Well I majored in Biochemistry, and as far as the profession goes, well there is always job stability in patient care regardless of specialty. In certain cases you may have to go where the work is but thats not a bad thing either. Choosing a job in a new location shouldn't be based solely on where you want to live, but who you feel best working with through your clinical rotations in the end grad scheme of things. As far as the future of perfusion specifically, well if you look at the leading cause of death in america, you will see cancer being one of the top and heart disease is up there. Honestly with American diets heart surgery is going to be an on going thing. Even with age for that matter. Another factor to look at is, if there is a need for heart surgeons there is a need for a perfusionist. Don't let those drastic decline in job outlook stories scare you. Its a great job with a great future and great stability. The perfusionist I shadowed performs 250-300 cases a year. Thats four to five cases a week. Usually he performs two cases a day. He used to do three more on the regular. But now he has a pretty sweet gig with the Banner Good Sam hospital and generally has 3 days off from cases. He also does expos across country and internationally where he gives talks on cardiovascular science. All in all, he is an extremely busy guy. My first shadow run with him, he was speaking to his wife about next years spring break with the kids and balancing all his home life while preparing simultaneously for his cases 6 in the morning. The moral of the story, you're gonna WORK! Its a hustle for sure. Not just in terms of making money, but the actual pace of carrying out duties. Its a hustle to keep up. People say, "aww they just sit there and watch for bubbles." Definitely not the case. There are slower times during the case than others but you gotta be vigilant and prepared for anything. Knowing what exactly is going on in the surgery is key to what makes a good perfusionist versus a sub par perfusionist. You're a key part in the team. Some will say you're not as important as the surgeon or the Anesthesiologist or the assistance or what have you but honestly every part is just as critical as the next. Its a very noble position and worth investing in if you want gratification in your profession. Remember, you're the one who keeps the patient alive while their heart or lungs are operated on. Once EKGs have gone flat so to say, you're in control.
