Overview
The BCIT Cardiovascular Perfusion program is one of only three of its kind in Canada. A cardiac perfusionist is a key member of a highly specialized surgical team. Cardiovascular perfusionists work in operating rooms, providing life-saving support to patients undergoing heart surgery. It's a serious job, and our graduates are ready.
About the program
At BCIT, we believe in real life experience and provide practical, hands-on training. Our students typically have a cardiac healthcare background with a passion and work experience to succeed in this intensive program.
- Two-year advanced specialty certificate
- One year of distance and online learning means you can keep working while you study
- One year of clinical rotations provides direct learning
- Full spectrum of courses includes cardiothoracic anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, fetal and neonatal cardiac development, and perfusion science
- Outcomes of the Cardiovascular Perfusion program are designed to meet the competencies outlined in the National Entry-Level Competency profile of The Canadian Society of Clinical Perfusion
Visit Program Details for more information on our program structure and clinical rotation.
Who it’s for
This program is for healthcare professionals, first-responders or related degree graduates, who:
- Have completed a bachelor’s degree (preferably a Bachelor of Science) and the required prerequisite courses
- Have a minimum of two years of direct patient care experience preferably in a higher-acuity, or urgent-care environment
- Thrive in fast-paced, high-stress team environments and are able to think fast on the go
- Have a high level of sensitivity and care for patients
- Are willing to work long hours and on an on-call schedule
Interested in working in this specialized field of cardiac care? Entrance Requirements to find out how and when to apply.
What grads can do
Cardiovascular perfusionists are integral members of an expert cardiac surgical team. See Graduating and Jobs to learn more.
Entrance Requirements
Application processing
Applications are accepted from October 1st* to February 28th.*
We recommend that you apply early. All supporting documents must be submitted by the application deadline.
*or next business day
Indigenous applicants: This program is committed to the recruitment and retention of Indigenous applicants. To support applicants, a dedicated Indigenous admissions process was established, and dedicated seat(s) per intake are reserved for Indigenous students.
To be considered under this admission category, applicants must:
- Self-identify as an Indigenous person of Canada on the admission application
- Have successfully completed the program’s entrance requirements.
Our program also works closely with Indigenous services at BCIT to ensure students receive the best possible support and encouragement while in the program. Please visit Indigenous Initiatives for more information on available resources.
Entrance requirements
Admission to the program is highly competitive. In 2022, BCIT admitted 1 in 6 applicants. Successful applicants exceeded entrance requirements, showed a clear understanding of the profession and experience working in a high-stress environment.
Competitive Entry: Three-step process
Obtaining a seat in the Cardiovascular Perfusion program is competitive. The program mandate is to select those applicants deemed to have the best opportunity for success. BCIT does not guarantee admission to applicants who meet the minimum program entry requirements.
Step 1: Meet the following entrance requirements
- English language proficiency: Category 1 – English Studies 12 (73%) or equivalent
- Post-secondary education:
- Bachelor's degree
- CARD 1187 - Introductory Statistics for Health or equivalent [PDF]*
- One of the following entry options:
- Option 1: An employer letter stating a minimum two years current experience working as a Certified Respiratory Therapist or Critical Care RN
- Option 2: Successful completion of the following post-secondary courses:*
- 6.0 credits of 100-level chemistry
- 6.0 credits of 100-level physics
- BHSC 1200 - Human Anatomy and Physiology or equivalent [PDF]
- CARD 1103 - Medical Terminology or equivalent
- CARD 1186 - Patient Care for Allied Health (or equivalent as determined by program head) is required for applicants without relevant patient care experience.
*Note: All academic courses must be completed prior to application submission. Midterm grades are not accepted. Only official transcripts are to be submitted with online applications. An official BCIT transcript is not required.
- Complete the following online assessment:
- Casper (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics): Casper will send the results directly to the BCIT Perfusion department once you request that your score be distributed to the program.
Note: Please register to complete the Casper assessment as soon as possible. Registration numbers and dates are limited. - Complete these forms for submission with your online application:
- Additional Program Requirements Form [PDF]
- Casper Confirmation Form [PDF]
- Clinical Placements Form [PDF]
- Mandatory Applicant Questionnaire [PDF]: This form will be used with other entrance requirements in the competitive selection for the program.
- Course by Course Self-Assessment form [PDF]: For Option 2 applicants only.
Applicants who have completed post-secondary studies outside of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand will require a comprehensive evaluation of their credentials by the International Credential Evaluation Service (ICES). Credential evaluation reports from other Canadian services may be considered. These reports must include course-by-course evaluations and GPA calculations.
