that might help if you're applying:
Shadowing hours. This is the #1 thing programs look at after GPA. If you don't have documented observation time in an OR with a perfusionist, you're fighting uphill. Programs want to see that you understand what the job actually IS, not just that you read a brochure.
A personal statement that shows you understand the reality of the job. Long cases. High stakes. Quiet competence. If your essay reads like "I want to help people," you'll blend in. If it reads like "I shadowed a case where the surgeon needed the pump flow adjusted mid-bypass and the perfusionist caught a trend before it became a problem" - that's the person programs want.
Apply broadly. With ~200 seats nationwide, chasing a "top" school is the wrong strategy. Cast a wide net.
Every I needs to be dotted and every T needs to be crossed. You know what your application needs - just make sure it's all there.
The numbers are what they are - more qualified applicants than seats every cycle. It's not a reflection of whether you'll be a great perfusionist. It's just math.
If you want structured prep, I also built a pre-admission course called PSPS (Perfusion School Prep Series). 10 modules covering the vocabulary and clinical context you need before you start - not full perfusion training, just the language. "Five miles wide, two inches deep." Cohort 1 kicks off August 20 if you're interested. For some people it's a logical next step. For others, the free directory is all you need. Either way is fine.
Best advice I can give: don't reapply with the same application. Diagnose what was thin, fix it, and come back stronger.
Dr. Tony - 35yr CCP, DHA

Hi everyone,

Over the past 35 years as a clinical perfusionist (still practicing) and educator, I’ve had the opportunity to work with many students entering perfusion school.

One thing I’ve noticed is that students often don’t struggle because they aren’t capable. They struggle because they’re trying to learn an entirely new language while also keeping up with the pace of the program.

I often describe it this way:
“Perfusion school is another country. Learn the base language before you land.”
That’s the idea behind the Perfusion Student Prep Series (PSPS). www.perfusionprep.com

The course is not designed to teach perfusion school before perfusion school. That would be impossible, and it is not the goal.

Instead, it is five miles wide and one inch deep—an introduction to the terminology, equipment, physiology, and concepts students will begin hearing from day one.

My hope is that when those terms appear in class, they won’t feel completely unfamiliar. That may allow students to spend more time learning and less time simply trying to keep up.

The course is intended for students who:

have been accepted into perfusion school

applicants preparing for interviews

people seriously considering the profession who want a better understanding of what perfusion involves.

For transparency, I created the course, and it is a paid resource.

I also want to be clear that it is not intended to replace, supplement, or compete with the curriculum of any accredited perfusion program.

Its purpose is simply to help students arrive with more confidence and a basic foundation before classes begin.

I’m also happy to answer questions here about perfusion school, the profession, interviews, or preparing for the application process.

Good luck to everyone applying this cycle.

After 35 years in perfusion, and teaching for 25, one thing I’ve learned is that perfusion school can feel like arriving in another country. There is a new language, unfamiliar equipment, complex physiology, and a completely different way of thinking clinically.

You are not expected to know everything before you begin. But I do think there is value in learning some of the basic language before you land.

That is why I created the Perfusion Student Preparation Series through PerfusionPrep.com.

The course is intentionally “five miles wide and one inch deep.” It introduces prospective and accepted students to the terminology, equipment, physiology, and clinical concepts they are likely to encounter.

The goal is familiarity—not mastery.

I also want to be very clear: this DOES NOT replace, supplement, or compete with the curriculum of any accredited perfusion program.

It is simply designed to help students arrive better prepared to learn once their program begins.

I’m sharing it here because I know many prospective students ask what they can do before school starts.

I’m also happy to answer questions about the course or about preparing for perfusion school generally.

First Cohort starts 8/19/26 1900 EST

Full disclosure: this is a paid course that I created.
https://perfusionprep.com