Medical Illustrators and Photographers
Overview
Introduction
Medical illustrators and photographers use graphics, drawings, and photographs to make medical concepts easier to understand. Medical illustrators provide illustrations of anatomical and biological structures and processes, as well as surgical and medical techniques and procedures. Medical photographers take photos that communicate complex medical or scientific information for use in textbooks, professional journals, and other teaching materials. There are approximately 111,620 fine artists, including medical illustrators, and 49,56...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) reports that medical illustrators earn median annual salaries of $70,650, and earnings can range up to $173,000. Self-employed medical illustrators earn median salaries of $80,000, and their earnings can reach up to $1 million per year. The AMI reports that "some medical illustrators receive royalties from secondary licensing of existing artwork. Th...
Work Environment
Medical illustrators generally work in clean, well-lit offices. They spend a great deal of time at their desks, whether in front of a computer or at the drafting table. They are sometimes required to visit operating rooms.
Photographers, especially those employed by a large hospital, may have to run around during their day. They may be asked to take photos of a complicated surgery in the...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that photographers and illustrators will experience a decline in employment growth through 2028. The demand for medical illustrators, however, is expected to be strong. There are only a few graduate programs in medical illustration with small graduation classes, so medical illustrators will find steady demand for their skills. The field of medicine and scie...
