Table of contents
“Sorry, what? You do what?”
…
Introduction
Whenever I tell people I’m a medical illustrator, I’m usually met with puzzling looks or “Oh, you draw anatomy textbooks!” Most people have no idea what my profession is, or the true depth of what it entails. In this complete guide to medical/scientific illustration, I will explain what medical illustration is and the many forms it can take. I’ll also provide a brief history highlighting some of the most famous examples of medical illustration, and what is emerging today as technology advances.
We create artwork that communicates science!
Through many years of study and careful observation, medical illustrators take complicated data and condense it into digestible, visual content. This provides an alternative, detailed mode of education, providing insight and/or conveying a specific process. It can often lead to greater public awareness of interesting or pertinent topics in health, science, or medicine.
"Medical Illustrator" and "Scientific Illustrator" are the most common titles for someone who works in the field. However, other terms include:
SciArt
Medical Artist
Forensic Artist
Biomedical Illustration
Biomedical Visualization
Biomedical Communication
Medical/Scientific Illustration is an art form communicating medical and scientific information to a specific audience, acting as a complete guide for the viewer.
Scientific illustrators work in many mediums, including traditional or digital illustrations, paintings, animation, and 3D design. While you can use the terms medical and scientific illustrator interchangeably, a medical illustrator typically refers to those who work with physicians and healthcare professionals to create material about human anatomy, physiology, and/or surgical procedures. A scientific illustrator typically works in the natural sciences, such as animal anatomy, physiology, botanicals, entomology, etc. A scientific illustrator can also focus on astronomy, geology, and many other scientific fields of study.
Medical Illustrators are trained professionals who act as a bridge between a scientific expert and the target audience.
Researcher —> Medical Illustrator—> Audience
A medical illustrator is both a trained artist and a skilled scientist, and tends to be a bit of an educational outcast, existing as a lone overlap in the venn diagram of art/science. From a young age, scientific illustrators are typically careful observers of the natural world and seek knowledge all around them. Finding fascination with detail, they can spend hours studying textures, patterns, and lighting shifts. As a child, they may spend hours outside drawing birds and wildlife, or constantly sketching in the margins of their notebooks. This curiosity often leads to the pursuit of science in one way or another. Becoming scientific/medical illustrators allows us to embrace both the logical, inquiring mind, and the creativity of an artist - an interdisciplinary field where we shine.
Where medical illustration is used:
Public engagement/outreach
Public education
Patient education
Patient consent forms
Publishing
Student learning
Healthcare professional learning
Surgical training
Marketing
Advertising and Promotion
Sports medicine and chiropractors
Medical-legal (courtroom aids)
The importance and role of medical illustrators in hospitals
Medical Education: Medical illustrations are essential to medical education, as they provide a visual aid to students. These detailed artworks help them understand the structure and function of organs, tissues, and systems of organization. Illustrations are commonly found in textbooks, lecture notes, and online courses to supplement classroom learning.
Patient Education: Medical illustrations can help patients understand medical conditions and potential treatments. Patients can view diagrams unique to their situation to better understand what is happening in their bodies and what a given treatment process might look like. These illustrations can also be used to explain procedures, surgeries, and anatomy.
Diagnostic Imaging: Medical illustrations are used in diagnostic imaging to enhance the interpretation of medical images. For example, an MRI of the brain can be enhanced by overlaying a medical illustration to help identify specific structures and abnormalities.
Surgical Planning: Medical illustrations are used in surgical planning to help surgeons understand the anatomy of the patient. A surgeon can use illustrations to plan the location of incisions, the route to the surgical site, and the identification of critical structures to avoid during the procedure.
Medical Research: Medical researchers often require illustrations to communicate their findings and concepts. Drawing out their data and processes helps researchers visualize complex data and communicate their findings to other researchers and the general public.
Medical Devices and Implants: Medical illustration is also used in the development of medical devices and implants. Medical artists work with engineers and medical device manufacturers to create detailed illustrations of devices and implants. These illustrations are used to help engineers and manufacturers design and test their products, as well as to obtain regulatory approval from government agencies.
Brief History of Medical Illustration
Medical and scientific illustration has existed for thousands of years.
Early medical illustrations date back to ancient Egypt and India, where physicians used drawings to record surgical procedures and medical treatments. In ancient Greece, anatomists used illustrations to document their dissections and discoveries.
The earliest known anatomical illustration is of a heart-shaped smudge on a cave painting of a mammoth from 17,000 years ago. The cave painting is located in El Pindal cave in Spain, where it is lovingly known as the “Elefante Enamorado” - “The Elephant in Love”. Despite the charming name, the painting is thought to be a guide for young hunters to show where to aim their spears. While a smudged heart may seem very simple, this is an example of how an ancient cave painting can be proof of the historical importance of scientific illustration. The art piece provides information - anatomical location of the heart, and possibly a procedure indicating how/where to strike the mammoth.
During the Renaissance, medical illustration became more sophisticated, and artists began to create highly detailed anatomical drawings. One of the most famous medical illustrators of the era was Andreas Vesalius, who wrote the groundbreaking anatomical text "De Humani Corporis Fabrica." The book was illustrated with detailed anatomical drawings based on real human dissections that were totally new and original compared to the less detailed etchings littered with anatomical inaccuracies at the time.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, medical illustration became more specialized, with illustrators focusing on specific areas of medicine, such as surgery or pathology. With the advent of digital technology, medical illustration has become even more sophisticated, with illustrators using 3D modeling and animation software to create interactive medical illustrations.
