Lead perfusionist

Pay in the destination countries

Monthly, in US dollars. Each country is an Imora admission package — open one for that route's fees, language requirement and deadline.

What does the day look like?

You are the person who runs the heart-lung machine during open-heart surgery. You prime and check the circuit, run a Stockert or LivaNova or Medtronic or Getinge console, manage anticoagulation with the surgeon and anaesthetist, and control blood flow, gas exchange, temperature, cardioplegia delivery, blood conservation, and weaning from bypass. The work also includes intraoperative cell salvage, intra-aortic balloon pump support, ventricular assist device support, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation and rounds, and standby for transplant, aortic dissection, trauma, and high-risk obstetric cardiac cases. Tools include Sorin and Maquet oxygenators, Medtronic Bio-Medicus cannulae, ROTEM or TEG analysers, blood-gas analysers, and electronic patient record modules.

In a lead post the pump run is a minority share of paid hours across a month. Most time goes to building the perfusion rota, covering sick leave and night call, signing off protocols, auditing bypass and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cases, running morbidity reviews with surgery and anaesthesia, managing the device fleet and disposables stock, qualifying new circuits and oxygenators, supervising trainees, and reporting safety events. In cardiac centres this means shift work, night work, weekend lists, and continuous on-call cover. Transplant and dissection call cannot be deferred.

Where does this lead?