Read more about how to meet BCIT’s entrance requirements
Step 2: Requirements for shortlisted applicants
Applications will be reviewed by the program area at the application deadline. Only shortlisted applicants will be required to complete the following in-person assessment:
- PERF 0000 - Visual-Spatial, Fluid Reasoning Test
Step 3: Conditionally selected applicants
If you have been conditionally accepted to BCIT you will be notified and the following information will be required in order to be accepted into the program:
Once these and any other outstanding conditions have been met, you will receive notification of your full acceptance.
Clinical requirements
Note: Effective immediately, all health care workers who come into contact with patients at publicly-funded health care facilities or in the community, including at long-term-care facilities, will have to get the influenza vaccine or wear a mask during flu season. This policy affects all students who will be entering a clinical setting.
As such, you will be required to provide proof of your immunization or agree to wear a mask at all times through the flu season prior to being placed in your clinical studies.
Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Immunization Review [PDF] to be completed prior to start of clinical practicum year. For instructions and more information on immunization requirements, visit Student Health Services’ Health Science Student Information.
Note: CPR C and AED is the minimum level of CPR certification acceptable.Face Respirator Fit Testing: Respirator Fit Testing with a N95 respirator (1860, 1860s or 1870) is required and must be performed, in accordance with CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z94.4-02. Fit Testing must also include inspection, cleaning, maintenance, and storage of protective equipment. Students will be given specific instructions on how to access FIT testing by the program prior to the first clinical. Students are responsible for paying for the annual FIT test while in the program and carrying their certificate with them at all times during their practicum.
International applicants
This program is not available to international students. View available programs.
Apply to program
To submit your application:
- Include proof of meeting all entrance requirements.
- Convert all transcripts and supporting documents to PDF files.
- Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.
Apply Now
Scheduled Intakes
September each year for residents of British Columbia.
September of odd numbered years for applicants from Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba.
myCommunication
Within two business days of submitting your completed application, BCIT will send a message to your personal and myBCIT email addresses. All correspondence regarding your application will be posted to your online myCommunication account at my.bcit.ca. We will send you an email when a new message is posted. It is important to watch for these emails or regularly check your account online.
You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within four weeks.
Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
Flexible Learning (Part-time Studies) tuition is charged on a course-by-course basis. Please see the Flexible Learning Tuition & Fees page for more information.
Books & supplies
Most online courses require a textbook for reference. Bookstore fees change from term to term.
Face respirator fit testing is approximately $40 per year and annual re-fitting is required.
Immunization review is available at Health Services for $35, including TB skin testing.
At minimum, CPR C and AED is required annually at approximately $50 per year.
Courses
Program matrix
Check current availability of courses for this program.
| Term 1 (15 weeks) | Credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| BHSC 6100 | Applied Anatomy and Physiology 1 | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7100 | Cardiac Anaesthesia and Clinical Pharmacology 1 | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7200 | Perfusion Equipment and Techniques 1 | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7500 | Perfusion Lab 1 | 2.0 | |
| Term 2 (15 weeks) | Credits | ||
| BHSC 6110 | Applied Anatomy and Physiology 2 | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7110 | Cardiac Anaesthesia and Clinical Pharmacology 2 | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7210 | Perfusion Equipment and Techniques 2 | 5.0 | |
| Term 3 (15 weeks) | Credits | ||
| PERF 7220 | Perfusion Equipment and Techniques 3 | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7300 | Pediatric Perfusion | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7400 | Hemodynamic Monitoring/Diagnostic Imaging | 5.0 | |
| PERF 7520 | Perfusion Lab 2 | 2.0 | |
| Clinical (44 weeks) | Credits | ||
| PERF 8100 | Cardiovascular Perfusion Clinical 1 | 3.0 | |
| PERF 8200 | Cardiovascular Perfusion Clinical 2 | 21.0 | |
| PERF 8300 | Cardiovascular Perfusion Clinical 3 | 21.0 | |
| PERF 8400 | Cardiovascular Perfusion Clinical 4 | 21.0 | |
| PERF 8500 | Cardiovascular Perfusion Clinical 5 | 4.5 | |
| Total Credits: | 119.5 | ||
Check current availability of courses for this program.
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
Program Details
The Advanced Certificate in Cardiovascular Perfusion program is two years in length, consisting of a first year of online learning, followed by a second year of full-time clinical rotations.
The first academic year consists of three semesters of online distance courses. During this year students gain the fundamental knowledge required for entry to the clinical rotations. A strong understanding of cardiothoracic anatomy, physiology and pharmacology is essential knowledge in order to grasp the physical principles of perfusion science. An emphasis on cardiothoracic pathophysiology, as well as surgical techniques, is introduced early in order to prepare for clinical. Students are expected to spend approximately 15-20 hours/week completing coursework, including online group discussions, instructor-directed problem solving/quizzes, and peer-reviewed lectures.
