Answers:

1. Institute of medical illustration

2. Association of medical illustration
3. Certified medical illustratrator
4. Max Brdel
5. Medical illustration
6. Bio communication
7. Medical illustration
8. Clear communication
9. Attorneys
10. Frank Netter, M.D

Short notes

1. What is the field of medical illustration?

Medical illustration is a unique applied art discipline comprised of professional medical

illustrators and animators. It falls within the more general field of biomedical communication.

The definition of a medical illustration

A medical illustration is a visual representation that is the result of art skills expressed in a
tangible or virtual medium that conveys medical or biological information. An illustration or
animation is meant to explain and clarify a complex subject in ways that words alone cannot.
Clear communication is a key feature of medical illustration that sets it apart from science-
inspired fine art.

2. What is a medical illustrator / animator?

A medical illustrator is a professional artist with specialized training and advanced education in
medicine, science, art, design, visual technology, media techniques, and in theories related to
communication and learning. Collaborating with scientists, physicians, and other content
specialists, medical illustrators serve as visual translators of complex technical information to
support education, medical and life science research, patient care, patient education, public
relations, and marketing objectives.

As visualization specialists, they create imagery that advances medical science knowledge and
empowers health literacy for patients and the public. They have the medical and scientific
knowledge to grasp complex information, distill it down and communicate the story in a clear
visual narrative that is accurate, educational and engaging.

In addition to producing such material, medical illustrators often function as content

developers, creative directors, consultants and administrators within the general field of
biocommunication. Many are business owners and entrepreneurs in the marketplace
 Where medical illustrations & animations are used

From the human genome to the latest robotic surgical technique, the demand for accurate,
effective medical illustration is continuously expanding. Medical illustrations and animations
appear in virtually all media and markets used to disseminate medical, biological and related
information:

trade and consumer publications

textbooks, journals, eBooks

Web
courtroom exhibits
patient education
continuing medical education (CME)
interactive learning
advertising
mobile health apps
health games
trade shows
museums
veterinary and dental markets
television and film
augmented and virtual reality simulators
Attorneys use medical illustration to clarify complex medical information for judges and juries in
personal injury and medical malpractice cases.

While medical illustrations are widely and consistently used for print and exhibits, the trend is
toward greater use in multimedia and interactive designs, particularly those involving animation.
Many, but not all, medical illustrators also work in three dimensions, creating sculptured
anatomical teaching models and museum exhibits, models for simulated medical procedures and
prosthetic parts for patients.

Skills required to be a medical illustrator / animator

Content and anatomical accuracy is paramount in the field of medical illustration; images are
designed and created to communicate specific content. Therefore, it is most rewarding for detail-
oriented individuals who genuinely enjoy and have natural ability in both art and science.
 Beca
use of the variety of assignments medical illustrators typically experience, they should be
accomplished in a wide range of art methods and media production skills to meet the current
needs of the biocommunication industry. These methods and skills range from advanced drawing,
painting and sculpture techniques in tangible media, to functional concepts and techniques
involved in the production of commercial and graphic art, to up-to-date computer graphic skills in
still and motion media.

A strong foundation in general, biological and medical science is also necessary to enable the
illustrator to fully comprehend and then conceptualize complex biological and medical
information. Subjects range from structures in the real world that can be directly observed to the
theoretical and unseen, such as molecular processes. Highly developed visualization skills to
 transform such complex information into two-dimensional and three-dimensional images that
communicate to diverse audiences are essential.

Those interested in medical illustration should enjoy working alone and in teams during problem-
solving, and be able to work closely with clients to understand not only the project itself but the
client's often unspoken needs as well. Writing, research and ancillary computer skills are also
valuable.

A proven pathway to acquire the required skills and knowledge to be a professional medical
illustrator in today's marketplace is to attend a graduate-level educational program that is
dedicated to teaching medical illustration.

Where do medical illustrators work?

Medical illustrators and animators traditionally work at a:

University, academic medical center

Hospital, clinic, or healthcare institution
Research center
Publishing company (books or journals)
Corporation, small business
Medical legal or law firm
Web, multimedia, or animation firm
Veterinary school
Pharmaceutical company
Advertising agency
Other (government, non-profits)

Today, many are self-employed while others set up small companies or work as an employee or
owner in larger commercial enterprises designed to provide services to various markets.

