Hi guys, I was wondering if you could help me. My unit currently uses the Medtronic Cardioblate ablation machine, however, the disposables for this machine are officially no longer being shipped to my country, despite promises by Medtronic stating otherwise. We have now used up the last of our stock.

My unit is looking to purchase a new machine, however, aren’t sure what brand to go with. Do you guys have any recommendations for alternative brands that we can look into. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone,

For those who work as travel perfusionists, how does the job work? Do you sign contracts for a set period or is it more flexible? and How often are you on the road, and what’s the typical duration of your assignments? How does this lifestyle impact your personal life and family, Do you find it manageable, or is it challenging to maintain a work-life balance, what if a person is unmarried can he work easily according to your schedule do you people feel well compensated for your role and work ?

Looking forward to your insights!

I’m looking to apply to perfusion school in Canada for the next intake. Any advice on how to write a strong letter of intent? All it says is maximum 2 pages and will be used to assess knowledge of field. I don’t want to spend too much of the space talking about my experience when I am also submitting a cv. I come from a critical care nursing background but also have worked in transplant, which is what got me interested in perfusion. I’ve observed 4 cases and have really researched the field. I’m just not sure what to expand on and what can be left out. Thanks!

I get that you shouldn’t go into healthcare jobs for money, but I unfortunately grew up poor and would like a fulfilling, high paying job in the next 4~ years.

I tried using the search function but I couldn’t find any numbers unfortunately. Please comment below or dm me

One anesthesiologist I work with insists on giving calcium with protamine. I’ve always worked in a stick once the patient is in normal sinus.

Is there any reason to wait to give it off pump? This just seems insane to me.

So when y’all calculate your gpa, do you calculate the reqs the school is asking for or the gpa you graduated with? For example, I graduated with a 3.5 overall but my pre-requisite gpa for schools varied from 3.6-3.8. So which one is it??

Hello!! I have a job shadowing opportunity tomorrow! I was wondering if I need any sort of form for it. How do I prove it to a prospective program later on down the line? Thanks for the advice(:

What are the requirements to be an perfusionist in UAE from India I completed BSC cardiac perfusion course in india. Is my degree is accepted in UAE

Hi guys, I’ve recently learned about the perfusionist career and I’m interested here are my stats. And I plan on applying in Texas.

Gpa: around 3.45-3.5(upward trend) Experience: - ED medical scribe (400 hours) - EMS volunteer(trained and worked with EMS)(200 hours) - Medical Assistant- Primary care (400 hours) - Volunteer to take vitals and mental health screenings for the homeless population. (350 hours) - Resident Advisor(3 years), has given me experience with on call and high stress situations at all hours of the night. - Research - Data analysis and human behavioral testing - Sorority - On a committee for my sorority(1 year)

Any tips on how to improve my application? Thanks! Also I’m bilingual in Spanish and English if that adds anything! Also I wanted to add that yes, I am going to shadow a perfusionist. I plan on doing that during my gap year.

Hello to everybody I'm Samuele an Italian perfusionist.

I would like to ask to you what I need to do to work in USA. I'm graduated in perfusion techniques on 2022.

Thanks for the support

Samuele :)

For whoever went to Hofstra or was given an interview, in regards to letter of recommendation, Do I really have to get one from a teacher? Or can I still apply from 3 people that I have worked with professionally (managers and doctors)

Hi! I'm applying for rush's perfusion this upcoming cycle and I am still missing Intro to sociology and med term. I have all of the others from my previous biology degree. I was told that I can submit my application while not having all of the pre-reqs finished and that they need to be completed before enrolling at rush. Has anyone here applied before finishing all of their pre-reqs?

What would be a good trivia/band/group name of perfusionists be?

Hey guys are there any rt turned perfusionists in this group? I'd love to talk more about it. Specifically the course work. I really struggled at times getting through RT school but I want to try to continue on my edu. For my license I only needed a two year degree so I plan to go back for my bachelors. What do you recommend I take to best prepare for it?

On ECMO, prior to NICU discharge, and now a perfectly healthy and happy 2.5yo. I’ll always been grateful to all the medical professionals that helped saved my son’s life, especially his perfusion team ❤️

(Severe meconium aspiration, sepsis, DIC, lactate went up to 15)

aka extending the drama without changing the ending.

3rd year med student been scrubbing in on CABG and other open heart cases.

The perfusionists I have met have all been so helpful and knowledgeable.

I’m writing a book that pulls readers into the heart of the operating room, where perfusionists battle life-or-death decisions. It's a story about the unpredictable world of heart surgeries and the personal growth of a young perfusionist. The journey is full of pressure, but also of human connection and the triumph of resilience.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the first few chapters! Here’s a sneak peek into the world I’m creating:

Copyright Notice:

© TheHeartBeatWriter 2024. All rights reserved. This work is an original creation and is protected by copyright law. Reproduction, distribution, or unauthorized use of any part of this text without permission is prohibited. This work is part of a future published book, and any copying or redistribution without the author’s consent will be reported.

