Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute indicate that cardiovascular diseases still account for a significantly high proportion of total deaths. Heart diseases ranked first among the causes of death, accounting for 40% of all deaths in 2009, 39.6% in 2013, and 40.4% in 2015 (Turkey Cardiovascular Diseases Prevention and Control Program Action Plan 2015–2020; Ministry of Health, Public Health Institution of Türkiye). In addition, as in all developed and developing countries, the population in Türkiye is gradually aging, and older and more complex patients are increasingly undergoing cardiac surgery.
The heart-lung machine, which is widely used in the surgical treatment of heart diseases, and all related equipment are operated by a perfusionist. Through the Perfusion Techniques Master’s Program offered by the Acıbadem University Graduate School of Health Sciences, qualified scientists with both theoretical and practical expertise will be trained to work in areas where extracorporeal circulation is provided—particularly in Cardiovascular Surgery—as well as in the management of mechanical circulatory support devices, artificial heart technologies, heart and lung transplantation units, surgeries requiring blood and organ preservation, dialysis units, isolated organ chemotherapy procedures, and blood banks.
There is currently a significant need in Türkiye for scientists and specialists who will contribute to this scientific field, which is an emerging area of research. Graduates of this program will meet the Ministry of Health’s current definition of a perfusionist and will also contribute to the advancement of perfusion science in the future, when artificial organ technologies are expected to become increasingly widespread.
Today, the scope and application areas of perfusion technology are extensive, and they are expected to expand further with the development of artificial organ technologies. The curriculum of the Perfusion Techniques Master’s Program includes fundamental courses such as cardiopulmonary system anatomy, physiology, biophysics, perfusion hematology, and biostatistics, as well as theoretical and practical courses on topics such as the management of extracorporeal circulation during adult and pediatric cardiac and/or vascular surgery, mechanical circulatory support device technologies, artificial heart technologies, and extracorporeal circulation during heart transplantation.
The Perfusion Techniques Master’s Program will conduct its educational activities by utilizing the academic staff and physical infrastructure of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Acıbadem University School of Medicine. During their education, students will have the opportunity to benefit from the simulator at the simulation laboratory within Acıbadem University (CASE – Center of Advanced Simulation and Education), where a wide range of scenarios related to the management of the heart-lung machine can be practiced.
Prof. Dr. Cem Alhan
Program Director
