What is unique about medical illustration?
Medical illustrators need a strong scientific focus but also a keen imagination, because we’re often asked to illustrate what can’t be seen. For example, a surgical photograph may show the surgical field but not the subtle points that the surgeon wants to convey. A skilled medical illustrator can capture these nuances by using different angles, or by hiding or highlighting certain anatomy or instruments.

What is a medical illustrator?
Medical illustrators are illustrators with specific training in science and medicine. They must have superior artistic abilities as well as a thorough knowledge of science and the human body. A medical illustrator’s goal — my goal — is to clearly and accurately communicate complex scientific and medical concepts in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Who uses medical illustration?
Pharmaceutical companies, book and journal publishers, advertising agencies, instrument manufacturers, universities and medical schools, attorneys, doctors and other medical professionals all use medical illustrators.

How can a medical illustrator help you?
A medical illustrator can help you or your company:

• Communicate a concept that isn’t visible to the human eye.
• Create illustrations for marketing materials that feature a product or instrument that’s still in prototype.
• Enhance your Web site with accurate medical illustrations and animated graphics.
• Act as a liaison between your company and medical professional resources.
• Create exhibits and demonstrative evidence for medically related legal proceedings.
• Create editorial illustrations to explain a scientific concept.

What training do medical illustrators receive?
Medical illustrators usually have a master’s degree from an accredited university. In the United States, there are only five accredited graduate schools for medical illustration, and each one admits from three to 12 students per year. The Association of Medical Illustrators Web site (medical-illustrators.org) has a complete list of accredited graduate programs. During the master’s program, medical illustrators take anatomy, cell biology and other graduate level science courses. They also take courses unique to medical illustration, such as surgical illustration.

Medical Illustration Resources & Links
Useful information for medical illustrators or companies seeking medical illustrations. more...

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