Education/Certifications of a Medical Illustrator
If you're interested in pursuing a career in medical illustration, you may be wondering what kind of education is required. The good news is that there are many different paths you can take to become a medical illustrator!
Most medical illustrators possess either:
A background in the sciences, such as:
Biology
Chemistry
Anatomy and physiology
Pathology
Human Medicine
Veterinarian Medicine
OR
A background in the arts, such as:
Fine art/studio art
Graphic Design
Illustration
3D/Sculpting
Animation
This combination of artistic and scientific knowledge is essential for creating accurate and detailed visual representations of complex medical concepts.
After their initial studies, further education specific to medical illustration is required, in order to hone their skills, and eventually gain certification. This includes becoming a Certified Medical Illustrator (CMI) in the United States or joining a professional organization through a strict portfolio review in other parts of the world.
Schools and Programs
Since medical illustration is a bit of a niche field, there aren’t many educational programs where you can study this profession. However, the few available are phenomenal, giving prospective medical illustrators the tools and resources to succeed. These programs are designed to provide students with a strong foundation in both art and science, preparing them for a career as a medical illustrator or a medical artist.
These universities/institutes include:
Canada:
University of Toronto
M.Sc.BMC degree, two-year curriculum
Director: Jodie Jenkinson, BA, MScBMC, PhD, FAMI
Web: https://www.bmc.med.utoronto.ca/bmc/
The United States:
Augusta University (formerly Georgia Regents University)
MSMI degree, two-year curriculum Web: http://www.augusta.edu/medart
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
M.A. degree, two-year curriculum Web: https://medicalart.johnshopkins.edu
Rochester Institute of Technology
MFA Medical Illustration, two-year curriculum Web: https://www.rit.edu/study/medical-illustration-mfa
University of Illinois at Chicago
M.S. degree, two-year curriculum Director: Leah Lebowicz, MS, EdD, CMI Biomedical Visualization Web: http://ahs.uic.edu/biomedical-health-information-sciences/admissions-and-programs/ms-in-biomedical-visualization/
The Netherlands:
Zuyd University / Maastricht University - Netherlands
MFA and Design, Scientific Illustration, two-year curriculum Web:https://www.zuyd.nl/en/programmes/master-fine-art-and-design-scientific-illustration
France:
Ecole Estienne – Paris, France
DSAA Scientific Illustration Design, two-year curriculum
The United Kingdom:
Glasgow University
The MSc In Medical Visualisation and Human Anatomy, one-year program
Liverpool John Moores University
MA Art in Science, postgraduate, one-year curriculum
Staffordshire University
The Graduate and Postgraduate certificates in Clinical Photography or Graphic Design for Healthcare, one-year program
University of Dundee - Scotland
MSc Forensic Art and Facial Imaging, postgraduate, one-year curriculum
University of Dundee -UK
The Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Photography, Cardiff University
The MSc in Medical Art, one-year program
In general, these programs provide students with a strong foundation in both art and science, as well as the opportunity to develop their skills in digital media and scientific visualization. Graduates of these programs are well-prepared for careers in medical illustration, medical animation, and sometimes, 3D modeling.
Professional organizations for medical illustrators provide opportunities for networking, professional development, and staying up-to-date with the latest advances in the field. These organizations also offer certification programs and continuing education opportunities to help medical illustrators enhance their skills and stay current with industry trends.
These organizations include:
The Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI)
The Association Européenne des Illustrateurs Médicaux et Scientifiques (AEIMS)
The Medical Artists’ Association of Great Britain (MAA)
Members of the Australian Institute of Medical and Biological Illustration (AIMBI)
The Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI)
Whether you're an artist with a passion for science or a scientist with a love for art, there are many opportunities to pursue a career in medical illustration. With the right education and a commitment to lifelong learning, you can make a valuable contribution to medicine, healthcare, and research.
Find a Medical Illustrator
If you would like to hire a medical illustrator, you can find them through the organizations mentioned above as well as social media or their websites (such as mine!).
In Short
By combining an interest in science with a passion for art, scientific illustrators create images, animations, and designs that help people understand health, medicine, and natural sciences. Working with scientific professionals, our work is used in research, marketing, education, and public outreach. There is a rich history of scientific illustration that continues to grow today, in various programs across the world. With the power of social media, it’s easy to find a medical artist to transform your research or practice through professional organizations, personal social media, and artists’ websites.
References:
Flemish, A. A. V., John of Calcar (John Stephen Calcar) Netherlandish, & Swiss, P. J. O. (1970, January 1). Andreas Vesalius: De Humani Corporis Fabrica (of the structure of the human body). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved October 22, 2022, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/358129
Graduate Programs. (n.d.). AMI. https://ami.org/medical-illustration/enter-the-profession/education/graduate-programs
Hirst, K. K. (2020, January 29). The beautiful and famous Lascaux Cave. ThoughtCo. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.thoughtco.com/lascaux-cave-170323
Institute for Medical Illustrators. (2021, January 31). Accredited University Courses - Institute of Medical Illustrators. Institute of Medical Illustrators. https://www.imi.org.uk/resources/education-cpd/accredited-university-courses/
Learn about medical illustration. AMI. (2020). Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://www.ami.org/medical-illustration/learn-about-medical-illustration
Mictlan, M. M. (2023, March 26). El Pindal Cave. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/el-pindal-cave
Wikimedia Foundation. (2022, May 13). Bernhard Siegfried Albinus. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 3, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernhard_Siegfried_Albinus