A perfusionist operates the heart lung machine during cardiac surgery and other procedures that require cardiopulmonary bypass, along with devices like ventricular assist pumps, cell salvage equipment and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuits. The role sits at the center of some of the highest risk moments in a hospital, which is why the path into the job runs through several separate screening checkpoints rather than one. A candidate typically clears a graduate perfusion program, a national certification exam, a state license application in states that require one, and a hospital credentialing file, and each of those checkpoints can include its own criminal history review.
This guide walks through what gets checked at each stage, which agencies are actually involved, and where employers and applicants can go to read a state’s own rule rather than guessing.
Perfusion is not licensed the same way in every state
Unlike nursing or medicine, perfusion does not have a single, uniform licensing framework across the country. Some states regulate the profession directly through a medical board or professional licensing department, issuing a perfusionist license or registration with its own application, fee and renewal cycle. Other states have no dedicated perfusionist license at all and instead rely on hospital credentialing, national certification and the supervising physician’s license to control who performs perfusion services. A candidate or employer should never assume a state licenses the profession just because a neighboring state does. The only reliable way to know is to check that state’s own medical or professional licensing board.
Illinois is a direct example of a state that licenses the profession and publishes its criminal history rule in detail. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) requires a license to practice as a perfusionist and has published a standalone set of frequently asked questions on how a criminal conviction can affect a perfusionist license application. That guidance lists a short set of convictions, including sex offense registry requirements and criminal battery against a patient during care or treatment, that are an automatic bar to licensure by law, and a longer list of convictions such as healthcare fraud, theft and assault that must be disclosed but are weighed individually. It also lists convictions the department says it will not hold against an applicant, such as cannabis possession or an expunged, sealed or juvenile record, which under Illinois law does not need to be disclosed at all. The full license requirements are on IDFPR’s perfusionist licensing page.
Georgia also licenses the profession directly through a dedicated clinical perfusionist licensure page maintained by the Georgia Composite Medical Board, with the application forms and renewal rules for anyone practicing perfusion in the state. Wisconsin licenses perfusionists through its Department of Safety and Professional Services, and the Wisconsin perfusionist licensing page notes that an applicant with a criminal record may apply for a predetermination of eligibility before submitting a full license application, which lets a candidate learn how a past conviction will be treated before completing a graduate program.
Because the list of states that actively license perfusion changes as legislatures act, confirm the current rule directly with that state’s medical board rather than relying on a list compiled elsewhere. Where a state has no dedicated perfusionist statute, that does not mean there is no screening; it usually means the screening happens entirely at hospital credentialing instead.
What a state license application actually screens
In states that license perfusionists, the application generally asks the candidate to disclose criminal history and may require fingerprint based processing so the board can review a state and, in many cases, an FBI record. The exact list of disqualifying offenses and whether expunged or sealed records must be reported both vary by state, which is why the Illinois FAQ above is a concrete example rather than a national rule. A candidate with a record should read that specific state’s conviction policy before applying.
| Checkpoint | Who runs it | What it typically covers |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate perfusion program | Accredited academic program | Admission screening set by the school, often including a criminal background check tied to clinical rotation placement |
| National certification | Certification board for the profession | Exam eligibility based on education and clinical case requirements, separate from a criminal history review |
| State license (where required) | State medical board or professional licensing department | Application disclosure, fingerprint based criminal history check in many states, disciplinary history review |
| Hospital credentialing | Hospital medical staff office or human resources | Primary source verification of license and certification, NPDB query, OIG exclusion check, criminal background check and drug screening consistent with employer policy |
National certification is separate from a state license
Most hospitals require perfusionists to hold national certification in addition to any state license, and some states without their own license statute use that certification as the baseline credential a hospital checks instead. Certification exams and continuing education requirements are set by the certifying organization, not a government agency, so certification status is not something this guide can verify as a public record. What an employer can verify through official channels is whether an individual appears on a state’s licensee lookup, whether a state medical board has taken disciplinary action, and whether the individual appears on federal exclusion lists, covered next.
