A Man on a Mission: [1]

Santa Domingo…

I think we all have visions or dreams of what we find adventurous and fascinating about the field of perfusion. I know I have thought of going to unusual places like Mongolia, or exotic South East Asian cities to work as a perfusionist. Australia, New Zealand and the Maori warrior-spirit thing.

Sepia toned images of floating down the Congo River on “The African Queen” do lend an Indiana Jones type of mystique to the concept of Perfusion Missions.

Ok… So my reality is that I’m stuck on a little square of dessert in the great Texas pan handle. It may not be riding Sahara camels with Lawrence of Arabia- but that’s what this blog is for.

So I introduce to you a remarkable perfusionist that has emailed back and forth, and is donating his time to bring the aforementioned vision of Perfusion Missions to you.

His name is Brian C. Forsberg, MPH, CCP. a pediatric perfusionist.

Hey Frank here is my bio as well as the charity bio. I will send the pics in a following email. Thanks.

I Attended high school at Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa, Oklahoma where I worked as a transporter through school at St Francis Hospital. After graduation I attended Fort Lewis College, Durango, Co And then returned home to pursue Emergency medical technology.

After my EMT-B certification I was employed at Big Splash Water Park and later at St Johns hospital Emergency Room. It was During this time I met a perfusionist who sparked my interest in the field. I packed up and moved to Philadelphia, PA and graduated from Drexel University in 2005.

My first position was at University of Missouri where I became the lead pediatric perfusionist and fully devoted my career to pediatric congenital heart surgery.

After 2 trips with The Gift Of Life International I was appointed to Director of Perfusion for the charity by Pierantonio Russo, MD. I still work closely with that charity today and have traveled to India as well as Africa with the team.

When my Father, a Col in the USMC was called for duty to Iraq I moved home to be with my mother and worked for Clinical Perfusion Systems as a staff perfusionist performing CPB in 2 of the hospitals I worked for earlier in my medical career.

I then attended The University of Oklahoma and received a Masters in Public Health with positioned me for a once in a lifetime position as Chief Perfusionist and Program Coordinator for the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

I currently live in Miami and am the a practice Manager of two medical practices, DeGraft-Johnson Medical assoc. on St. Croix and Thoracic Innovation based out of Fort Lauderdale.

I devote all my free time to traveling with charities volunteering my time to help educate perfusionists and provide perfusion for children in need all over the world.

This bio is long- feel free to edit and condense as you see fit.

Trips I’ve done this year:

Odessa, Ukraine x1