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Masters Project Showcase 2007

-Steven J. Harrison, MS, CMI

 Department Chairman and Associate Professor

The Second Annual Masters Project “Showcase” was held on May 2, 2007, and gave the students in the Medical Illustration Graduate Program an opportunity to present their Masters Projects to their peers, subject matter experts, faculty, students, and other interested persons.  Nearly 50 people were in attendance.

Several years ago, it became apparent to the senior, soon to be graduating, students that they knew relatively little, and had only seen glimpses of the visual products that their classmates were producing as partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Science in Medical Illustration.  The members of our Class of 2006 requested the opportunity to make a presentation of their educational packages to their peers and invited guests.  Thus, the Masters Project “Showcase” was born, akin to the poster and oral presentations at Graduate Research Day.

The Masters Project in the Department of Medical Illustration fulfills the requirement for the “graduate thesis,” and presents a visual solution to a communications problem/need targeted to a specified audience.  It may address a need for better visualization of a concept being taught in the lecture hall or classroom.  The project might educate a patient about to receive surgery or a treatment modality, or it might help family members learn to care for their infant’s tracheostomy tube when the “at risk” child is sent home from the hospital.

Although not intended as a marketable, consumer-ready visual aid, the Masters Project has often been an important tutorial in a variety of educational situations.  The “Showcase” has been a valuable means of introducing these educational packages to potential users, and stimulating creativity among graduate student producers of these projects.

What is a Medical Illustrator?

-Heidi M. Dalberg, MS

  Class President

The MCG School of Graduate Studies Medical Illustration class of 2007 was able to answer this question in a diverse and engaging way at the Master’s Showcase.  Students worked with specialists in a variety of fields to create medical media to educate the appropriate audience.  Some of the subjects include: hyper-permeability of the lungs, care of infants with a tracheostomy, bone and muscle loss in the elderly, anesthesiology techniques, educating indigenous people in Peru about cervical exams, community education regarding glaucoma, pH levels in the mouth, and genetic mutations of colon cancer.  The Master’s Showcase was an opportunity for us to present the different topics and talk about the process of creating appropriate and engaging medical illustration. 

We are a group of artists, who are also scientists, who are passionate about helping others, and meeting the goals of our clients: to educate people about medical subjects.  We look at our audience and determine what the best way to reach them is.  An important factor we consider when developing medical illustration is the educational level and previous medical knowledge of the audience.  An animation and web interface to teach the technique of inserting a tuohy needle into the cervical region of the spine to anesthesiology residents is far more advanced than what would be taught to an indigenous people in Peru who have fears, concerns and cultural considerations about receiving a pap smear and cervical exam.  We work in different media and learn traditional techniques and also cutting edge software that we have at our fingertips to use.  Sometimes, a 3D animation is appropriate to show molecules, which can not be seen with the naked eye, in action, within vascular channels of the lung. Other times, a printed brochure is better to reach an audience that may not have access to computers, and is learning in a hands-on setting and needs to have a portable educational device.  These are just a few examples of the projects created from our class and how different they are from each other.  The Master’s Showcase was a wonderful opportunity for the MCG campus to see all of the facets of a medical illustrator.  It was exciting to see the different subject areas and the research and skill that go along with it, to determine the best way tell a memorable story.