Perfusionists

Employment for cardiovascular technologists and technicians (which are related careers) is expected to grow about as fast as the average through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Perfusionists will continue to be needed as the number of Americans age 65 and over continues to rise. This demographic group is at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease, which requires the professional expertise of perfusionists.

A number of factors may slow growth in this field. Open-heart surgery is very complex and many hospitals are not capable of performing such procedures; they are usually performed only in medical centers with 300 or more beds. Second, many hospitals have tried to cut costs by reducing the number of new perfusionist hires and asking perfusionists to take on more procedures without additional compensation. Finally, the development of new medical techniques, specifically ones that do not require the use of a heart-lung machine during surgery, may limit the need for these workers.