The Journal of ExtraCorporeal Technology No 58-1 | Page 104

98 A. M. Palmer: J Extra Corpor Technol 2026, 58, 95--99

Table 2. Research question one: Graduate perfusion courses included in the regression.

Table 3. Research question two: Applicant factors included in the regression.

Table 4. Research question three: Cohorts included in the regression.

Discussion

The results of this study offer a foundational reference point for evaluating and potentially enhancing the perfusion program’ s admissions process and educational standards. However, due to limitations in the data provided by the registrar, this analysis was restricted to coursework completed within the UPMC Perfusion Program, excluding academic performance from Carlow University undergraduate courses. As a result, the scope of the study was narrowed, and only a select number of variables could be analyzed. The reliance on existing institutional data limited the ability to investigate broader preadmission indicators, such as cumulative undergraduate GPA, prerequisite science course performance, standardized test scores, healthcare experience, or personal attributes like resilience and communication skills. To conduct more comprehensive and predictive research on what defines a successful perfusion student, future studies would require access to a more complete dataset that includes both academic and non-academic pre-admission variables. Collecting and analyzing this expanded data would allow for the development of a strong candidate profile and could inform data-driven adjustments to admissions criteria aimed at optimizing student success and certification outcomes. If other perfusion education programs were to compile similarly detailed datasets from their previous classes, this research framework could be applied more broadly, enabling comparative analyses across institutions.

Research question one addressed the courses that affect the ABCP certification exam pass / fail outcome. This analysis found that students who were in the percentile group of Intro to Cardiac Perfusion and the percentile group of Hematology were more likely to pass the ABCP exam on the first attempt. The groups were broken up into quintiles and students in the upper quintile were statistically more likely to pass the exam. The percentile group of Pulmonary Anatomy and Physiology was close to significance but p >. 05. The remaining courses did not show significance in the regression. While only two courses showed significance, the study supported the literature in regard to coursework predicting successful outcomes. This study focused on perfusion courses due to discrepancies in the dataset. Of the courses that showed significance, the percentile of Intro to Cardiac Perfusion was a noteworthy finding suggesting that students who start off the perfusion program in the higher quintile may show promising outcomes during the first attempt on the ABCP examination. The percentile of Hematology was an interesting finding, as it focuses more on blood components than on complex physiological systems typically emphasized on the ABCP exam. Its significance may indicate that strong performance in foundational science or solid study habits correlates with overall exam success.

Research question two addressed applicant factors that affect the ABCP certification exam pass / fail outcome. This study found that students who were in the variable“ undergraduates” from Carlow University were more likely to pass the ABCP exam on the first attempt. The group of students with no prior experience was close to significance but p >. 05. The remaining variable“ female” did not show significance in the regression. The variable representing traditional Carlow undergraduate students was a notable finding, indicating that those who transition directly from Carlow’ s undergraduate program into the perfusion program are more likely to pass the ABCP exam on their first attempt. This outcome was anticipated by the researcher, as students following the traditional route may benefit from a more consistent and cohesive educational experience. The variable of students having“ no experience” was an unexpected finding to the researcher because even though p =. 097, the regression implied further research could be done to identify if prior work experience indicates an increase in first-time pass rate on the ABCP exam.

Research question three addressed how clinical experience affects the ABCP certification exam pass / fail outcome. This study found that students who were in any of the variables