Medical Illustration
Overview
Medical illustration programs prepare people to make drawings or paintings of human or animal bodies.This program includes topics such as:
- Medical and dental photography
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Medical terminology
- Three-dimensional modeling
- Principles of art
- Computer graphics and animation
- Digital imaging
Schools
There are only a few schools that offer bachelor's or master's degrees in medical illustration programs. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree.
See schools that offer this program.
Graduate Admissions
Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree, good grades, and good test scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General.
Your recommended college major depends on the program. Some programs prefer that you major in pre-medicine or a science and take several art courses on the side. Other programs prefer that you major in fine arts and take several science courses on the side. And still other programs don't specify a preferred major at all, as long as you take their recommended art and science courses. These courses usually include some combination of the following:
Art Courses:
- Advertising Design
- Art courses using watercolor, acrylic, or oil
- Basic Photography
- Computer Graphics
- Figure Drawing
- General Drawing
- Graphic Design
Science Courses:
- Cell Biology
- Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
- Developmental Biology
- General Biology or General Zoology
- General Chemistry
- Histology
- Human Anatomy and Physiology
Additional requirements include:
- Letters of recommendation
- Personal interview
- Portfolio of artwork
- Portfolio review
- Proof of competency in computer graphics programs (e.g., Adobe Photoshop)
Typical Course Work
Program Courses
This program typically includes courses in the following subjects:
- Anatomical Dissection and Sketching
- Cells and Tissues
- Computer Animation
- Computer Applications
- Digital Imaging
- Graphic Design
- Gross Human Anatomy
- Illustration Applications
- Illustration Techniques
- Instructional Design
- Operating Room Sketching
- Organ Histology
- Pathophysiology
- Surgical Orientation
- Visual Cognition
Most programs require students to complete a thesis or large research project as part of their degree curriculums.
Things to Know
Some medical illustration students can choose to work using three-dimensional mediums, using their artistic skills to design and create prosthetics.
Schools
No information available.