What to Ask Before You Accept a Perfusion Role (That Most Clinicians Don’t Think About) 

By Benjamin Greenfield, Recruitment Director at Altamar Cardiovascular Services 

When evaluating a perfusion role, salary, location, and schedule are usually near the top of the list. Those questions matter, but they only tell you part of the story. 

Two jobs can offer similar compensation and responsibilities while creating very different day-to-day experiences. One may have a deep bench of perfusionists, predictable call, strong backup coverage, and a team that treats perfusion as an integral part of patient care. Another may leave you covering multiple facilities, carrying frequent call, or absorbing extra responsibilities whenever someone is unavailable. 

The details behind the job description often determine which experience you actually get. 

Before accepting a new position, take time to understand how the program operates when things are busy, when someone is on vacation, when an emergency case comes in, and when the normal staffing plan gets disrupted. 

Here are some of the questions worth asking.

Start by Asking: What Does a Normal Week Look Like in This Perfusion Role? 

One of the most useful questions you can ask is also one of the simplest: 

“What did the last two or three weeks actually look like for a perfusionist on this team?” 

A job description can tell you the expected schedule. A recent example can tell you how that schedule works in practice. 

Ask about the longest day someone recently worked. Ask about the shortest. Find out whether you are expected to remain at the hospital when there are no clinical responsibilities. If you work a long day followed by a day with no cases, can you go home, or are you still expected to report to the hospital? 

Then look at the broader workload. 

• How many cardiac procedures does the program perform?  

• How many perfusionists share the workload?  

• How frequently are cases added unexpectedly?  

• How much of the schedule is predictable?  

• How often do clinicians work across multiple facilities?  

• What happens when the OR schedule changes?  

These answers help you understand how much of your time the job will require. 

That matters because your work schedule affects everything outside the hospital, too. Family time, hobbies, travel, and simply having time away from work all depend on understanding what the job will look like after you accept it.

Ask How Coverage Works When the Team Is Not Fully Staffed 

Every program has staffing disruptions. Someone takes vacation. Another one has a baby. Someone gets injured or needs an extended leave. A position stays open longer than expected. 

The important question is what happens next. 

Ask: 

“What is the coverage plan when someone is unexpectedly unavailable?” 

Some programs use an N+1 model, meaning there is an additional person available to provide backup when needed. Others rely heavily on the remaining perfusionists to absorb the workload. 

Find out which model you are walking into. 

You can also ask how long current vacancies have been open and how the team handles extended vacancies. If the answer is that the remaining staff simply pick up additional work indefinitely, that tells you something about how the program manages disruption. 

Ask specifically about vacation coverage, too. Is there dedicated backup? Is temporary coverage available? Does the team use traveling perfusionists when staffing needs change? 

A program’s response to an unexpected absence can reveal more about its operational structure than its normal schedule does. 

Understand the Difference Between Being on Call and Actually Doing Call 

“What’s the call schedule?” is a necessary question, but it is not specific enough. 

You also need to ask: 

“How often do people actually get called in when they are on call?” 

There is a meaningful difference between being available and routinely being called into the hospital. 

A smaller program might have two or three perfusionists sharing a relatively high percentage of call. That sounds demanding on paper. But if call-ins are uncommon, the day-to-day experience may be very different from a program where you are called in most times you are assigned call. 

Ask about: 

• Percentage of call coverage  

• Average call-ins per month or year  

• Weekend and overnight call  

• Holiday call  

• How holidays are distributed among the team  

• What happens when another perfusionist is unavailable  

• Whether call responsibilities change for ECMO, VADs, or transplant cases  

Also ask how call is compensated and whether additional cases or responsibilities can be picked up voluntarily. 

The goal is to understand what “call” actually means at that specific hospital. A percentage on a schedule does not tell you how disruptive that call will be to your life. 

Look Closely at the Case Mix 

Your clinical experience is another major part of the decision. 

Ask about the program’s case mix index, acuity, and procedural volume. Find out how much of the work involves scheduled cases compared with urgent and emergent procedures. 

Depending on the program, you may also want to ask: 

• Does the center perform VADs?  

• Is ECMO part of the perfusion team’s responsibilities?  

• Are there transplant cases?  

• How frequently are emergent cases performed?  

• Are weekend cases scheduled or primarily reserved for emergencies?  

• What types of cardiac procedures make up most of the volume?  

• How frequently do cases return to the OR?  

• What are typical case lengths?  

The answers can help you assess whether the role aligns with where you are in your career. 

An early-career perfusionist may be looking for broad clinical exposure and complex cases. An experienced perfusionist may have different priorities, including predictability, autonomy, or a sustainable schedule. 

Your ideal case mix can change over time. The right questions help you determine whether a particular program fits your goals now. 

Pay Attention to How the Surgical Team Treats Perfusionists 

You can learn a lot about a program by observing what happens in the OR. 

When you visit, pay attention to how surgeons interact with perfusionists and other members of the surgical team. 

Are perfusionists treated as clinical professionals with responsibility for patient care? Do team members communicate respectfully when cases become stressful? How does the OR respond when something unexpected happens? 

