
What is the salary of a medical illustrator?
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Medical Illustrator in the United States. The base salary for Medical Illustrator ranges from $51,387 to $72,175 with the average base salary of $58,871.
What education is required to become an illustrator?
Illustrator Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Portfolio of completed illustrations. Prior work experience as an Illustrator, graphic designer, or similar. Work experience using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Drawing, painting and digital drawing skills.
What qualifications do I need to be an illustrator?
What qualifications do you need to be an illustrator? Most illustrators have at least an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, though it is possible to qualify for some entry level positions with only a high school diploma and exceptional drawing skills.
Do I need a college degree to become an illustrator?
There is no fixed route to become an illustrator. Many illustrators have a degree in illustration or another art-related subject. Even without a degree you can still be successful if you have artistic flair, creativity, a strong portfolio and employers like your work. Relevant degree subjects include:

What degree do I need to be a medical illustrator?
In general, a bachelor's degree with a major in art and a minor in the biological sciences, or a major in science with a minor in art, is preferred. In addition, a portfolio of artwork and a personal interview are generally required.
Do medical illustrators go to medical school?
Most medical illustrators have a Master's degree from an accredited graduate program from one of four medical schools. There are currently three accredited programs in the United States and one in Canada, each accepting 20 or fewer students per year.
How much money do medical illustrators make?
The median salary for a medical illustrator or medical animator is $62,000 and can range up to $100,000. Those in supervisory and creative director positions earn a median of $85,000 and up to $175,000 per year (2013 AMI survey data). Medical illustrators and animators work closely with physicians and scientists.
Can I be a medical illustrator without a degree?
There is no one specific way of how to become a medical illustrator. As mentioned above, it is highly recommended that medical illustrators seek out a master's degree in medical illustration at an accredited school. Although it is not explicitly required, it is the best option, as the field is very competitive.
How many hours does a medical illustrator work?
Working Conditions In addition to artistic talent, they need the ability to do exact and detailed work. Medical illustrators who work for hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical companies, or commercial art studios generally work forty-hour weeks.
What are the duties of a medical illustrator?
The Medical Illustrator will create illustrations and models of medical subjects for use in publications, training materials, exhibits and research, and consultations. The Medical Illustrator will work either manually or digitally to devise the best type of visual aid for a particular purpose.
How many medical illustrators are there?
Medical illustration is a unique profession: despite the strong demand for their services, there is only a small group of highly trained artists practicing in this field. According to the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI), there are 2,000 medical illustrators in North America.
What software do medical illustrators use?
Typically software such as Adobe Photoshop is used for this purpose.
How competitive is medical illustration?
Admittance into a Medical Illustrator Master's Degree program can be extremely competitive, so applicants must seek to really stand out through their grades, portfolio of artwork and related experience. Typically, these graduate programs take two years to complete.
What is a certified medical illustrator?
Board certified medical illustrator A CMI has successfully passed examinations in business practices, ethics, biomedical science, and drawing skills and has undergone a rigorous portfolio review.
What is the career path for medical illustrator?
Because programs are competitive – and spots limited – this career path takes academic skills and savvy . The following steps were designed with the high school student in mind. (If you already have a degree in an art ...
What are the personality traits of a medical illustrator?
Personality Traits: According to AMI, medical illustrators have good visualization ability, scientific and artistic aptitude, and are detail-oriented. They are content to work alone, but can also collaborate effectively.
How to become a health science major?
Pursue career exploration in health sciences and the arts. Start with career fairs or job shadowing. Explore undergraduate programs. There is no one correct choice for undergraduate major, but do make sure that you take the prerequisites that you’ll need for your graduate studies.
Where are CAAHEP accredited medical illustration programs?
Explore graduate programs. There are currently three CAAHEP-accredited medical illustration programs in the United States that are accepting new students (Georgia, Illinois, and Maryland). There is also one program in Canada.
How Do Medical Illustrator Rate Their Jobs?
Rate how you like work as Medical Illustrator. It's anonymous and will only take a minute.
What skills do medical illustrators need?
We discovered that a lot of resumes listed dexterity, creativity and business skills.
How many degrees do medical illustrators have?
We've determined that 72.5% of medical illustrators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 22.2% of medical illustrators have master's degrees. Even though most medical illustrators have a college degree, it's impossible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
How much does a medical illustrator make?
For example, did you know that they make an average of $34.36 an hour? That's $71,460 a year !
What is career path?
Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of artist you might progress to a role such as manager eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title marketing manager.
What was Max Brödel's impact on medical illustration?
At the end of the 19th century a charming, dapper young artist was persuaded to leave his native Germany and pursue medical illustration at Johns Hopkins. Max Brödel would have an incomparable impact on medical illustration. Almost singlehandedly he would create and define the profession of medical illustration. While his magnificent illustration work in pen and ink, and carbon dust, a technique he devised, are an immense legacy, Brödel's most significant legacy is the first school of medical illustration. In 1911 he became the director of the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine. As the new department's sole instructor he proved himself to be an outstanding natural teacher. Other medical illustration programs sprang up across the United States and Canada. Graduates of Brödel's tutelage and the other schools would transform medical illustration into a profession, leading to the formation of the Association of Medical Illustrators in 1945.
