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Perfusion education and training varies considerably throughout Europe. Unlike in the US, where a common curriculum for perfusion education has been established, each European country has its own education system. This fact is further complicated by a multitude of national languages and cultures. Thus, perfusion education programmes vary, not only in content, but also in their academic levels. This article aims to give a comprehensive overview of the situation in each of the 20 member states of the European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (EBCP). The EBCP delegates were polled for a description of the process of training and education of clinical perfusionists in their respective countries. Following the initial delegate poll in 2001, an update of the material was performed in spring 2005. In summary, training of clinical perfusionists in Europe varies considerably between countries. A professional body is necessary to oversee the training process and to guarantee a minimum level of clinical competency for cardiovascular perfusionists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]