Cardiovascular Perfusion Studies, Master of Science, (M.S.)

More information about this degree program can be found in the College of Health Sciences  section of the catalog.

Lynette Austin, Dean, College of Health Sciences
Jeff Bennie, Medical Director
David Webb, Program Director
Ed Evans, Clinical Liaison
Zach Droll, Adjunct Professor
Gurinder Gill, Adjunct Professor
Gary Grist, Adjunct Professor
Ruth Henry, Adjunct Professor

Program Foundations

The Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion is a 22-month program with 60 total credit hours.

• Two on-campus semesters (39 credits) provide didactic learning.
• Three semesters (21 credits) offer clinical training at various locations nationwide.

Perfusionists are vital members of cardiac surgical teams, operating the heart-lung machine during surgery. They monitor patient circulation, intervene in emergencies, and collaborate with surgeons and anesthesiologists.

This program prepares graduates for high-demand careers. Lipscomb’s nationwide partnerships ensure top-tier clinical placements and excellent job prospects.

Lipscomb’s College of Health Sciences focuses on innovative training of compassionate healthcare professionals. The Cardiovascular Perfusion program is unique, with only 20 others nationwide, and offers a strong job market due to the prevalence of heart disease.

Students train in a state-of-the-art simulation center, including a dedicated perfusion lab, providing hands-on learning in a low-risk environment before real-world practice.

Minimum Credits

The Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion requires completion of 60 semester hours.

Admission

The Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion requires a candidate to submit an application by the published deadline and participate in an interview process. Not all candidates who meet the program minimum requirements will be invited for an interview. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, or the international equivalent verified by WES, or anticipate earning a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation into the perfusion sciences program. 

Admission to the program is based on a combination of many factors, including undergraduate and/or graduate academic record, professional experience, on campus interview and references. The admissions committee also considers the student’s essay and interview in the admissions process.

Eligible students

Hold a U.S. bachelor’s degree or equivalent who have completed the required pre-requisite courses or the pre-requisite career minimum.

Pre-requisites

The prerequisite classes must be obtained from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. Any classes that deviate from this list may not be accepted if the class does not meet the same academic and scientific rigor. For science courses, a recent timeframe for completion (within the past ten years) is required.  

Science Course Expiration Policy

All prerequisite science courses must be taken within ten years of matriculation. If a one-semester science course was completed greater than ten years prior to the time of matriculation, then the course must be repeated. If a two-semester science course was completed greater than ten years prior to the time of matriculation, then at least one-half of the course must be repeated. All prerequisite science courses older than ten years AND with a grade of “C” or less must be repeated. 

 

The Cardiovascular Perfusion program offers two pathways for admission. 

Pathway A:

Biochemistry I  (3-4 semester hours, with or without lab)

Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II with Lab (8 semester hours)

Microbiology with Lab (4 semester hours)

Math (6 semester hours)

• Statistics and/or Biostatistics
• Calculus 

Physics with lab (4 semester hours)
Calculus- or non-calculus-based accepted.

*achievement of a grade of C or higher is required for each prerequisite course

*a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher with courses compelted withing 10 years of desired start date

Pathway B:

Bachelor of Science from an accredited college or university and at least one of the following:

PA

RRT

RN

Medical Technologist with ASCP certification

One year of working experience within the last three years

Documentation of work experience verified through an employer

* a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher 

Additional Info

Many other factors are considered in the holistic review of the application, interview, and admissions process. They may include the following: communication skills, letters of recommendation, problem solving skills, professionalism, work experience, degree(s) earned, research, volunteerism, interview performance, attitude, timeliness, and other factors that help differentiate those applicants that possess the highest likelihood of succeeding as part of the healthcare team as a cardiovascular perfusionist. 

Achieving the prerequisite and minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to interview with or an offer of admission into the cardiovascular perfusion program. Certain exceptions may be granted on an individual basis concerning admission requirements. No assurances or guarantees are given or implied based on the completion of the prerequisites or achieving a high level of academic performance.

