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Posted

Hello! 

Is anyone else here applying to graduate programs in Medical Illustration? 

I'm playing the waiting game now -- Applied to Johns Hopkins, Augusta University, and University of Toronto! If those don't work out, I'm looking into a scientific illustration program in the Netherlands... 

 

Posted

I've heard of many people coming back to scientific or medical illustration later in life! Never too late :)

Good luck to you regardless! 

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Wow, I'm kind of surprised to see other med illust people here since it's such a tiny community haha. I applied to UoT and UIC. Toronto already sent back interview decisions. No luck for me there :(

Best wishes for you guys though...!

Posted

I decided to start applying for grad school at the last minute.  Applied to Johns Hopkins on the 15th (haven't heard anything yet) and I'm just getting off my applications for California State Monterey Bay and RIT.  While I'm fairly confident in my abilities, I have to say trying to put together a portfolio last minute isn't a very good idea.  Frankly, I don't have many portfolio quality pieces, I didn't study art consistently, and I had to dig through school work as old as 2008.  I wish I known that scientific illustration was a thing when I was an undergrad, I probably would have sought out a program then.  Well, if not this year, maybe next.  Good luck everyone!

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

I forgot about posting this thread! But I have some updates if you all are interested. It's great to see a couple other hopeful medical illustrators! 

I got interview invitations for Hopkins, Augusta, and Toronto, which is awesome! Last Friday I interviewed at Hopkins and it was such an amazing department. My interviews for Georgia and Toronto are in two weeks, so I'll let you all know how that goes. 

Feel free to ask me if you want any more info about the schools or tips on application processes! 

Posted

I just had my interview at Hopkins and Augusta as well! Chicago is next. Congratulations on your interviews and I hope they went well!

Posted

Hi Mindy!

Congrats on your interviews, and good luck! Maybe we'll end up in the same program or at least meet some day :)

 

Posted

I knew these sort of programs exist, but I would have never thought I'd run into applicants on here. It's a tiny group of people!

Good luck to everyone. It's a super fascinating career. :) 

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

Hey all!

Any luck for you guys? I'll be attending the Hopkins program, and I'm excited to see where everyone ends up! 

Posted

Congratulations on your acceptance! I'll be going to Augusta. It's all so exciting isn't it? 

If you all have social media/websites I would love to connect with you there!

Posted

Congrats to you both! :D I have a couple friends waiting on Toronto decisions and I'm nearly as nervous for them as I was for my own! 

Posted (edited)

whoa, I was actually looking for medical illustration information here (and in other sites) for months, and I'm not sure how I missed this thread. Nice to meet you, everyone! :) Great to know I'm not alone pursuing this field.

How was the app process for everyone? I graduated last May and spend the past few months revamping my entire portfolio. and it was brutally stressful but amazing to see how much I improved in just a few months, since almost none of my professors in my undergrad knew about the field to help me figure out what to watch for in my portfolio. I had to do a lot of trial and error on my part. The waiting game has been brutal for me - got rejected from Toronto and Hopkins early this year, but came back from my interview with Augusta recently and it was amazing getting to talk to the faculty and students about their experiences. However, I also JUST got rejected from UIC today (no interview offer) which is a bummer :( they took a while to get back to me.

I'm super nervous if I don't get in this year as if I'll have to figure out how else to improve my portfolio all over again. 

P.S. anyone heard back from the scientific illustration program at CSUMB yet?

Edited by koala-tea
Posted

Hi Koala-tea,

The app process was super stressful for me as well! Mostly because I went in to the field completely blind and without knowing anyone who was affiliated with the field. 

Sorry you received disappointing news from the other schools. Have you heard back from Augusta?

Posted

Hey Mindy! 

I haven't heard back from Augusta yet sadly, though I was also the last batch of applicants interviewed. I was told I should hear a reply before April. Anxiously checking my email for decisions.

I came into the field blind as well. I had few professors who knew about the field, so I had to rely on some of the feedback I got when I sent in a preliminary portfolio to the schools before app season and examining the level of artistry in sample portfolios. Strangely enough, one of my former upper-division psychology professors actually was the one most familiarity with the field.

  • 4 weeks later...
Posted

Hi all,

Can you tell me a little more about your backgrounds, where you went to undergrad, etc?  Any portfolio or undergrad course tips? Like all of you, I am going into this field somewhat blind. I have an undergrad degree in visual arts, but did take a significant number of science courses as much of my family is in medicine. (Originally declared a science major, but switched to art.) However, I'm still a few science courses short, so before I take them I'm trying to determine if I am a strong candidate for acceptance into these programs. My ideal program is UIC, based mainly on location, but not sure how realistic that is. 

Any advice or suggestions or tips you could provide would be GREATLY appreciated. 

Thanks so much! 

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Hi SLP2B111!

I majored in Communications Arts (basically illustration) at Virginia Commonwealth University, where you can specialize in scientific and preparatory medical illustration. I also had a minor in Biology. Many people will be applying having the same background as you! It's about half art majors and half science majors. 

My main tip is to contact the program(s) you are interested in and see what else you need to do to be ready to apply. That will also get your name out there. Make sure you complete those science courses and that you do really well in them! Many schools offer a chance for you to go and show your portfolio. They will give you great feedback and tell you exactly how to improve. Have as many people as you can critique your art! And make sure you don't submit anything too "medical" in your portfolio, because the programs don't want to see that. 

Take some time also just to research the career and see art from alumni of the programs. Nothing is more inspirational! I wish you the best of luck. I can answer any other questions you have, though I didn't apply to UIC, so I only know about the other programs! 

 

  • 1 month later...
Posted

I did my undergrad at UC Irvine in biology and worked in biotech/academic research labs after graduating, which I thought were my only options after getting a degree. My school's a research university and you wouldn't get very solid fine art skills out of an art degree there if you didn't already have them. Stumbled on medical illustration after a series of interesting forays into other facets of science communication, mainly writing/journalism. Did a handful of fine art classes at night while working during the day to get my portfolio up to snuff. 

One thing that I found was really helpful, email alumni of the programs and ask them about their experiences and their advice. It was immensely helpful for me to decide which programs I wanted to get in most, as each program has its own strengths. Another thing, for me personally, I think it was really good to work for a bit out of school before applying to grad school. Working in science helped me understand some more areas where visual communication was really needed. 

Best of luck. 

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