Get to Know Cameron
Hi I'm Cameron and I am a current perfusion student at UNMC. I have been working through school with the help of my amazing wife Laura and our two sons. Before perfusion school, I worked as a Medical Laboratory Scientist in Idaho and Montana for a few years after earning my BS degrees in both Biology as well as Medical Laboratory Sciences. I am currently serving as the Fundraising Committee Chair on the AmSECT Student Council.
AmSECT: Why did you choose to pursue a career in perfusion?
Cameron: After MLS school, I realized that I wanted to go further in my education; however, the specific direction was unclear. I had my eyes set on medical school for a while but with the birth of my first son, that sight changed quickly. After he was born, we learned that he had been born with Transposition of the Great Arteries (d-TGA). The months following his Arterial Switch were a whirlwind and opened my eyes to the careers in the cardiovascular surgery environment. Perfusion quickly became a field that interested me as a very meaningful and important field that was out of the spotlight as I had become accustomed to in the clinical laboratory. The next cycle I applied to schools and got into UNMC on my first round of applications.
AmSECT: What is a perfusion-related topic that you think is indispensable to know for your perfusion career and why?
Cameron: A topic in perfusion science that I believe is indispensable to understand fully is electrolyte balancing. As perfusionists we often will cause large shifts in the normal physiological levels of vital ions in our patients. In the operating rooms, we don't always see the effects of these shifts. We can sometimes get into the habit of pumping our case, getting our patients out of the OR in a stable condition and moving on to the next patient. If we can understand adequately the effects of bypass on electrolyte levels, we can curb the implications of imbalances and improve the prognosis in our patients. It is easy for us to watch potassium and calcium levels and take those electrolytes into consideration; however, considering less commonly monitored electrolytes such as magnesium can be influential in avoiding complications such as arrhythmias and seizures postoperatively.
AmSECT: In reference to the question above, what question do you have about that topic that you’d like others' to input on?
Cameron: Does your institute monitor magnesium regularly on pump or is it a parameter tracked on the unit?
AmSECT: Share your experience/favorite thing about being a Student Member of AmSECT. How has it impacted your journey in perfusion?
Cameron: I have loved being able to connect with students in a similar situation to me and learn from their unique experiences at a different institution than me. It has enriched the experience of my education and helped me form friendships that I will carry for the rest of my career.
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