Augusta University Medical Illustration Graduate Program

10/05/2022

Alumna, Sigrid Knemeyer, from SciStories visited this week to kick off our editorial assignment. She shared her beautiful work and experience in editorial illustration. Thank you, Sigrid!
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10/05/2022

Skill in verbal and non-verbal communication is essential for positive business interactions. As part of our business class, Lynsey Steinberg designed a roll play session on body language with the help of other volunteers.

Grateful for the support of Jeff Mastromonico, Director of Center for Instructional Innovation, and Laura Evans from the College of Nursing and Anekay Kelly for their support of developing communication skills.
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09/16/2022

Meet our first year student, Tatiana.

09/12/2022

Class of 2023 White Coat Ceremony:

This weekend we celebrated our current senior students during our White Coat Ceremony which marks the end of the first year of their training. Congratulations Class of 2023!

We were pleased to have the inspiring words of alumna, Lynsey Steinberg (‘12) as our special guest speaker. Thank you, Lynsey.

08/24/2022

FACULTY POSITION
FULL-TIME

The Department of Medical Illustration has an opening for a full-time faculty member (tenure or non-tenure track) in the Medical Illustration Graduate Program at Augusta University (formerly Medical College of Georgia).

The position entails a primary responsibility for teaching graduate-level students of medical illustration the techniques, approaches, and business practices of the profession. The candidate should be proficient in drawing, 2D and 3D media, surgical and commercial (editorial) medical illustration, and the business practices and skills necessary to be competitive in a changing marketplace. Primary teaching responsibilities require experience in 2D and 3D media. Additional responsibilities may include admissions administration, recruiting, curriculum development, and research collaboration.

The successful candidate should have a Master’s degree or higher, and four or more years of experience in the profession of medical illustration. Previous production, administrative, and supervisory responsibility are desirable. The position is available immediately.

Required
-Proficiency in surgical and commercial (editorial) medical illustration.
-Proficiency in graphic design and composition.
-Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustration, After Effects.
-Proficiency in Pixologic ZBrush or equivalent sculpting program.
-Proficiency in Cinema 4D.
-Completed Master’s degree in the field of medical illustration.
-Certification in Medical Illustration (CMI).
-Demonstration of excellent written and oral communication and professional presentations.
-Portfolio of work, minimum 15 pieces (provide link).

Preferred
-Experience teaching at the college or graduate level.
-Experience in business practices and marketing.
-Production experience in animation.
-Production experience in Interactive Design.
-Production experience in Virtual Reality.
-Established ability to communicate, write, and present one’s ideas.
-Record of research and discovery.
-History of publication.
-Demonstrated engagement in professional organizations.
-Doctorate degree.

Apply:
To be considered an applicant for this position, you must apply online at http://www.augusta.edu/hr/jobs/faculty (Job ID 247765).

Please upload your Curriculum Vitae, Letter of Interest, Portfolio Link, Professional References, etc., as one document.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Amanda Y. Behr, MA, CMI
Chair and Associate Professor
Medical Illustration Search Committee
Medical Illustration Graduate Program – CJ-1101
1120 15th Street
Augusta University
Augusta, GA 30912-0300

Telephone inquiries: (706) 721-3266
Email: [email protected]

07/11/2022

Medical illustration alumna publishes children’s book on famous loggerhead turtle

Proud of our alumni! Congratulations to alumna, Lindsay Moore, on her recent publication.

Moore said her graduate education at Augusta University helped her become a better artist, observer and communicator — and helped her transition into children’s literature.

07/06/2022

'Expert among the experts' medical illustrator Bill Andrews retires after 23 years at Augusta University

Professor Bill Andrews retired last week after 23 years. This article pays tribute to his career and giant impact in the field of medical illustration. We are grateful for his years of service and friendship. Congratulations, Bill!

After 23 years of teaching and mentoring hundreds of medical illustration students at Augusta University, Bill Andrews retired as chair of the Department of Medical Illustration on June 30.

07/01/2022

On July 1st, Assoc. Professor Amanda Behr becomes the Chair of the Dept. of Medical Illustration and the Director of the Medical Illustration Graduate Program.

Amanda Y. Behr, MA, CCA, CMI, FAMI is a board certified
Medical Illustrator and Certified Clinical Anaplastologist. In addition to her role as an instructor in the Dept. of Medical Illustration and works clinically as an anaplastologist at The Dental College of Georgia’s Anaplastology Clinic. She previously served the department as program director for five years and interim chair for three years. She is currently a student in the Applied Health Sciences Ph.D. program at Augusta University where her research focus is design and user testing for custom designed surgical simulation models.