Upon successful completion of the first year, students enter an intensive, full-time, 45-week clinical rotation where they train alongside qualified clinical perfusionists in the hospital setting, using the experience to complete clearly defined clinical year objectives. The majority of this clinical year is spent learning the theoretical and practical application of safe cardiopulmonary bypass, as well as taking part in class days, wet lab work, lectures and student presentations. Students are taught to communicate effectively with members of the health care team, patients and their families.
Students learn to use reason, analysis, calculations, problem solving, critical thinking, and other learning skills to acquire knowledge, and to comprehend and synthesize complex situations. Students must be prepared for achieving and maintaining a high level of knowledge and clinical competence, as well as having a distinct awareness of the consequence of error in judgment and/or skill. Under supervision, students are assessed on how safely and effectively they work in often stressful situations.
Clinical site rotations are assigned to students by BCIT faculty. Although student input is used for site assignments, there is no guarantee that all learners will receive their preferred placements.
Site assignments require that students travel and make arrangements for accommodation in out of town sites according to the length of each rotation. The duration of the clinical courses are two and three weeks (two courses) and 14 weeks (two courses) and 15 weeks (one course). Complete clinical schedules will be available to students three months prior to beginning the clinical year.
The hospitals listed below will provide clinical placements:
Clinical site partners
- BC Children’s Hospital
- Foothills Medical Centre
- Kelowna General Hospital
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute
- Regina General Hospital
- Royal Columbian Hospital
- Royal Jubilee Hospital
- Royal University Hospital
- St. Boniface Hospital
- St. Paul’s Hospital
- Vancouver General Hospital
- Halifax Infirmary
Program length
Two years in length, consisting of a first year of part-time distance learning, followed by a second year of full-time clinical rotations.
Accreditation
This program is accredited by the Health Standards Organization (HSO) and its affiliate accreditation (AC) through their new EQUAL Canada program.
Program delivery
In person: This program is delivered on campus.
Program location
The first year didactic courses are offered through online learning.
The Cardiovascular Perfusion lab is located at the Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond, BC.
Graduating & Jobs
Our graduates get work
As the need for cardiovascular and open-heart surgeries increases, jobs are opening up across Canada for cardiovascular perfusionists. Many of our grads are offered work in their sponsored hospitals after they graduate.
Career opportunities
Students graduate as cardiovascular perfusionists ready to work as members of cardiac surgical teams in hospital operating rooms. Positions in BC start at approximately $56 per hour.
For more information on this opportunity, please visit the CSCP website. The CSCP link should be linked to:
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2021-2023 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2020-2022 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
Apply for graduation
Upon successful completion of all program requirements, complete an Application for BCIT Credential [PDF] and submit it to Student Information and Enrolment Services.
Allow approximately six to eight weeks for processing.
All financial obligations to the Institute must be met prior to issuance of any credential.
Professional associations
Perfusion FAQ
Program Details FAQ
- What are the working conditions and physical requirements of a career in Cardiovascular Perfusion?
- Can I work during the program?
- Where will lab classes take place?
- I do not live in the Greater Vancouver area. Will I be expected to come to the lab classes?
- May I choose where my clinical placements are located?
- Am I responsible for costs throughout the clinical placement?
- What is the approximate cost of tuition for the whole program?
- Are there any breaks in the program?
Program Admission FAQ
- How competitive is the selection process? How many applicants do you receive?
- How can I make my application more competitive?
- How do I find out if courses I have taken, or plan to take, will be equivalent to the minimum requirements?
- Can I apply to the program while I’m working on meeting the prerequisites, or do I need to wait until all are complete?
- What if I have the prerequisites but they are from more than five years ago?
- I want to apply under Option 2. May I register for more than one CARD course in the same term?
- Do you consider GPA within the selection process?
- What can I do to prepare myself for success in the selection process?
- What constitutes direct patient care experience? How can I fulfill this requirement?
- What type of volunteer or work experience does not satisfy the requirement for direct patient care experience (equivalent to CARD 1186)?
Program Details FAQ
What are the working conditions and physical requirements of a career in Cardiovascular Perfusion?
Being a perfusionist involves:
- Shift work, including work on weekends, holidays, and overtime.
- Being able to work long hours.
- Managing stressful situations during cardiac procedures by utilizing
a high level of skill and decision-making whilst monitoring and operating complex
mechanical devices. - Heavy lifting at times to move equipment or transfer patients.
- Good manual dexterity and eye/hand coordination to operate extracorporeal and blood-related equipment.
Can I work during the program?
This is a very demanding program. Whilst it is possible to work during the didactic year, working during the clinical year is unlikely to be feasible. Any work hours must accommodate mandatory labs and full-time clinical rotations.
Where will lab classes take place?
The Perfusion lab is located at the BCIT Aerospace Technology Campus (ATC), on Sea Island, in Richmond, BC.
