FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My initial training was through the graduate program in the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. I received a Masters Degree from the School of Medicine. After being employed as a medical illustrator, for many years I maintained board-certification status via Continuing Education credits. But, in more recent years, I realized that working in-depth on projects with clinicians, surgeons and research scientists provides me with ample up-to-date knowledge of developments in the medical field. Each project usually involves/requires my own research regarding fine points of the project. For example, a recent project required examination of medical literature for a thorough understanding of the cytological aspects of Barrett's Esophagus (often a precursor to cancer). Often, my in-depth research for projects has led me to discover inaccuracies in text sources and image sources of others. For example, I found a glaring anatomical error in a series of illustrations on the website of the Gastroenterology & Hepatology Department of one of the most highly-regarded medical facilities in the United States.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
During my 19 years as the staff surgical/medical illustrator at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (in Manhattan), the majority of my work was illustrating step-by-step surgical procedures. In addition to surgeons, I worked with clinicians, researchers and the nursing staff. The illustrations were used in medical textbooks, medical journals and slide lectures at medical conferences. Since founding my own medical illustration studio, I work with scientists, physicians (surgeons and clinicians), researchers, medical facilities, medical device manufacturers, advertising agencies, book publishers, and magazines. Sometimes, I do general illustrations for clients' custom projects, such as the "Burger" illustration shown here in my image gallery. The majority of my work is for medical device manufacturers; to depict their devices in the intended anatomical environment.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Work with a medical illustrator who has been medically trained, i.e., has a graduate degree in the field of medical illustration.