Behr is a 2004 graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine program in Biological and Medical Illustration. Prior to joining AU, Behr served as Director of Medical Illustration for Quality Medical Publishing, Inc (QMP) for over eight years. She has a wealth of experience and expertise in business practices and print industry standards. Behr is a member of the International Anaplastology Association, and served as President from 2014-2016. She is a Treasurer of the Board for Certification in Clinical Anaplastology.

Behr’s research and teaching interests include: Integration of 3D design, 3D printing, and 3D scanning technologies in medicine.
Use of serious games and simulation for medical education.
Visual standards for patient education materials.

Behr has more than 80 print and multimedia publications to her credit. She has received numerous awards for her work as an illustrator, animator and art director including eight awards
from the Association of Medical Illustrators. In 2017 and 2018, she received the best in show, Members’ Choice Award for New Media for her animation collaborations.In 2020, in response to the PPE shortage, she designed reusable silicone masks for the Augusta University Medical Center. The interdisciplinary team made 500 masks for the medical center, and Ms. Behr was recognized with an Augusta University Research Institute’s Award for Significant Contribution to the
COVID-19 Response. In 2021, she was awarded a $65,000 Research and Education Grant from the Georgia Rehabilitation Institute to establish the Medical Sculpture lab for research and education in surgical simulation and anaplastology. Behr was also recognized with the Da Vinci Award for Outstanding Case Results by the International Anaplastology Association.

Behr plans to continue the outstanding tradition of excellent education in the Augusta University Department of Medical Illustration. She seeks to grow the department areas of research,
technology instruction, and education in related fields such as anaplastology.

07/01/2022

On June 30th, Professor Bill Andrews retired after 23 years of dedicated and outstanding service to the Medical Illustration Graduate Program, the Dept. of Medical Illustration, Augusta University, and the profession. Most recently, he served as Chair and Program Director for the department. During his storied career, Bill was recognized and honored as both a medical illustrator and educator.

Congratulations, Professor Bill!

05/24/2022

We are delighted to announce the graduation of the amazing Class of 2022! As seen in the accompanying photo, the members of the class are, L-to-R: Kate Davis, Sarah Sutton, Colin Stirt, Kirstyn Smart, Clara Oh, Elayna Miller, Allen Hagan, Corynne Gamboa, and Kelly Frankel.

05/24/2022

Graduate Research Day (GRD) at Augusta University showcases the research performed by graduate students, including those in our accredited Medical Illustration Graduate Program. In the GRD awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 19th, Peter Naktin (’23) received a singular honor. Please join us in congratulating Peter on winning the Octavia Garlington Award for Instructional Design – Poster. He received the award for his scientific poster entitled, “Effective Instructions for At-Home Sleep Apnea Testing: Brochure Design for Patient Education.” The poster summarizes his exploration of patient education during the production of a brochure designed for patients with sleep apnea. In the abstract, Peter says:

“Patients seeking a diagnosis for sleep apnea seek expert care from Augusta University’s Sleep Center, where they are encouraged to use a portable, self-deployed home sleep testing monitor. Correct use of this monitor presents physicians with enough data to make a reliable diagnosis. Unfortunately, existing manufacturer instructional materials are not satisfactory; several patients a week do not successfully apply the test. These patients often pay more and delay appropriate treatment for their sleep apnea through repeat testing and more expensive in-lab polysomnography tests in some instances. The Sleep center sought to develop more effective educational materials to help patients avoid common mistakes when deploying the test, thereby reducing the incidence of failed attempts. For reluctant patients, difficulty during this initial stage may have a dampening effect on treatment compliance down the line. Therefore, materials also included concepts clarifying long-term cardiovascular health risks as a result of untreated sleep apnea. The resulting 8-page, map fold brochure provided step-by-step home testing instructions and clarified the severity of sleep apnea to Sleep Center patients. The reading level and demographics of the target audience were considered. Medical illustration techniques were used in the design, color choices, and illustrations. Reviewers felt that the resulting materials were legible, visually engaging, and adhered to a logical flow of instruction.”

Assoc. Professor Amanda Behr was Peter’s advisor on this project. Congratulations, Peter!

