r/prospective_perfusion

Hi all,

My department has a few spots opening up for perfusion assistants in San Francisco. This is an amazing opportunity for prospective health career students.

We expect at least a 2 year commitment as the on the job training takes 3-6 months. You will be learning heart lung machines, devices such as impellas and LVADs, iabp and more. You will be working a mixture of OR, Cath lab and icu. Its an extremely good resume booster for perfusion school ( our openings are actually for techs who just left for schooling).

The job entails a mixture of in house and on call so living in SF is a must (30 min response time). Semi flexible scheduling once training is complete so excellent for students who need to retake courses.

Feel free to ask questions or DM for more info.

Hi everyone, I just got word that I have an interview for UThealths perfusion program! That being said, if anyone has any advice on the questions they ask based on prior experience or the experience of others, I would appreciate the help!

Hi everyone, I’m considering applying to perfusion programs and would love some advice.

I graduated with a 3.8 GPA in biology and have all of the prerequisite classes completed. My main issue is that I don’t have clinical experience. I was originally planning on going the PhD route, so most of my experience is in lab/research settings.

Right now, I’m debating between two options:

1. Starting a master’s in biomedical sciences and shadowing/working part-time in an OR, ICU, or another relevant clinical role over the next two years.
2. Skipping the master’s and fully focusing the next year on perfusion-specific experience, including shadowing and getting a full-time job in a relevant hospital/clinical setting.

Would I have a realistic chance at Fall 2027 admission if I spent the next year building relevant work experience and shadowing, even though I’d only have about a year of clinical experience by the time I applied?

Or would it make more sense to do the biomedical master’s and build the clinical/shadowing experience more gradually over two years?

Any advice would be appreciated!

For any applicants who have gotten interviews, what questions did the interviewer ask you?

I’m a senior BSc student applying to perfusion programs. I’m a certified Phlebotomy Tech but haven’t been able to work due to legal/work authorization issues. I do have ~30 open-heart observations and 100+ hours in the open-heart OR.
I have a 3.4 cGPA and 3.2 sGPA. What can I do to strengthen my application at this point?

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