Medical Illustrator

Duties and Responsibilities:

Medical illustrators are highly skilled artists.  They work strictly in the medical field and create graphics for textbooks, journals, magazines, and educational films.  Their drawings span a wide range from microorganisms to body parts.

Some medical illustrators prepare illustrations that aid in research about or creation of artificial body parts.  At times, they are called upon to use modeling skills to create artificial body parts, such as ears, and noses, for patients that are deformed or have undergone some surgeries.

Average Salary:  $35,000 - $50,000

Educational Requirements:

Students interested in becoming medical illustrators should take a college preparatory program in high school that emphasizes art and science.

In college they should either major in art and minor in science or major in science and minor in art.  Undergraduate science courses should be the same as those required for medical school.

The majority of medical illustrators have master's degrees in the field from a program that is accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational Programs.

Certification as a medical illustrator requires a graduate degree in medical illustration, a portfolio review, and successful completion of a national examination.