03/17/2022

CONGRATULATIONS! The Dept. of Medical Illustration is pleased to announce that four MI students received awards at the 2022 University of Georgia and Augusta University Science and Medical Illustration Student Exhibition.
Allen Hagan (Class of ’22) received the prestigious Stenstrom Award of Excellence for his illustration “The Lumbosacral Plexus and Muscular Innervation.” The purpose of Allen’s didactic neuroanatomical poster is to showcase the pathways of the lumbosacral plexus isolated and in the context of the muscles and organs they innervate.
Peter Naktin (Class of ’23) received an award of Excellence for “The Left Axillary Artery and its Branches.” The purpose of Peter’s didactic illustration is to effectively depict for an audience of medical students the location of the left axillary artery, the course and distribution of its branches, and its relationship to peripheral anatomical structures in the axillary region.
Corynne Gamboa (Class of ’22) received an Award of Merit for “Clival Chordoma.” The purpose of Corynne’s illustration is to effectively depict the location of clival chordomas for an audience of medical students and demonstrate the neural and arterial structures impacted by the tumor growth.
Clara Oh (Class of ‘220 received an Award of Merit for “Treating Hypertension with Quinapril.” The purpose of Clara’s illustrated marketing poster is to effectively depict for an audience of physicians and patients the biochemical and physiological process of Quinapril, a medication that lowers blood pressure, placed within an appropriate environmental context.
The awards were presented at a reception in the Lamar Dodd School of Art on the University of Georgia campus on the evening of Wednesday, March 16th. This year was the 30th Anniversary of this cooperative exhibit displaying the best in student scientific and medical illustration in Georgia. Co-curators for this year’s exhibition were Prof. Gene Wright, Director of the Science Illustration program at the University of Georgia at Athens, and Prof. Bill Andrews, Chair & Program Director of the Medical Illustration Graduate Program at Augusta University.
The Stenstrom Award of Excellence honors former Program Director and Professor in the Dept. of Medical Illustration, William J. Stenstrom, EdD. He was a world-renowned ophthalmic illustrator, a visionary educator, and was very active in the field of biomedical communications.
Congratulations to all our talented students!

03/16/2022

We are delighted to announce that Clara Oh (Class of ‘22) and Elayna Miller (Class of ‘22) will receive awards from the Vesalius Trust. A photo of Clara (Lt) and Elayna (Rt) is attached.

Clara Oh will receive the prestigious Joyce McGill Scholarship. This is the penultimate honor from the Vesalius Trust. The award is for her proposed master’s project, “An Interactive Module to Enhance Understanding of Tests That Diagnose for Myocarditis.” Clara is working with content advisors Asst. Prof. Amanda Barrett, MD, Prof. Richard Cameron, PhD, Prof. Wael AlJaroudi, MD, and Assoc. Prof. Amanda Behr, MA. Clara is from California and earned her undergraduate degree from the Univ. of California San Diego. Clara is a legacy student, her parents are Steve Oh (Class of ‘91) and Myriam Kirkman Oh (Class of ‘91).

Elayna will be one of five Vesalian Scholars and will receive a research grant for her master’s project, “Cholecystectomy Simulation Model.” This soft tissue surgical simulator is designed for training surgical residents here at MCG and beyond. Elayna is working with content advisor Asst. Prof. Bao-Ling Adam, PhD, and major advisor Assoc. Prof. Amanda Behr, MA. Elayna is from Ohio and earned her undergraduate degree at the Columbus College of Art & Design.

Please join us in congratulating these exceptionally bright and talented young medical illustrators!

Founded in 1988, the Vesalius Trust for Visual Communication in the Health Sciences and fosters the study, research, and practice in visual communication of health information at all levels. From childhood through the practice of medicine and cutting-edge research, learning from quality imagery is increasingly important in today’s high energy digital world.

01/28/2022

This is the Class of 2023 during our unique Surgical Techniques course. The students rotate thru being Lead Surgeon, Asst. Surgeon, Scrub Nurse, and Observer. Yes, the students operate. On a specially prepared cadaver.

01/04/2022

MIGP Admissions

This is a reminder that the deadline for submitting and completing and application to be part of the Class of 2022 - 2024 is midnight on January 10, 2022. For details about the admissions requirements and application process, please visit https://www.augusta.edu/alliedhealth/medicalillustration/admissions.php#Admissions.

Note: Entry into the Medical Illustration Graduate Program (MIGP) occurs only in the Fall semester, which starts in mid August. 

