Medical Illustrators Offer Useful Services to Faculty

When flipping through almost any medical textbook or research publication, one will find that paragraphs of text are typically broken up with elaborate graphics illustrating the complex scientific processes and information.

These graphics are the work of medical illustrators, professional artists with advanced training in both science and visual communication. The University of Kentucky College of Medicine has two, Thomas Dolan and Matthew Hazzard, who are instrumental in their ability to enhance medical instruction, patient education, and research within the college.

“You could call us visual problem solvers,” Dolan said. “We help bring some of the scientific information to life.”

Dolan and Hazzard offer illustration services to faculty for a variety of publication types, print and digital, including peer-reviewed journals, textbook chapters, posters, and patient education materials. They also have the capability to create animations and provide visual graphics for multimedia projects.

Their creative process typically begins with background research and meetings with experts. They can build a detailed design from a faculty member’s basic sketch. Sometimes, for more thorough projects, they sit in and observe surgical procedures for a more comprehensive view of the artwork they’re going to produce.

Both Dolan and Hazzard received intensive training to develop their craft. Dolan, who has more than 20 years of experience, received his master’s degree at the Medical College of Georgia and his bachelor’s degree in biology from Syracuse University. Hazzard completed his education at the University of Kentucky, where he has worked as a medical illustrator and multimedia developer since 2003.

Faculty members in the College of Medicine who are interested in requesting a design should allot at least two weeks for a single illustration or more for a multipart project. Dolan can be reached by clicking here. Hazzard can be reached by clicking here.