Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Science
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Program Overview
Emory's Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion prepares perfusionists to operate cardiopulmonary bypass and other life sustaining mechanical devices for a variety of surgical and medical conditions.
Program Contacts
For admissions-related questions, please contact nursingquestions@emory.edu.
Erick McNair
Associate Professor
erick.mcnair@emory.edu
Leslie Miller
leslie.miller2@emory.edu
Curriculum
Curriculum Overview
This is a structured, in-person, 22-month program designed for bachelor’s-prepared individuals seeking to develop knowledge and skills in cardiovascular perfusion. The curriculum includes scheduled coursework and clinical rotations at designated local and distant sites and prepares students to deliver exceptional perfusion care to patients, families, and healthcare organizations.
On completion of the Cardiovascular Perfusion Science Program, graduates are prepared to enter the field as competent perfusionist able to:
- Apply established and emerging principles and techniques of perfusion practice to deliver safe, high-quality patient care
- Demonstrate accountability through ethical, team-based approaches to care, with an understanding of the impact of social determinants of health
- Engage as lifelong learners, preceptors, educators, and leaders in the field of perfusion science
- Develop into leaders by applying and conducting academic, evidence-based research to inform clinical decision-making and advance high-quality perfusion practice
Careers
Emory's Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Science graduates have the below career outcomes:
- Retention: 90%
- Placement: 100%
- ABCP Examinations:
- PBSE:100%
- CAPE: 100%
* Program outcomes reflect data from the class of 2025.
Admissions
Requirements
To be considered for admission, you will need to meet the following requirements:
- BS in science or health care related discipline
- 3.0 or higher overall GPA
- 3.0 or higher science GPA
- U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
- Application for admission
- $50 Application Fee
- Official transcripts from each school attended
- Resume
- Three (3) professional recommendations, one of which is your supervisor/employer responsible for your annual performance review and two others from science professors, lab mentors, employers and supervisors in academically relevant jobs, etc.
- Students with international transcripts for non-nursing degrees must provide an evaluation from World Education Services for previous non-nursing coursework.
Applicants to the Cardiovascular Perfusion Science Program must complete seven (7) prerequisite courses in physical science and mathematics within seven years of application. An additional course in medical terminology is required for applicants without a healthcare background. Prerequisite coursework may be completed at the undergraduate or graduate level.
Students may apply while prerequisite courses are in progress; however, all prerequisites must be completed with a grade of B- or higher prior to program orientation. Pass/fail grades are not accepted.
Official transcripts for verifying completion of all prerequisite coursework must be submitted prior to the start of the program. Students who do not provide verification and official transcripts by orientation will be unenrolled and may be required to reapply for a future admission cycle.
Preferred Method: Choose Emory University - School of Nursing in the electronic transcript systems or have your school email your official transcripts to nursingquestions@emory.edu.
If your school does not participate in the electronic transcript system or cannot email your transcripts, please have them mail a hard copy to:
Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Emory University
1520 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30322
All courses and degrees in the application checklist must be verified by the Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs before they are marked as received.
Preferred candidates have at least one (1) year of full-time experience as a: nurse/critical care nurse ICU, CCU, ED, OR; physician assistants; respiratory therapist; ECMO technologist; cardiac rehabilitation physiologist; cardiac diagnostic laboratory technologist; or perfusion assistant.
The interview team may include the program director, clinical coordinator, medical advisor and/or faculty from the School of Medicine, perfusionists, and others. The admission decision will be based on the interview and the student completing all prerequisite courses and program requirements.
Admission into the Cardiovascular Perfusion Science Program is granted on a competitive basis and students meeting minimum requirements may be denied admission based on such factors as program capacity or academic discretion.
Shadowing offers the opportunity to clarify your career aspirations. We strongly recommend shadowing a certified perfusionist for a minimum of 16 hours to identify the role and responsibilities of the perfusionist, and to identify different types of technologies/techniques used during the surgical procedure.
Shadowing is an observational experience that is done in a hospital setting. Permission to observe must be obtained prior to the shadowing experience even if this is within your own institution. You may choose to shadow for a full day or break the time into multiple short contacts. Reading about perfusion in general before the experience and looking up common procedures, e.g., coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic or mitral valve replacement (AVR, MVR), can help you better understand the role of the perfusionist. Some questions you may consider after shadowing are:
- What is the “typical day” of a perfusionist?
- What are the roles and responsibilities of the perfusionist?
- What procedures were observed and what type of perfusion services were administered?
- What laboratory tests and hemodynamic parameters were monitored during perfusion?
- What medications were used during the procedure?
- What type of information was communicated by the team during surgery?
The expectation for shadowing is to observe the role and responsibilities of the perfusionist, not to become an expert in perfusion or to have an in depth understanding of all equipment, laboratory tests, and medications. Post-procedure you might read up on something you observed (See Shadowing Form Template).
This experience provides an opportunity to reinforce your decision of which direction to take on your career path. For some individuals, the shadowing experience may confirm their commitment to pursuing a career as a perfusionist. For others, this experience may reveal that the perfusionist profession does not align with their career goals. Either way the shadowing opportunity for individuals to clarify their career aspirations.
