Medical Illustrators' Vital Communication Role in the Global Fight Against SARS-CoV-2

Medical illustrators around the world are creating accurate visualizations and public education materials of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19

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Association of Medical Illustrators

Apr 08, 2020, 07:11 ET

LEXINGTON, Ky., April 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical illustrators around the world are taking primary roles alongside their medical and scientific colleagues to create accurate visualizations and public education materials of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

The Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI), a professional organization with over 800 members, has compiled a running list of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 resources created by its members at AMI.org. The work created by AMI members aims to educate a range of audiences from the general public to scientists, researchers, and clinicians working to develop treatments and protocols.

Medical illustrators are collaborating with healthcare professionals creating visuals and media on proper steps to reduce exposure, contamination, and the spread of COVID-19. Michael Konomos, MS, CMI, Satyen Tripathi, MA, CMI and Bona Kim, MA, CMI at Emory University are developing critical personal protective equipment training materials to help keep healthcare workers safe. Nicholas Woolridge, BFA, BSCBMC, MSC, CMI, FAMI, has developed public education content on the importance of flattening the curve. Others are working to present critical information through medical and scientific journals and governmental organizations. Alissa Eckert, MS, is the medical illustrator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who co-created the image of the virus now seen worldwide. Their team is on call every evening to create materials daily for messaging. Kristen Browne, MSc is hard at work at the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease.

John Martini, President of the AMI, recognizes the rapid pace at which information about the virus is discovered and changes. This can make communication challenging, but Martini says this is a task medical illustrators are well prepared for.

"Accuracy is vital to any communication in science and medicine. Inaccurate or confusing information can lead to decisions which adversely affect life and health in the best of times. In a pandemic, timely factual information is crucial for decision making."

Medical illustrators are professional artists with advanced education in life sciences and visual communication. Their visual problem-solving expertise makes medical illustrators essential team members for anyone looking to promote education, research, patient care, public relations, and marketing efforts.

Martini says, "Medical illustrators speak the language of scientists and physicians, making communication and collaboration efficient. We also have the ability to visualize, distill and translate complex medical and scientific information into clear, understandable messages over a broad range of media."

The AMI invites medical professionals, the scientific community, policy makers, the press, and the public to visit AMI.org to view member-created SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 visuals and to contact the medical illustrators who created the works to obtain permission to use them. To find a qualified medical illustrator, please visit the AMI's member directory.

The Association of Medical Illustrators mission furthers the use of visual media to advance life sciences, medicine, and healthcare through a worldwide network of specialized interdisciplinary professionals. The AMI is an international organization of professional and student biomedical communicators founded in 1945. For more information, please visit AMI.org.

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SOURCE Association of Medical Illustrators