Perfusion Technology Courses

Perfusionists are highly trained medical practitioners who specialise in delivering life-saving assistance for blood pumping during surgery on vital organs such as the heart, liver and lungs. During such surgery, patients need extracorporeal circulation (ECC) to sustain the defective organ. Perfusion Technology is used during open-heart surgery, cardiac failure, renal failure and other life-threatening conditions. In this post, you’ll get to know what Perfusion Science courses are and where you can go around the world.

What is the Role of a Perfusionist?

During highly serious conditions that involve operating on organs, the most common of which is open-heart surgery, the natural heart is deliberately brought to a stop and instead the blood pumping functions are performed via the heart-lung machine. This is done in order to make it easier for the surgeon to perform the operation and make the operation less susceptible to mishaps. Here, the perfusionist handles the heart-lung machine that takes the blood out of the body, performs oxygenation and de-oxygenation functions and re-injects it into the blood vessels. In short the whole circulatory process. He works closely with the surgeon and allied professionals during the whole procedure. It is an extremely advanced and essential job for which specialized training is required. This training forms the core part of Perfusion Technology programs where students are instructed specifically about the responsibilities of a perfusionist.

Also read: An Honest Guide to Masters in Emergency Medicine

Skills Required for Perfusion Technology Courses

Perfusion is the science of creating extracorporeal pulmonary ventilation as a form of mechanical life support by replacing the patient’s respiratory and circulatory systems. Medical perfusionists are experienced employees of the cardiac surgical team who offer life-saving assistance to patients throughout cardiac surgery. They often play a significant role in organ transplantation and give hospital care in ICUs to terminally ill patients. In order to conduct those vital duties at the most crucial moment of one’s life, these experts should possess: 

• Comprehensive knowledge of respiratory and circulatory processes 
• Have a detailed knowledge of the sophisticated machinery needed to run it 
• Manage a difficult situation 
• Pay careful attention to even the minute information 
• Communicate successfully with the healthcare professionals 
• Keep up-to-date with the latest trends in the sector

Types of Perfusion Technology Courses

There are a few ways in which you can enter into a perfusionist profession. Some concentrate on teaching Perfusion as a specific specialization. On the other hand, a few courses may try to give an encompassing understanding of cardiovascular technology or medicine. After graduation, students may venture into Perfusion Technology through short courses or practice. Generally, Perfusion Technology is not offered as a bachelor’s in a lot of places as it requires prior medicinal know-how. Most of the courses also consist of a mandatory research project or dissertation and hospital experience. In the following paragraph, various types of courses have been given a rundown.

Graduate Diploma/ Advanced Diploma/ Certificate

Those who already hold a Science or Medicine-related degree can choose to do a graduate or advanced diploma in Perfusion Technology. In addition to that, relevant experience as a nurse or assistant is also taken into consideration. The course structure is specially designed to incorporate all essential concepts related to perfusion and allied fields. The length of the program may vary from around 1.5 to 2 years. In addition to basic anatomy and Physiology, students are trained in organ support devices, perfusion theories and Hemotherapy among other subjects.

Post Graduate

This is the most advanced of all perfusion technology courses. It involves advanced study and research about Cardiovascular technology and Medicine as a whole. Detailed knowledge of Cardiovascular Systems, Disease, Heart and Circulation, and Microvascular Biology is imparted to the students. The course also focuses on the development of research skills and techniques. The course length may vary between 1 to 2 years depending on the location.

Note: It is advised that the official website of the course-offering institution must be visited for further information.

Eligibility Criteria for Perfusion Technology Courses

• The minimum criteria for qualifying to meet the  MasPerfusion Technology courses actually depend on the type of course, be it a Master’s or Undergraduate. 
• The criteria are that the candidate should have an overall mark of 50-55 per cent or its counterpart in the 10+2 exams. 
• Candidates were required to finish higher schooling with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English as their main academic subjects. 
• Any college and university can instruct students to take an admissions test and admit students based on their grades in these competitive exams.

Course Subjects

Universities that offer Perfusion Technology Courses

Following is a list of institutions that offer Perfusion Technology courses or courses related to it:

• Imperial College London – Programs: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Masters, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma)
• The Michener Institute, Canada – Programs: Advanced Diploma in Cardiovascular Perfusion
• University of Bristol – Programs: MSc Perfusion Science (two years, part-time)
• MSOE University, United States – Programs: MS in Perfusion
• University College, London – Programs: MSc Cardiovascular Science

Universities that offer Perfusion Technology Courses in India

Here are some of the Universities that offer Perfusion Technology Courses in India:

• Hindustan Institute Of Technology And Science ( HITS Chennai), Chennai
• Jawaharlal Institute Of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research ( JIPMER), Puducherry
• Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Research Institute ( SRMCRI), Chennai
• Chirayu Medical College ( CMC), Indore
• Institute Of Postgraduate Medical Education And Research ( IPGMER), Kolkata

Career Prospects

Many recent graduates, experienced healthcare professionals, nurses etc. take up Perfusion Technology courses in order to enter the rewarding perfusionist profession. Due to a rise in the need for perfusion experts at government and private hospitals, it offers lucrative options for career advancement. Further, institutions have come to recognize that the inclusion of perfusion experts has led to higher success in surgery rates. The need for quality perfusionists will only increase in the coming years.

Average Salary

A perfusionist’s average income is low when compared to other medical professionals. However, big hospitals provide competitive pay packages to qualified candidates. A candidate with less than one year of experience can expect to earn roughly Rs. 3.5 lakh per year. After obtaining some experience, the candidate’s annual salary will be around Rs.6.5 Lakh. A perfusion technologist’s annual salary is approximately Rs.12 lakh, which includes tips, bonuses, and overtime pay.

FAQs

This article is an attempt to curate material related to Perfusion Technology programs and institutions that offer them. If you have decided on taking up perfusion as your career choice but can’t seem to find the right university, the counsellors at Leverage Edu can guide you through the whole process so that you can build a lucrative career in this field.