Prerequisite Requirements
To be considered for admission, you will need to meet the following prerequisite requirements:
The prerequisites for the Cardiovascular Perfusion Science Program include seven (7) physical science and math courses completed within 7 years of the application. An additional course in medical terminology is required if the applicant does not have a healthcare background. These courses may be at an undergraduate or graduate level. Some community colleges/universities offer a level of course that will not be appropriate for this program. Approval may be requested for a course an applicant is considering taking or for a course the applicant has completed. Refer to the process for Requesting a Prerequisite Course Evaluation in the Nursing Catalog.
Students may submit an application for admission with the courses in progress, but all prerequisite courses must be complete with a grade of B- or higher by orientation into the program. A mark of pass-fail is not an option for Prerequisite courses. All official transcripts must be submitted before classes begin. Students who do not have verification of course completion and an official transcript on file by orientation will be unenrolled from the program. The student may be required to reapply at a future date.
| General Biology with lab (4 semester hours minimum) |
| Anatomy & Physiology I & II with labs (8 semester hours minimum) |
| Chemistry 2 courses – Organic and Inorganic (general chemistry) with lab (8 semester hours minimum) |
| Microbiology with lab (4 semester hours) |
| Physics with lab (4 semester hours minimum) |
| Introductory Statistics (3 semester hours) |
| College mathematics course – College Algebra, Calculus |
Students may request an exemption for this course if they have a degree in a healthcare field or have clinical practice experience. This course may be taken at a community college.
Ready to take the next step in your career? Apply now.
Admission decisions are based upon candidate competitiveness as well as program availability. Applicants may be placed on a waitlist. Decisions for waitlisted applicants are announced as seats become available, up to the first day of orientation. Application deadlines can be found here.
Questions? Call us at the our Office of Enrollment and Student Affairs at 404.727.7980 or email nursingquestions@emory.edu.
Policies & Guidelines
The Emory University Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Committee – Perfusion Education.
FAQs
General Questions
A cardiovascular perfusionist is responsible for operating cardiopulmonary bypass or support machines and monitoring patients that are receiving this type of support, often for the temporary replacement of heart and/or lung function. A perfusionist is a member of an interprofessional healthcare team (surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, etc.) and typically works in an operating room environment. Perfusion technology has expanded over the past decade whereby perfusionists work not only with heart-lung machines during open heart procedures but also with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), blood transfusion devices, intra-aortic balloon pumps, ventricular-assist devices, and more. The role of perfusionists in organ transplantation surgeries also includes the recovery of organs that previously would not have been transplantable.
It is a profession that requires a high degree of skill and critical judgment for patient safety and requires individuals to work under dynamic and at times stressful situations.
As the field of mechanical cardiovascular support grows, so has the need for perfusionists grown. Because of the limited number of perfusion programs nationwide and the significant number of retiring practitioners, systems have been competing for perfusionists for their heart/lung surgeries and their critical care support needs. The shortage of perfusion professionals was brought into even starker contrast by the COVID-19 pandemic when many otherwise salvageable adults are believed to have died due to a lack of ICU beds, a lack of ECMO pumps, and insufficient numbers of perfusionists and personnel trained in extracorporeal support. Therefore, the need for perfusionists is evident in Georgia and nationwide to provide life-saving perfusion services.
Salaries typically vary by level of education, additional skills, years of experience, and geographic region. As of November 2022, Salary.com reported the average perfusionist annual salary to be $148, 375 with the range between $133,847 - $161, 777.
The CV Perfusion Program is a 5 semester, 65.5 credit hour, full-time only program that requires continuous semester enrollment (Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring). Enrollment occurs in the fall semester. This program is only offered as full time.
Applicants who meet the admission requirements but do not have a background in healthcare may apply. Preferred candidates have at least one (1) year of full-time experience as a: nurse/critical care nurse ICU, CCU, ED, OR; physician assistants; respiratory therapist; ECMO technologist; cardiac rehabilitation physiologist; cardiac diagnostic laboratory technologist; or perfusion assistant. Other position descriptions may apply. Contact the program director if you have any questions.
We enroll 15-20 full-time students.
The Emory Nursing Learning Center (ENLC) located in Decatur, GA includes high-fidelity simulation equipment and software to support simulated learning experiences. The OR suite allows for perfusionist training, as well as interprofessional training. The spaces commonly used for perfusion student education include skills labs, breakout rooms, and a dedicated room equipped with varied perfusion equipment specifically designated for open skills practice by perfusion students.
Students must be prepared to travel outside the Atlanta-Metro region and the state of Georgia, to ensure timely accrual of required clinical cases. Students are responsible for covering all associated costs, including transportation, housing, meals, and any other expenses.
The Emory University Master in Cardiovascular Perfusion Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Committee – Perfusion Education.
Tuition is $1625/credit hours. A $600 perfusion simulation lab technology fee is charged each semester.
Admitted students may apply for federal financial aid as a graduate student to receive need-based aid.
Currently no scholarships are available.
Admission is not available for international applicants.