At least one undergraduate course in each of the following areas: physiology (or anatomy and physiology), chemistry, mathematics and physics. Recommended course work includes biochemistry and statistics.

At MSOE, we’ve been educating perfusionists since 1983. Students benefit from our expert faculty members, extensive clinical training and thorough course work. Through our rigorous full-time program, we aim to prepare students in the following clinical areas: cardiopulmonary bypass, patient monitoring, blood conservation (cell salvage, modified ultrafiltration and plasmapharesis), intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP), ventricular assist devices (VAD), total artificial heart placement (TAH), selection of equipment and biomaterials, extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), etc. In addition to a variety of administrative duties, the perfusionist may be responsible for a number of educational and research functions.  

MSOE’s MS in Perfusion program offers many exciting benefits for students:

• A 100% job placement rate Starting salaries for entry level perfusionists are often between $75,000 and $100,000
• MSOE is a leader in the field of perfusion education. We have been educating perfusionists since 1983 and started the first master’s degree program in this area in 1993
• You will be educated in research and statistical techniques, which are important for completing research projects and understanding scientific literature
• Faculty who teach in this program have expertise in several areas of biomedical technology, including: physiology, biomaterials, biomedical equipment, pathophysiology, etc. The clinical instructors take teaching very seriously and many of them also hold degrees at the master’s level. We have more than 20 clinical instructors
• A student’s case load is typically at least 100 procedures, including a strong pediatric experience. This count only includes those cases in which you are acting as the primary perfusionist
• You will see a wide variety of cases, including implantation of Ventricular Assist Devices, transplant procedures and procedures using ECMO (extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation)
• All cases are in the Milwaukee area
• Perfusionists are in high demand for people with a degree in this field, according to Money and Career Cheat Sheet

MSOE’s Master of Science in Perfusion (MSP) program is designed for full-time graduate students. A clinical perfusionist operates extra-corporeal circulation (meaning blood outside of the body) equipment during medical situations where it is necessary to support or replace the patient’s cardiopulmonary/circulatory functions, such as during open-heart surgery.

As with most allied health professionals, advances in biomedical technology have broadened the scope of responsibilities of perfusionists. The rapid and proper application of these technologies demands that the clinical perfusionist of today and tomorrow possess strong academic and clinical skills involving many areas of biomedical technology.