About Perfusion Sciences

Program Overview

The USC Master of Science in Perfusion Sciences Program mission is, in alignment with the values and expectations of the Keck School of Medicine, “commitment to providing students with an outstanding, well-rounded education in the domains of clinical, scientific, and research… with dedication to improving the overall health of society.” The program will produce competent, entry-level perfusionists in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains. The program uses evidence-based medicine to build skill levels and competence, along with leadership, ethics, and diversity to create insightful perfusionists capable of performing at the highest level of patient care.

The USC Master of Science in Perfusion Sciences Program is unique in its offering as the first and only perfusion master’s program on the West Coast. This program is structured with concurrent clinical and didactic education, maximizing the student’s exposure to perfusion sciences. Clinical rotation sites are located within the Los Angeles area, allowing students to reside in one location without having to relocate.

Students will have the distinctive opportunity for an extended pediatric rotation at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Students are required to complete 10 pediatric observations in order to sit for the national boards exam, however students will complete a three-week rotation with CHLA, and will have an additional pediatric rotation opportunity if they have interest in pediatric perfusion.

Program Objectives

Demonstrate mastery of the professional entry-level body of knowledge regarding the application of clinical perfusion.
Demonstrate mastery of the fundamental clinical skills necessary for the safe conduct of clinical perfusion.
Demonstrate mastery of emergency clinical skills necessary for the safe conduct of clinical perfusion.
Achieve fluency of professional-level communication, behaviors, and attitudes.
Demonstrate excellence in the evaluation of biomedical research and either the application of, or generation of biomedical research related to clinical perfusion.

Accreditation and program approval: The Master of Science (M.S.) in Perfusion Sciences program at the University of Southern California is a Candidate for accreditation by the Accreditation Committee for Perfusion Education (AC-PE), 6654 South Sycamore St., Littleton, CO 80120, of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), 9355 – 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775 as of July 2024. Candidacy is not a guarantee of accreditation. Candidacy status ends when the program is awarded/ denied accreditation OR three (3) years after application for Candidacy has been made, whichever comes first.