Sketch out a Career in Medical Illustration



Posted: Monday, June 25, 2007

by
Online Degrees Today

Medical illustrators are artists who work in the field of medicine. They make detailed drawings for textbooks and other publications used by physicians and students.

Have you ever wondered how to parlay your love of art to a career in the medical field?  Medical illustrators are one of the hottest jobs for 2007.  

What Do they Do?
Medical illustrators combine their artistic abiliities with knowlegdge of science.  They draw illustrations of human anatomy surgical procedures. These illustrations are often seen in texbooks, medical ads, professional journals and film.  These specialized illustrators work with doctors and researchers and provide the artistic renderings that are needed. Medical illustrators often work for medical schools or other academic health centers. Advertising agencies and publishers as well as pharmaceutical and medical product companies also use the services of medical illustrators. Many medical illustrators ownb their own businesses.

Training
To work as a medical illustrator, you will need at least a bachelors degree.  Many students who want to enter this field major in art and minor in biology to cover all reccomended material.  Coursework should include life drawing, painting, illustration and andatomy, physiology, and biology.  Many medical illustrators go on to earn their masteres degree in medical illustration, which is highly reccommended.  You will need to have a demonstrated ability in art beofre you begin to pursue this line of work.

Outlook
Medical illustrators are highly skilled and specialized in the field of illustration.  This is a relativlely exclusive field, and there are only about 1200 medical illustrators in north america.  Demand for highly skilled medical illustrators are high, and the outlook for this job is great.  Earnings in this field can range from $40,000 - $150,000 and up depending on your expertise.  Graduates from this profession will likely find fast job placement.

Mary Hart is an in-house writer for Online-Degrees-Today.com and has been writing about online art & design degree programs since 2004.  To find out more information about earning your online illustration degree, click here.


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