09/23/2021

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Thanks to our award-winning students, the Medical Illustration Graduate Program was recently in the news. Clara Oh (Class of 2022) and many of our students were featured in a beautifully produced story by Zayna Haliburton on WRDW Channel 12 here in Augusta. Here's the link: https://www.wrdw.com/video/2021/09/22/augusta-university-medical-illustrators-receive-awards-excellence/. Enjoy!

09/09/2021

Medical Illustration 70th Anniversary

This October, we will be hosting our 70th Anniversary Celebration & O.A. Parkes Symposium . Here is the link for information about the events: https://www.augusta.edu/alliedhealth/medicalillustration/anniversary.php

This page provides information about the 70th Anniversary of the first graduate from the Medical Illustration Graduate Program at Augusta University. The page also includes related forms.

09/01/2021

We hosted the annual white coat ceremony on Saturday, Augusta 28th for our rising seniors. The event celebrates the completion of their first year in the Medical Illustration Graduate Program. It also marks the start of their senior year, in which they demonstrate their mastery of media and techniques and their ability to plan, design and produce effective solutions to complex health science communication problems. Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

Pictured L-to-R: Assoc. Prof. Mike Jensen, Kirstyn Harris Smart, Colin Stirt, Clara Oh, Elayna Miller, Corynne Gamboa, Srah Hennessey Sutton, Kelly Frankel, Kate Davis, Prof. Bill Andrews, Allen Hagan, and Assoc. Prof. Amanda Behr.

08/28/2021

IN REMEMBRANCE— Octavia Garlington (Class of 1961) died peacefully on the afternoon of August 26th at her home in Evans, GA. Octavia, “Tavie” to her friends, was born April 26th, 1927, in the Republic of Panama. She and her family—her parents, brother and sister—lived in the Panama Canal Zone until she left for college in 1945 after graduating from Balboa High School.

In 1949, Octavia received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Converse College in Spartanburg, SC. Octavia went on to study library science in the School of Graduate Studies at Emory University, in Atlanta. In 1951, she enrolled in education courses at the University of South Carolina. In 1954, she accepted a position at Agnes Scott College in the Biology Department and later worked as Assistant to the Dean of Students. While at Agnes Scott, Octavia found time to study art history and take several studio classes. In 1957 and ’58, she took studio art courses at the Atlanta Art Institute. Then she became aware of the field of medical illustration.

She arrived in Augusta in 1958 and became a member of the Class of 1961 in the Medical Illustration Graduate Program at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). After receiving her Master of Science in Medical Illustration, Octavia became an instructor in the program, eventually moving up the ranks to full Professor. She served briefly as Chief of Art Services, Division of Biomedical Communications at MCG, as well as Acting Program Director of the academic program for a time. In 1968, she helped to design the faculty regalia for MCG, and in 1984 she designed the official flag for the university. Octavia retired from daily teaching responsibilities in 1990. As Emerita Professor she participated in special seminars on the history of medical illustration and in the development of the Medical Illustration Graduate Program.

She was active in her professional organization, the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI), and was a Professional member since 1964. Octavia served on the AMI’s Board of Governors for twenty years and held the offices of Vice Chair, Vice President, and Corresponding Secretary. She also served as the Chair of numerous important committees. In 1988, she was elected a Fellow of the AMI in recognition of her dedicated service to the profession.

During her long and distinguished career Octavia received many awards and honors. She received the AMI’s Outstanding Service Award twice, and in 2001 she received the AMI’s Brödel Award for Excellence in Education. In 1990, she received the Ranice W. Crosby Distinguished Achievement Award from the Department of Art as Applied to Medicine at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. In 2000, Octavia received the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award for Outstanding Citizenship from Converse College. At MCG (now Augusta University), she was elected to Alpha Eta, the honor society in the allied health sciences. Octavia received the Outstanding Faculty Award in Allied Health Sciences at MCG, and in 2004 she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Allied Health Sciences Alumni Association. She twice received the Distinguished Service Award from the MCG Faculty Organization. In 2018, the Dept. of Medical Illustration recognized her many contributions to the Medical Illustration Graduate Program and profession by naming an award in her honor, the "Octavia Garlington Award for Instructional Design/Poster."

After retirement in 1990, she volunteered with the Augusta Genealogy Society as a librarian and served on numerous committees. Despite all these honors and awards she was most proud of the successes of her many students.

Octavia will be interred in the family plot in Newberry, SC, alongside her parents and siblings. She wished to be cremated. There will be a grave-side service.