Medical Illustrator Jobs in the United States

Medical Illustration Jobs: Overview

Are you looking for a career where you can meld your creative and analytical sides? If you’re a talented artist with an interest in medical science, a job as a medical illustrator may be a good fit for you. At Monster, you’ll find a variety of medical illustration jobs in hospitals, research facilities, universities, law enforcement agencies, pharmaceutical companies, law offices, and medical publishing companies.

As a medical illustrator, you’ll create accurate and realistic visual references (e.g., drawings, diagrams, 3D models, and animations) to human and animal biology, anatomy, and physiology. Medical illustrations accompany textbook explanations, medical journals, research studies, lectures, and reference charts.

If you’re looking for other jobs in the healthcare industry, try these positions:

• medical assistant jobs
• medical office jobs
• nursing informatics jobs

Thinking about other careers in the arts? Check out these art jobs:

• scientific illustrator jobs
• book illustrator jobs
• illustration jobs

Medical Illustrator Education and Skills

To be successful in a medical illustrator job, you’ll need the following skills:

• Attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Drawing, sketching, and other artistic abilities.
• Knowledge of human and animal biology, anatomy, and physiology.

Medical illustrators need at least a bachelor’s degree in art, biology, or a combination of both (e.g., a major/minor together or a double major). However, most medical illustrators have a master’s degree in medical illustration accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

There are currently no medical illustration undergraduate programs. Only four universities in the United States offer a graduate degree in medical illustration: Augusta University in Georgia, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.

While certification isn’t required for a medical illustrator job, it can make you more valuable to employers. The Board of Certification of Medical Illustrators (BCMI) offers certification to candidates who have at least five years of medical illustration experience and a CAAHEP-accredited medical illustrator degree with coursework in human gross anatomy with hands-on dissection.

Update Your Medical Illustrator Resume

As a medical illustrator, you have a good eye for detail. Before applying for a job, be sure to lend color to your resume with relevant skills (e.g., illustration and graphic design) and professional accomplishments from previous jobs (e.g., creating original visual references). Also be sure to provide a link to your portfolio, so employers can see your previous illustration work.

Then, paint a picture of your career in your cover letter. Detail your work experience, including the materials and techniques you use, what mediums you’ve worked in, software you’re familiar with, and what subject matter you specialize in. Balance discussing your artistic side with highlighting your soft skills, like time management, your ability to accept feedback, and your communication skills. If you’re still staring down a blank canvas, refer to our cover letter samples to learn how to write your first draft.

Interviewing for Medical Illustrator Jobs

Employers have visualized your professional background from the details on your resume and cover letter. Now, it’s time to describe it in words during an interview. Study our most commonly asked interview questions. Then, create and practice your answers ahead of time, so you can go into your interview with confidence. Some questions you may encounter include:

• Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
• Tell me about your proudest achievement.
• What was the last project you led, and what was its outcome?
• What challenges did you face in your last role, and how did you overcome them?

How Much Do Medical Illustration Jobs Pay?

According to the Association of Medical Illustrators, medical illustrators typically earn between $70,650 and $173,000 per year. Your salary will likely depend on your location and experience level. Some medical illustrators supplement their salary with freelance work, which typically adds between $25 and $36 per hour to their income.

Create Your Profile to Find Medical Illustrator Jobs on Monster

Set up your profile for free at Monster to draw a path to a successful career in medical illustration. At Monster, we have job searching down to a fine art. We’ll get your resume in front of job recruiters and send free career advice articles to help you in your search. Plus, we’ll deliver free alerts directly to your phone when new medical illustration jobs become available in your city.