A significant segment of the marketplace is devoted to medical legal illustration, which focuses
on producing demonstrative evidence to support expert testimony in medical malpractice,
personal injury, and product liability litigation. Fast growing fields of work for the medical
illustrator are in computer modeling, animation and interactive design, all of which are in high
demand in a wide variety of markets, and which often require larger teams of individuals.

Some medical illustrators specialize in a particular facet of medicine, such as forensic

reconstruction, ophthalmological illustration, a specific surgical specialty, or the making of
prostheses, often accumulating considerable recognition for their knowledge and abilities in that
particular area. There is an expanding need for interactive e-learning programs for patient
education, student courseware, physician education, and pharmaceutical/device sales training.
Some illustrators become content experts and are authors and co-authors of textbooks or journal
articles.

As more people demand information about their own bodies and healthcare options, the role of
medical illustrations and animations in patient education and health literacy initiatives is vital to
improving public health and patient outcomes. Indeed, a picture is worth a thousand words.

A growing number of medical animators work in research labs analyzing and modeling research
data and molecular interactions to guide the data-exploration process as the scientific story is
unfolding. Interdisciplinary knowledge in biochemistry, genomics, and computational molecular
biology enable this close interaction and blur the lines between scientist and artist.

Earning potential
Earnings vary according to the experience, education, and ability of the artist, the type of
work, and the area of the country where one works. The title "Medical Illustrator" is a broad
term. Depending on the type of employer and services provided, job skills may include
animation, multimedia, interactive development, illustration, web and graphic design. In
general, medical illustrators with diverse skills and more responsibility for concept
development command higher salaries

What does a Medical Illustrator do?

A Medical Illustrator is a skilled artist who creates medical related pictures. These can be
anything between incredibly detailed and scientific pictures to abstract and conceptual
pictures. It is a highly specialised sector, as it requires someone with a deep knowledge of art
as well as biology.

Although most people would know a Medical illustrators work from biology books or posters
in a hospital ward, there are also internal research team positions for illustrators, who can
quickly make a visual representation of data or concepts. Works can also be used in other
sectors, including advertising.

While the term Medical Illustrator implies drawing, the role has expanded to include
photographers, videographers and animators. However, despite the reliable nature of photo
and video, the traditional illustrators are still in high demand due to their ability to sketch
things that are small, or hard to photograph.

Frank Netter, M.D.: Medicine's Michelangelo

I am certain that many physicians are familiar with the work of Dr. Frank Netter (1906
1991), the surgeon-artist. He illustrated the major organs and their pathology for CIBA
Pharmaceutical who then published them in a book. Dr. Netter produced exquisite paintings
of human anatomy, physiology, and pathology as well as illustrations of groundbreaking
discoveries in medicine. Later, he illustrated a series of atlases, a group of volumes
individually devoted to each organ system, which cover human anatomy, embryology,
physiology, pathology, and pertinent clinical features of the diseases arising in each system.
Once seen, who can forget his atlases? In 1986, The New York Times dubbed him The
Medical Michelangelo. Dr. Netter died in 1991 but his work lives on in books and electronic
products that continue to educate millions of healthcare professionals worldwide.

Exquisite renditions of the cardiac valves in systole and diastole by Dr. Netter. (Source:
Netter FH. The Ciba Collection of Medical Illustrations. Volume 5)

The legacy of Max Brdel: Father of modern medical illustration

Max Brdel was a German artist who immigrated to the United States of America at the end
of the 19th century. He went to Johns Hopkins and illustrated the works of Harvey Cushing,
William Halsted, Howard Kelly, and other clinicians. His magnificent works are celebrated
and is a well-known figure in surgical illustration. His work served an invaluable tool in
educating students about anatomy, physiology and surgical procedures. His drawings have
been reproduced in numerous textbooks, articles, and advertisements for over half a century.

Medical illustration is a highly difficult skill to master. Often the work is generated by an
artist without medical training, or by doctors with limited artistic skills. Brdel worked hard
to strike a balance between having sufficient medical knowledge and artistic skill. He
revolutionized medical illustration. His important legacy is the establishment of the first
school of medical illustrators at Johns Hopkins. His school was such a success that other
medical illustration programs sprang up across the United States and Canada. Graduates of
Brdel's school and the other schools would transform medical illustration into a profession
so that medical illustrators nowadays have a master degree in medical illustration. The aim
was to create professionals with an exceptional scientific background as well as being
accomplished artists. Medical illustrators usually complete courses in anatomy and
physiology, biology, art, chemistry, design, graphic art, computer illustration, and medical
terminology.

