Career Blog Post: Medical Illustrator

The career I chose to research today was a medical illustrator, who work with scientists, physicians and other specialists to create visual depictions based on new or complex information to make it easier to digest.

To become a medical illustrator, you must not only be talented in the arts, but you must also be educated in fields of life science, biology, etc. in order to have a better grasp of the role and the material you are depicting. Most medical illustrators are self employed or work with other creative teams. A minority are employed at medical institutions, media firms, advertising agencies, etc.

Since medical illustration is still a rather small field, very few schools offer programs for it, however the Board of Certification of Medical Illustrators has a certificate program for anyone to apply to, and getting a certificate acknowledges your competency in the field. It is recommended to take courses centered around a variety of visual arts as well as biology, preferably with a bachelors in art and a minor in biology or a major in science with a minor in art. Afterwards, applicants undergo rigorous testing and portfolio review, and after getting certified, a medical illustrator is reviewed every 5 years to ensure competency. The best schools are John Hopkins, Augusta University, University of Toronto, and other schools with extensive medical and art programs. After college, a medical illustrator must be accredited by the CAAHEP.