Clinical perfusionist
Career outlook for clinical perfusionist
Average UK salary
£40,560
Currently employed in Scotland
5,000
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would keep people alive when they are undergoing heart surgery or a liver transplant.
You’d use specialist equipment that ‘replaces’ the heart and lungs during the operation and keeps blood and oxygen circulating in the person’s body.
You would work alongside the surgeon and other medical staff in the operating theatre, treating adults and children.
You’d monitor and adjust the heart-lung machine that does the work of the patient’s heart and lungs while they are undergoing surgery. This means the surgeon can perform the operation without having to worry about the impact on the patient’s breathing and blood circulation.
Isolated limb perfusion is a technique you would use to help to treat cancer. You would keep blood and oxygen circulating in one limb separately from the rest of the body so very high dosages of drugs can be used in the isolated area to treat the tumour.
The equipment you’d use is highly sophisticated technical, mechanical and electronic machinery. You would set up and check it before the operation or treatment.
During the operation you would:
- control the equipment
- monitor readings from the heart-lung machine
- adjust the levels of chemicals and gases in the patient’s blood
- keep the team informed about the patient’s condition.
Operations can last many hours; you’d need to concentrate for long periods of time. You’d work very closely as a team in the operating theatre.
There’s a lot of research and innovation in this area of healthcare to improve techniques or develop new treatments to help patients.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
Travel
UK employment status
Full-time
56%
Part-time
35%
Self employed
9%
Create a qualification route
We've found some examples of the qualifications that could help you get this job.
Discover my routeSearch course options
Thinking about your future? There are lots of courses available that could interest you. Use our course search to explore course options.
Find coursesSearch job opportunities
If you're looking for your new career our job search can help you. Discover interesting opportunities and decide your next steps.
Find a jobTop skills
Here are some of the skills needed for this job. Sign in to see how your skills match up.
- Resilience
- Cooperating
- Verbal communication
- Social conscience
- Attention to detail
- Taking initiative
- Making decisions
- Understanding
Skills Explorer
Your skills can help you choose the career that's right for you. You can build your skills through work, study or activities you do in your spare time.
Our Skills Explorer tool will help you understand what skills you have and match them to jobs that might suit you.
Use the Skills Explorer toolGetting in
Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Foundation Apprenticeships
Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subjects in S5 and S6 can help you get a head start with this type of job.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification (the same level as a Higher) plus valuable work placement experience and skills you can't learn in a classroom.
Interested? Find out what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Qualifications
You must be registered with the College to practise in Great Britain and Ireland.
Training involves practical experience in a cardiac surgery clinical perfusion unit as well as formal academic training at the University of Bristol where you will study towards an MSc in Perfusion Science (SCQF level 11).
You will need to pass the Society’s professional accreditation examination before being awarded your MSc.
Before starting the course you will normally be working in a clinical environment as a trainee clinical perfusion scientist. For entry you would normally need:
- An honours degree or postgraduate degree in an appropriate scientific subject
- Graduate Membership of the Institute of Biology, or similar professional qualifications, accompanied by relevant industrial and/or biomedical/clinical experience
- A degree in medicine, dental surgery or veterinary science
For entry to a degree (SCQF level 10) you need National 5 qualifications and four to five Highers. Some universities ask for qualifications to be gained in one sitting.
You can also enter a degree with a relevant Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) or Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8). With Advanced Highers, HNC or HND qualification you may enter the second or third year of some degree courses.
You should check individual entry requirements for medical, dentistry and veterinary degrees. You normally need at least five Highers at AAAAB or above, usually achieved in one sitting. Advanced Highers in science subjects are recommended.
Some universities offer an integrated masters (SCQF level 11) combining a degree and masters courses. Entry is the same as for a degree.
Useful subjects
- English (required)
- Maths (required)
- Science subjects including Biology, Chemistry and Physics (most courses will require a minimum of two sciences for entry)
You will also need
To be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland.
Helpful to have
Qualifications that offer experience in the health, care or science sectors such as Health and Social Care (SCQF level 6) or Laboratory Science (SCQF level 5) may also be of value when applying to courses.
A relevant Foundation Apprenticeship (SCQF level 6) can also be of value when applying.