Application Process

1. Before applying, candidates should be certain that they meet the prerequisite listings for one of the admissions pathways. Achievement of a grade of C or higher for each prerequisite course is mandatory. Required courses should be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to desired enrollment; however, coursework may be in progress or planned at the time of application without it negatively impacting the application. 
2. CLEP/Advanced Placement Credit - Advanced Placement (AP) and CLEP credit (credit by examination) may be used to satisfy prerequisite coursework provided that the credit is accepted by the applicant’s degree-granting institution and is posted on the applicant’s official academic transcript. Acceptance of credit is at the discretion of Lipscomb University based upon course equivalency standards.
3. Applicants must have a cumulative academic grade point average (GPA) of not less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all coursework to be eligible to apply. Achievement of a grade of C or higher for each prerequisite course is mandatory.
4. Applications must be completed and submitted electronically via the Lipscomb website. Please read the instructions very carefully to be sure the application is submitted properly.  See http://lipscomb.edu/perfusion for up-to-date infomation regarding priority application window and all application deadlines.
5. For pathway A, application requirements include: 3 letters of recommendation, 1 essay, and final official transcripts from each university attended. Students with in-progress coursework should provide preliminary official transcripts for initial review prior to graduation.  For pathway B, application requirements include: Final official transcripts from each university attended, documentation of a minimum one year work experience within the last three years by an employer in the filed of respiratory therapy, nursing or medical technology. Additional verification of credentials may be required.
6. Interview: An interview is required for admission to the Lipscomb University Cardiovascular Perfusion Program. Interviews are conducted by invitation only; achieving the pre-requisites and minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to interview. Each complete application will be evaluated for competitiveness within the pool of candidates.
7. Health Form. Each applicant must submit a completed health form signed by a health care provider. (To print a copy of the health form, visit www.lipscomb.edu/healthcenter/ forms.) This form must be submitted directly to Lipscomb’s Health Center.
8. FERPA. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords students certain rights of access to educational records; even if you are independent of your parents, you must submit this form prior to enrollment.
9. TOEFL. The Test of English as a Foreign Language is required for international students. (See section titled International Students for more information.)

All application items should be submitted to the College of Health Sciences no later than 90 days before the beginning of the semester or term in which the student plans to enroll.
 

Transfer and Waiver of Courses

The program does not currently accept transfer students from other perfusion programs nor does the program grant transfer credits or advanced placement to any matriculating student. The courses in the program are specifically geared toward the field of perfusion, graduate coursework from other institutions which may correspond to courses within the program curriculum will not be considered as substitutes for program curriculum.

Documentation

Students are required to provide satisfactory documentation of personal identification for off-site learning experiences required in many programs of graduate study at Lipscomb University. Failure to provide proper credentials will result in failure to complete the desired course of study. For complete policy, see section entitled Required Documentation for Off-Site Learning Experiences in the opening section of this catalog.

Academic Policies

Course Load

Each Cardiovascular Perfusion cohort will follow the same course of study throughout the program. Students will register for the predetermined classes prior to the beginning of each semester.  Semester 1: 21 credit hours; Semester 2: 18 credit hours; Semester 3: 7 credit hours; Semester 4: 7 credit hours; Semester 5: 7 credit hours

Academic Standing

See graduate academic standing policy.

Residency

No period of formal residency is required for a degree in the Cardiovascular Perfusion program; however, students do engage in clinical training over three semesters. Students may be required to relocate in order to participate in their clinical requirements.

Statute of Limitations

All requirements for a degree in the College of Health Sciences must be completed within a five-year period from the time of initial matriculation.

Candidacy

Admission to a program does not imply admission to candidacy for the master’s degree. During the course of pursuing a degree, the student must be admitted to “candidacy.” For admission to candidacy, the student must satisfy the following:

1. Complete all required undergraduate deficiencies, if admitted on condition.

2. Complete courses as outlined in the perfusion program curriculum.

3. Maintain a 3.00 GPA on all Cardiovascular Perfusion course work taken toward the requirements for the degree with no incomplete grades.

4. Fill out the intent to graduate form as required by the university.

Minimum GPA

A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for both the cumulative GPA and the calculated prerequisite GPA. Additionally, all applicants will be expected to have earned a ‘C’ or above in all prerequisite courses.

 

Financial Information

Tuition and Fees for 2025-26

Tuition
Tuition per credit hour	$1,450
Cardio Perfusion Program Fee (per semester)	$1,000
Graduation fee	$250
Technology fee (per semester)	$100

 

*Program Trip Fee (see program information for details)*

The following courses of study are designed to prepare a student for the Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion degree at Lipscomb University.