Medical illustrator : Employers and vacancy sources

Around half of all medical illustrators are employed by hospital trusts and a majority of the others work for university medical schools. The larger departments are generally found in university hospitals, particularly in cities such as London, Birmingham, Cambridge, Oxford, Cardiff and Glasgow. Some medical illustration departments have only a handful of staff and there are even a few ‘one-man bands’, with just a single medical illustrator providing photography, graphic design and related services.

A limited number of posts are also found in private hospitals and medical facilities, and also with private companies that provide medical services or develop medical or pharmaceutical products.

A few medical photographers work entirely on a self-employed or freelance basis.

The number of medical illustrators in the UK is relatively small at around a thousand and although numbers have been broadly stable in recent years, these may increase in the future in line with rising demands for professional graphics, photography and video services in the health sector.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• British Journal of Photography  
• Creative Review  
• Design Week  
• NHS Jobs  
• NHS Scotland Recruitment  
• Ophthalmic Imaging Association (OIA)  
• Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI)  
• Medical Illustration UK Ltd  
• Individual hospital or medical school websites.
• Web design studios and graphic art studios for freelance work.
• Local and national press.

Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies. Some employers may approach art and design colleges or individual course leaders.

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