The National Practitioner Data Bank and hospital credentialing
Once a candidate has a license or certification in hand, the hospital credentialing process is where most of the substantive background review happens, particularly in states that do not license the profession. Hospitals query the National Practitioner Data Bank, a federal data bank operated by the Health Resources and Services Administration that collects and releases reports on medical malpractice payments, licensure and certification actions, and certain adverse clinical privilege and professional society actions against health care practitioners. Hospitals and other eligible entities query the data bank as part of initial credentialing and ongoing monitoring, and the reporting and querying rules for the data bank are set out in federal regulation at 45 CFR Part 60.
Credentialing offices also routinely check the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities. An individual on that list cannot receive payment from federal health care programs for items or services they furnish, order or prescribe, and a hospital that employs or bills for the services of an excluded individual can face civil monetary penalties, which is why exclusion screening happens at hire and is typically repeated on a recurring basis for current staff.
FCRA rules apply when a hospital or staffing agency uses a third party report
When a hospital, surgical center or perfusion staffing agency orders a criminal history report, license verification or other background report from a consumer reporting agency rather than pulling the records itself, that process is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The employer must provide a clear and conspicuous standalone disclosure and get the candidate’s written authorization before ordering the report. If information in the report might lead the employer to withdraw an offer, it must send a pre adverse action notice with a copy of the report and the Summary of Rights, give the candidate a reasonable opportunity to respond, and only then send a final adverse action notice if the decision stands. A background check does not automatically report every past arrest or conviction in every state; whether a particular record appears, and for how long, depends on state law along with the federal seven year reporting guideline that applies to many record types. Employers should not assume a given record will or will not show up without confirming the rule in their state.
Frequently asked questions
Do all states require a perfusionist license?
No. A number of states license or register perfusionists directly through a medical board or professional licensing department, while other states have no dedicated perfusionist statute and rely on national certification and hospital credentialing instead. Confirm the current rule with the specific state’s licensing board before assuming either answer.
Will a criminal record automatically disqualify someone from becoming a perfusionist?
It depends on the state and the offense. Illinois, for example, lists a short set of offenses that are an automatic bar by law, such as certain sex offense registry requirements and criminal battery against a patient during care, while most other convictions are reviewed individually rather than causing an automatic denial. Other states set their own rules, and some offer a pre application eligibility review for applicants with a record.
What does the National Practitioner Data Bank check for a perfusionist?
Hospitals query the National Practitioner Data Bank as part of credentialing to see reported medical malpractice payments and reported licensure, certification, clinical privilege and professional society actions involving that individual. It is a reporting and query system, not a criminal records database on its own.
What is the OIG exclusion list and why does it matter for perfusionists?
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General maintains a list of individuals and entities excluded from participating in federal health care programs. A hospital that employs or bills for the services of someone on that list can face civil monetary penalties, so credentialing offices check it at hire and generally continue checking on a recurring basis.
Does a background check for a perfusion job always use fingerprints?
In states that license the profession, the license application may require fingerprint based processing so the board can review criminal history. A hospital’s own pre employment background check may or may not use fingerprints depending on the employer’s process and the consumer reporting agency it uses; fingerprint based checks and name based checks are different processes with different coverage.
Can an applicant find out in advance how a past conviction will be treated?
Some states allow this. Wisconsin, for example, allows an applicant to request a predetermination of eligibility before submitting a full perfusionist license application. Not every state offers this option, so an applicant with a record should check directly with the licensing board in the state where they intend to practice.
Related reading: Nurse Practitioner Background Check Requirements and Radiation Therapist License Background Check cover similar state board and hospital credentialing screening for other licensed clinical roles.
Hospitals, surgical centers and perfusion staffing agencies that need FCRA compliant background screening for clinical hires can start at Reveal Background.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Licensing and background check rules vary by state and change over time, so confirm current requirements with the applicable state board or legal counsel.
