Medical illustration employs artistic skill and scientific knowledge to communicate anatomy, medical concepts, surgical procedures, diseases, pharmaceutical products and other health topics through visual representations. Experienced medical illustrators collaborate closely with doctors and scientists in accurately representing biological processes and concepts; creating realistic anatomical models and other simulators as training aids. Medical illustrators may work for labs, publishing houses or pharmaceutical companies or even start up freelance medical illustration businesses of their own.
Graphic designs ranging from line illustrations and data visualizations to cinematic animations can bring healthcare, science, and medicine to life for an array of audiences. Tailor-made visuals can explain complicated health concepts or introduce a new surgical procedure while clarifying medication benefits or increasing engagement on healthcare websites or apps.
Medical illustration can be found in patient education materials, textbooks, presentations, research journal articles and educational content for both veterinary medicine and life sciences. Interactive applications and sculpted models may also be utilized for simulation, training and research in these fields as well as surgical planning/demonstrations. Medical visualization techniques may even be applied to animal anatomy for veterinary medicine and life sciences education purposes.