What was the role of color printing in the 19th century?
In the 19th century new printing techniques allowed illustrators to work in a variety of media. Color printing was refined and became practical, helping usher in color atlases of pathology and colorful anatomy books for the public. Medical Illustration in America.
How much does a medical illustrator make?
The median salary for a medical illustrator / animator in the U.S. is $70,650 and can range up to $173,000.
How many degrees are there for medical illustrators?
The majority of medical illustrators in the profession have a master's degree from an accredited two-year graduate program in medical illustration. There are currently four programs in North America that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
How many medical illustrators are self employed?
Approximately one third of medical illustrators are self-employed. They may work primarily alone or they may form creative teams, perhaps with allied professionals such as writers, graphic designers, photographers, or filmmakers. Other medical illustrators work at medical schools, hospitals and clinics, research institutions, medical publishers, law firms, advertising agencies, web/animation firms, and other creative services businesses.
How to contact ami medical illustrator?
Potential employers and clients can post job announcements by contacting our headquarters [email protected] or 1-866-393-4AMI. The job descriptions are emailed to our membership and posted in our member community.
What is medical illustrator?
A medical illustrator is a professional artist with advanced education in both the life sciences and visual communication. Collaborating with scientists, physicians, and other specialists, medical illustrators transform complex information into visual images that have the potential to communicate to broad audiences.
How many degrees do medical illustrators have?
Education. The majority of medical illustrators in the profession have a master's degree from an accredited two-year graduate program in medical illustration. There are currently three programs in the United States and one in Canada that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
What is ARC-MI?
The Accreditation Review Committee for the Medical Illustrator (ARC-MI) recommended and the AMI Board of Governors voted approval in 1993 to join CAHEA's successor organization, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). As a result of joining CAAHEP, ARC-MI modified the Standards and Guidelines ...
What is an undergraduate program in medical illustration?
Undergraduate programs are a primary pathway for students looking to enter the field of medical illustration. They also offer a common stepping stone to applying for a medical illustration graduate program. While each undergraduate program is unique, they offer a common education pathways by focusing on art and science/biology. During undergraduate studies, students should concentrate on:
What is medical illustrator?
Medical illustrators provide vital services across the continuum of health professional education, research dissemination, and patient care. Their work must therefore uphold the highest standards of accuracy and efficacy.
What is institutional accreditation?
Institutional accreditation is a quality assurance process that looks at a university or college as a whole, and is therefore very general.
What is a positive placement in medical illustration?
Currently this includes 5-year averages of "positive placement" rates for the period 6 -12 months post-graduation. Positive Placement means that the graduate is employed full or part-time in a related field, and/or continuing their education, and/or serving in the military. These rates demonstrate the outstanding performance of accredited graduate programs in medical illustration.
What are the courses in human anatomy?
Course work varies from program to program, but all include an advanced course in human anatomy with dissection and may include a combination of other biomedical science courses such as embryology, histology, neuroanatomy, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, immunology, pharmacology or genetics, along with specialized applied art courses such as surgical and/or medical-legal illustration. Other classes may include learning and instructional design, interactive media development, data visualization, molecular visualization, graphic medicine, 3-D modeling and animation, along with traditional drawing and computer applications.
Why are medical illustrators needed?
The career outlook for medical illustrators is quite favorable, even though the field is not expansive. With large research and development budgets for pharmaceutical companies, health care and medical institutes, the need for medical illustrators increases to provide illustrations and visual aid. Furthermore, due to the steady growth and expansion in the curative and preventative medical industries, the need for qualified medical illustrators increases to facilitate various illustrative and visual needs.
How much does a medical illustrator make?
A medical illustrator can earn an average annual salary of $43,000 (simplyhred.com). According to another source, the average annual salary for a medical illustrator is $52,000 (indeed.com). The earning potential of medical illustrators largely depends on the type of industry they work in.
What is a medical illustrator certification?
Certification provided by the Association of Medical Illustrators is a voluntary option for interested candidates. It may provide a much needed boost in their career after becoming a Certified Medical Illustrator (CMI).
What is medical illustrator?
Loosely termed, a medical illustrator can be considered a medical artist. With their artistic skill and knowledge of the medical sciences, medical illustrators can create visual material and references for the purpose of sharing medical knowledge and bio-communication.
What education do you need to be a medical illustrator?
Education Requirements. The usual education requirement for medical illustrators is a bachelor’s degree followed by a master’s degree in medical illustration. With a bachelor’s degree in medical illustration, you may be able to get an entry level job as a medical illustrator assistant or play an assistant’s role in a small project.
Why is it important to stay up to date with the latest in digital art?
Stay up to date with the latest in the digital artwork field so as to bring efficiency and improved quality to the table
