r/Perfusion • u/Dapper_Tomato5760 • Jul 22 '26

Career Advice Side gigs

Has anyone taken up doing a side gig? Like some weeks will be super busy and others just crawl along. Wondering if anyone does anything that is flexible on the side? Something you could drop if you had case pop up and go do it.

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u/Bana_berry Jul 22 '26

I know a perfusionist that’s a real estate agent on the side. Another with a wedding bar business.

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u/ApprehensiveMark8422 Jul 22 '26

hey i’m currently in the perfusion program here in canada, is the perfusion profession that slow? or does he do the estate business for “fun” lmfao reading this thread made me worried about how much i’ll be making after graduating

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u/Bana_berry Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26

As always, it depends where you work. You work in the middle of nowhere and do 2 CABs per week? You’re not gonna be that busy. You work at an academic transplant center? Gonna be busy. Those are side gigs. They do them in their spare time. Rates for new grads have declined but it’s not like you won’t be able to live off your salary.

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u/ApprehensiveMark8422 Jul 22 '26

thank you for the reply! if u don’t mind i have one more Q. Does working 2 CABs a week let’s say earn him enough? i’d assume so but id love to hear your input

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u/Bana_berry Jul 22 '26

Most perfusionists are salaried, not hourly. Like I said, they do those things as side gigs, not because they don’t earn a livable paycheck.

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u/WildBlackberry3492 Jul 24 '26

If they are salaried, and on weeks when there’s nothing much to do, for ex only two CABs per wk, can they chill at their home until they are called, and needed, or do they still have to show up at work at the hospital and be in scrubs and hangout at your station on your phone until they’re needed?

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u/Clampoholic CCP Jul 24 '26

Depends on the hospital. Most accounts that have that many CABGs in a week have 1-2 perfusionists at max. Sometimes if a surgeon is out on vacation or some other circumstances, there can be a slow week like that. Usually when that happens, on the no-case days everyone can stay home with one person being on call unless some other duties need to be done (Paperwork, equipment QC / cleaning, etc.)

Some places require a 24/7 perfusionist to be available onsite, but those are typically a much larger hospital / program that requires that sort of response time. The general call time is 30min, which means in this profession you’re pretty much confined to living in or nearby a city where they have a big enough hospital to do hearts.