I do not live in the Greater Vancouver area. Will I be expected to come to the lab classes?
Yes. All students must attend lab classes. Full-time lab classes are scheduled during didactic terms 1 and 3, as well as at the beginning of each clinical practicum rotation. The lab residency prior to a student’s first clinical rotation is five weeks’ long.
May I choose where my clinical placements are located?
BCIT arranges clinical training for the student. Students will be asked to provide their preferences for clinical placements, but there is no guarantee that they will be assigned to their preferences.
Am I responsible for costs throughout the clinical placements?
You are responsible for all personal expenses, including food, accommodation, and transportation throughout the clinical practicum. No stipend is available for any portion of this program.
What is the approximate cost of tuition for the whole program?
Note: This is an estimate only based on the tuition fees paid by students from the last intake of the program. If all tuition costs and fees are added up over the whole two-year program, the cost would be approximately $21,000. Perfusion students pay tuition fees one term at a time. Course registration and tuition payments occur on a course-by-course basis.
Are there any breaks in the program?
In addition to the Christmas and spring breaks between didactic terms, there will be one, one week, break scheduled between clinical rotations.
Program Admission FAQ
How competitive is the selection process? How many applications do you receive?
Admission to the program is highly competitive. We expect to receive over 40 complete applications each year. For every seat in the program, there are more than six applicants who have met all the entrance requirements. Meeting minimum entrance requirements does not guarantee you will be selected for the next stage of the competitive entry process.
How do I find out if courses I have taken, or plan to take, will be equivalent to the minimum requirements?
First contact BCIT Program Advising. In rare cases for which Program Advising is not able to provide guidance as to the equivalency of specific courses, you must seek out the detailed course outlines, including course learning outcomes and assessment criteria, from the other post-secondary institution. Email the official course outlines as an attachment to a message that explains your inquiry to Perfusion@bcit.ca.
How can I make my application more competitive?
The questionnaire that is included with the application should exhibit thoughtful, articulate answers to all questions, as these are carefully reviewed in the selection of candidates.
In addition to completing all of the required prerequisites, successful applicants typically have the following profile:
- Post-secondary education with a focus on human anatomy and physiology and/or health
- Strong and consistent academic performance
- Recent and sustained work or volunteer experience involving direct patient care, ideally in acute care
- Demonstration of a clear understanding of the profession and the program
- Excellent communication skills
Can I apply to the program while I’m working on meeting the
prerequisites, or do I need to wait until all are complete?
All academic courses should be completed prior to application submission. Midterm grades are not accepted.
What if I have the prerequisites but they are from more than five years ago?
With the exception of English, it is highly recommended (but not required) for course work to have been completed within five years of the program start date. Remember that the selection process is extremely competitive.
I want to apply under Option 2. May I register for more than one CARD course in the same term?
Yes. Although passing CARD 1103 with over 60% is the recommended prerequisite to CARD 1186, future applicants to the Perfusion program under Option 2 are able to take these courses concurrently. Registrants are responsible for determining their own capacity to successfully manage an academic course load.
Do you consider GPA within the selection process?
A strong GPA is preferred in that it shows an aptitude for post-secondary course work, but numerical grades are just one piece of the larger picture. Successful candidates are well-rounded. Selected applicants often possess consistently strong marks, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree with emphasis on human anatomy and physiology, a demonstrated interest in the field, and relevant recent volunteer or work experience.
What can I do to prepare myself for success in the selection process?
Read the program website completely and carefully, paying particular attention to the ‘Program Entry’ page. This webpage sets out what is required to put together a complete application package.
Ensure that you have researched what it means to be a perfusionist and are aware of the scope of the work involved. The program looks for well-rounded individuals who will be successful both as students and as future cardiovascular perfusionists.
What constitutes direct patient care experience? How can I fulfill this requirement?
Direct patient care experience includes the application of the following types of skills, ideally as an allied health professional within a tertiary hospital setting:
- Assessing patients and collecting relevant patient information prior to a procedure
- Assisting patients with mobility, and transporting patients
- Taking vital signs
- The use of standard precautions and surgical asepsis
If you do not have patient care experience, you can take CARD 1186 or submit official transcripts proving you have completed an equivalent post-secondary course focusing on patient care.
What type of volunteer or work experience does not satisfy the requirement for direct patient care experience (equivalent to CARD 1186)?
Examples of experiences that have failed to constitute direct patient-care (as described in the above question) include:
- Volunteering as a Greeter or WayFinder at a hospital
- Volunteering in the hospital gift shop
- Working as a Medical Office Assistant (MOA)
- Providing home care to a family member
The experiences listed above, and others, are admirable and should be included in your written questionnaire. However, it is also recommended that they be supplemented by CARD 1186 or an equivalent patient care course.
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