These interactions can be difficult to evaluate during a formal interview, which makes a site visit particularly valuable. 

If possible, talk directly with current perfusionists. Ask what the surgeons are like during difficult cases. Ask how decisions are communicated. Ask whether the perfusion team has a voice in the room. 

You can also ask about the small indicators of how the department views its perfusion team. 

Where do perfusionists park? Is there a dedicated workspace or perfusion office? Do they have access to appropriate hospital facilities? Are they included in employee events and professional recognition? 

Individually, these details may seem minor. Collectively, they can tell you whether you are joining a team where your role is recognized and respected.

Look Beyond the Salary Number 

Compensation deserves a closer look, too. 

A higher salary does not necessarily tell you what your workload will be. Ask what responsibilities are attached to that compensation. 

For example, does the position cover one hospital or several? Are you responsible for multiple facilities in the same geographic area? Are ECMO, VAD, transplant, or other responsibilities included? Are additional cases optional or mandatory? 

Consider two positions with similar annual compensation. One might require you to remain available across several hospitals with limited downtime. Another might give you a more predictable primary assignment with opportunities to voluntarily pick up additional work. 

Those structures can produce very different experiences even if the annual compensation looks similar. 

Also ask about benefits and professional expenses: 

• Are certification and licensure fees covered?  

• Is CEU reimbursement available?  

• Are travel and education expenses reimbursed?  

• Is there a bonus structure for additional responsibilities?  

• Are parking costs covered?  

• Are there other recurring expenses you will be responsible for?  

These questions help you understand the actual value of the offer and the practical cost of working there. 

Ask About the Details That Rarely Appear in the Job Description 

Some of the most revealing questions may feel awkward to ask during an interview. 

That does not mean you should skip them. 

Ask current perfusionists what happens during Perfusion Week. Ask whether the hospital recognizes the team. Ask how holiday coverage works and whether it rotates fairly across the group. Ask whether seniority determines who gets preferred holidays or time off. 

You can also ask: 

“What happens when someone needs extended leave?” 

Does the workload get redistributed among the remaining team, or does the organization have access to temporary coverage? 

These questions get at the culture and operational philosophy of the program. 

They also give you information that may be difficult to find anywhere else. A recruiter can help answer questions about the employer, compensation, benefits, and staffing structure. Current team members can often provide the clearest perspective on what it actually feels like to work there.

Read the Employment Agreement Carefully 

Once you receive an offer, take time to understand the terms beyond salary and benefits. 

Pay particular attention to restrictive language, including non-compete and non-solicitation provisions. Understand what they could mean for your future employment options and whether they align with your plans. 

You should also understand how any sign-on bonus works. 

If a bonus includes repayment obligations tied to a required length of employment, make sure you understand those terms before accepting it. A large upfront number can look attractive until you understand the conditions attached to it. 

This is also a good point to clarify onboarding, credentialing, orientation, and ongoing professional support. 

Ask: 

• How long is orientation?  

• Who provides clinical onboarding?  

• What support is available when you start?  

• How are licensure and credentialing handled?  

• Who is your point of contact if questions arise?  

A thorough review can help prevent surprises after you have already committed to the position.

How Altamar Helps You Evaluate a Perfusion Role 

Choosing a cardiovascular position can involve dozens of variables, and Altamar approaches those conversations with that reality in mind. 

Altamar Cardiovascular Services specializes in supporting perfusionists, ECMO specialists, and other cardiovascular professionals. Our candidate-focused approach is built around specialty knowledge, informed guidance, and relationships with cardiovascular programs.  

That means a conversation about a new perfusion role can go beyond the basic questions of salary and location. 

The Altamar team can help you think through the structure of an opportunity, including case mix, call expectations, staffing models, coverage, and the details that influence day-to-day life in a program. The goal is to understand what you want from your next position and help you evaluate opportunities against those priorities. 

That conversation can be useful whether you are a new graduate thinking about your first position or an experienced perfusionist considering a change later in your career. 

Altamar also maintains relationships with cardiovascular programs and offers flexible assignment options, giving clinicians access to opportunities that may align with different career and lifestyle priorities. Our specialized focus means the conversation starts with an understanding of the work itself. 

A good staffing relationship should give you room to ask questions, understand the tradeoffs, and make a decision based on the full picture. 

The Right Questions Can Change the Decision 

A perfusion role should be evaluated on the realities of the job, not just the headline details. 

Salary matters. Location matters. But so do staffing depth, call-in frequency, case mix, surgical dynamics, backup coverage, professional respect, schedule flexibility, and the terms of your employment agreement. 

The questions you ask before accepting a position can help you understand those variables before you are living with them. 

Take the time to ask what a normal week looks like. Find out what happens when staffing changes. Ask how often call turns into actual work. Talk to the people who are already in the OR. Look carefully at the case mix and compensation structure. 

Most importantly, think about what you want your career and life to look like over the next several years. The best fit for you may change as your experience, priorities, and circumstances change. 

Considering your next perfusion opportunity? Talk with Altamar Cardiovascular Services about what you are looking for and explore opportunities that align with your clinical experience and career goals.

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