Biomedical Photography

Biomedical Photography was originally published on College Recruiter.

By Deborah Knight
Are you drawn to photography, video, and computer graphics? Does the idea of using a camera to explore the inner workings of the human body appeal to you?

If so, you might find your future as a biomedical photographer, someone who peers deep into the world of science and medicine to reveal what is normally rarely seen.
What would I do? A biomedical photographer (also called a “medical photographer” or “biomedical communicator”) produces photographs, digital images, and videos for medical or scientific purposes. A variety of means may be used to enhance the images: ultraviolet or infrared photography, injection of fluorescent dyes, x-rays, time-lapse photography, two-and three-dimensional images, and other techniques. You might perform any of the following tasks as a biomedical photographer:

  • document a patient’s condition and its progression
  • record an entire surgical procedure to teach new techniques
  • photograph a tissue specimen under high magnification.

The images you produce may be used in many ways: for a patient’s medical record, for research, for the education of medical students, or for illustration in a journal article or other publication. Specialties you might pursue include ophthalmic photography (photographing diseases, injuries, and surgery of the eye), photomicrography (photographing through a microscope), and autopsy/specimen photography, among many others.
What would my work life be like? You might work at a hospital, medical school, university, research institute, pharmaceutical company, or publishing house. Some biomedical photographers receive a salary, while others are self-employed and work on a contract basis. Some combine the two. Entry-level jobs in biomedical photography start at around $30,000 a year, but those with higher degrees and more experience earn significantly more. You could also move into administration, where you might supervise other employees, manage budgets, or oversee the production of commercial, promotional, or educational materials.
As technology advances, the work itself is changing, with less need for complex camera exposure and film developing techniques and more use of digital imaging equipment and computers.
How would I become a biomedical photographer? You can attend a two- or four-year college program. A four-year program allows you to take more specialized and advanced courses. In addition to taking courses in film and digital photography, you would study computer applications, science, math, and medicine. Gaining experience through an internship, co-op, or on-the-job training is essential. Once you graduate, you may want to become certified through the BioCommunications Association, which is developing a number of specialty certifications. The Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society also offers a certification (CRA) for those specializing in eyes.
Over the years, photographers have been at the scene to document scientific and medical history. A few examples: the first slow-motion film of the human heart; the first mapping of microscopic motor-nerve endings; the autopsy of President John F. Kennedy.
If science and medicine fascinate you, visual imagery appeals to you, and you have an eye for detail, your future may lie in the field of biomedical photography. Surf the Web to see some of the amazing images made possible by today’s technology. Then imagine what might be possible tomorrow.
For more information, visit the Bio-Communications Association, Inc. at www.bca.org and the Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society at www.opsweb.org.
Article courtesy of www.careersandcolleges.com

By College Recruiter
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