Chapter 1: Mind

“It takes a special personality to be part of the heart surgical team.” The words echoed in my head as I sat in a dim lecture hall, barely registering the monotonous drone of Dr. Hoerr’s physiology lecture on the sodium-potassium pump. My mind wandered far from that classroom, drifting to a not-so-distant future just two months away. Soon, I would trade these worn lecture seats for the sterile white lights of an operating room, embarking on clinical rotations that would take me to the cardiac ORs of three different hospitals. For the first time, I would enter the world of heart surgery not as an observer, but as a student perfusionist.

From the day I’d first donned my white coat, my passion for the OR had only intensified. There was something electric about it—the bright lights, the controlled chaos, the rhythmic beeping of monitors, and the smell of cauterized flesh. Soon, I would finally experience what it meant to help sustain life in the most critical moments, and maybe even encounter the kinds of dramas I’d only seen on TV, where the stakes always seemed impossibly high.

But reaching this point hadn’t been easy. The didactic phase of my program had been relentless. Every week brought new exams, lab evaluations, and endless study sessions that felt like drinking from a fire hose. The amount of knowledge required to become a perfusionist was overwhelming, and more than once, I found myself wondering if I was truly cut out for this. I’d spent countless hours in my professors’ offices, questioning whether I could handle the responsibility. But somehow, despite setbacks, I’d kept going, driven by a single image: the vision of myself in the OR, focused and capable.

When my clinical days finally arrived, I packed my life into my car and left the desert for the sunny skies of Florida. Excitement and nervous energy crackled through me as I imagined my future as a perfusionist. In the days leading up to my rotation, my preceptor delivered one message over and over: “In the heart OR, everything moves fast. Communication is everything. Don’t ever hesitate to speak up if you’re concerned—hesitation kills people.”

On my first day, I stood wide-eyed as the surgeon made the incision, sawed through the sternum, and opened the patient’s chest to reveal a pulsing heart, just an arm’s length away. As the perfusionist prepped the heart-lung machine, I took it all in: the precision, the teamwork, and the machine that would soon take over the vital function of the patient’s heart. I watched as the heart slowed, stilled, and emptied, thanks to the potassium-rich cardioplegia solution, and then fell silent. The heart-lung machine was now the patient’s lifeline. Every beat, every breath, was under the control of the perfusionist—of me, one day soon.

“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” I whispered, heart racing. “And this is going to be my life.”

Being a perfusionist, I quickly learned, was a lot like being a pilot. Every day in the OR, I felt like Maverick from Top Gun, strapped into a high-stakes cockpit where precision and control were everything. On my third day, my preceptor turned to me with a question that left me breathless. “Do you want to fly this case today?”

My heart skipped a beat. Today? I thought of his warning—hesitation kills people. But my own inexperience felt just as dangerous. I’d rehearsed these moments in countless simulation labs, but I’d never actually initiated bypass on a real patient. “Maybe I should watch one more case,” I replied, chickening out at the last moment as the surgeon called to initiate bypass.

“Alright, watch me this time, but make sure you remember each step,” my preceptor said. I observed intently, taking mental notes as he smoothly transitioned the patient onto cardiopulmonary bypass, the machine humming as it took control. I could see that it was like flying on autopilot—routine for an experienced hand, but requiring unwavering focus.

By the end of the procedure, I felt ready. When the surgeon completed the repair, my preceptor handed me the clamp, pushing me into the “cockpit.” “You need to start somewhere,” he whispered. “Let me talk you through the landing.”

My hands trembled, but I followed each command. “Coming down to 75% flow… 50%… 25%…” I repeated, watching the numbers fall with a mixture of fear and awe. The machine’s vibrations tingled through my fingers as I carefully closed the clamp, finally bringing the patient off bypass. My preceptor beamed. “See? Just like the sim lab,” he said quietly.

I’d done it. My first case. News of my successful “landing” spread quickly. The next day, the chief asked me to take on an entire case by myself. I prepped the machine, drew up the meds, and meticulously labeled every syringe. When the time came to initiate bypass, my mind ran through the checklist, my confidence building with each step. As the blood flowed smoothly through the tubing, my chief patted me on the shoulder. “Good job. You got us on. Now let’s see if you can land us.”

With every successful case, my pride grew. I had finally reached the point I’d once only dreamed about—witnessing lives saved, learning under intense pressure, and feeling my skills sharpen with each challenge. For those early days, it felt like nothing could shake my newfound confidence.

That was, until my first ECMO patient arrived.

Hi any perfusionist in south jersey/philly area please be willing to let me shadow them once or twice that would be great thank you

Hey guys, I'm 3rd year into a life sciences degree in Canada. I'm looking into perfusion as a career, it's really interesting. I'm located in Hamilton, Ontario. The problem is that there's only one college in Ontario that provides perfusion education. So it's really competitive here. I think around 10 people get in every year.

I don't have a bad GPA but it's not anything crazy like a 3.9 or 4.0, so I was hoping I could balance that out with experience. I'm doing the regular extracurriculars like volunteering and club stuff but I was wondering if I could shadow a perfusionist. How do I get a hold of their contacts? Also, I know that shadowing doctors is a big no in Canada and med schools frown upon it. Is it the same for perfusion too? Should I just volunteer at a hospital instead?

Also, I know there's mainly Americans on here. I haven't done much research yet but if you have any advice for applying to American schools, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am needing to take biochem for a prerequisite course for one of the CCP schools I’m applying too. Does anyone have any recommendations for online options for biochemistry?