Medical illustrators create many different types of graphic representations for a variety of
purposes. They often create illustrations of human anatomy or surgical procedures for books
and publications as well as produce animations and 3-dimensional models for seminars and
lectures. Medical illustrators sometimes draw the steps taken during procedures and create
illustrations of both healthy and diseased body parts to explain the effects of medical
conditions. Some help create artificial body parts such as eyes. Medical illustrators often
sketch by hand and use computer software to create their illustrations. Some specialize on
specific area such as the heart or brain.

The use of art in medical education

One might begin with philosophy but would end with medicine; or start with medicine and
find oneself in philosophy, so Aristotle pointed out in the 4th century B.C. I suppose we
might say, one might begin with art but would end with medicine; or start with medicine and
find oneself in art. Medicine and art, science and beauty: both seem to meet in the human
body. Medicine seeks to reveal the mechanisms of the human body while art uses the human
form to represent ideals of beauty in drawings and paintings. These two fields of human
endeavor medicine and art are combined in the art of the medical illustrator.

There is no doubt that illustration in a medical text aids in the learning process. Although in
medieval times, many medical manuscripts were illuminated, notably the Arabic scholarly
treatises, the illustrations representing various anatomical systems, pathologies, or treatment
methodologies reflect early reliance on classical scholarship, especially Galen, and hence,
were unreliable. In addition, representations of internal organs were often fanciful. Andreas
Vesalius's book, De Humani Corporis Fabrica, was a landmark textbook in the history of
medicine and art. Besides its value in teaching anatomy, it underlined the close collaboration
between art and science and how each inspires the other to new heights.

Vesalius commissioned artists to do the detailed anatomic drawings in his book. The medical
illustrator is an artist who explains medical concepts through art. Illustrating a medical
concept is difficult and can be tricky. The medical illustrator must draw or paint the human
body with scientific precision and at the same time brings artistic creativity to his work. In
addition, he must possess problem solving skills as well as the spatial awareness of an
architect. The medium through which he works consists of traditional pen and ink drawings
and use of computer software. Today, animated computer based art is synergistically used
with medical illustration to educate students about anatomy.

New advances in imaging technology are powerful tools to show pathology but illustration
remains a cornerstone for selectively communicating disease processes. A drawing can
highlight the important features of a structure for teaching and discussion purposes. A graphic
representation of any medical subject is a very effective tool in communicating medical
knowledge. Medical students depend on illustration to learn anatomical facts and details that
maybe too subtle for the written or spoken word. Oftentimes, an illustration transmits the
pertinent, useful, and important information much more effectively than words. They tell a
story through their drawings. For surgical disciplines especially, students rely on tools such
as 2-dimensional illustrations and 3-dimensional models to learn important concepts. The use
of illustration is an integral aspect in teaching, learning, and communication with colleagues
as it can highlight details not obvious in a photograph.
Nowadays, modern anatomical illustrations are based on our understanding of the body
through modern imaging techniques rather than on studying cadavers. Much pathology
previously only seen at autopsy is now picked up by modern imaging techniques while the
patient is still living. In cardiology for instance, the echocardiographer and cardiac surgeon
communicate through imaging and illustration. Traditional illustration and computerized
images mutually aid one another in medical education. For example, video-assisted surgery
seems to be synergistically working with traditional illustration to enhance the surgical
learning experience for students.

Art has always helped solve communication dilemmas in medical education. There will
always be a need to illustrate medical concepts as long as there are doctors and students eager
to learn the intricacies of the human body and its complex functions. Visualization is the key
to understanding; hence visual aids are fundamental to the learning process. Advances in
computer graphics and imaging are generating vast new opportunities for creating and
producing such visual aids. Subcellular processes too small to be seen even by the most
advanced microscopes can come alive through computer animations. The Internet and
wireless technology enables information to be widely and readily available to everybody. As
medical and scientific information exponentially expands, as the methods of visual creation
continue to grow and evolve, and as the ways in which information is distributed to doctors,
patients and the public proliferate, medical illustration takes those concepts and methods
both the simple and the complex and brings them to life.