Medical Visuals

The Ohio State University’s Medical Visuals department produces award-winning medical and scientific illustrations to enhance visual communication in presentations, journals, articles, books, websites, mobile apps and grant applications. Our talented team of illustrators and designers collaborate to create custom artwork to support your specific goals and needs.

We invite you to learn more about our medical illustration, graphic design and poster printing services.

Originally founded by Robert M. Zollinger, MD as the Department of Medical Illustration, Medical Visuals has played a crucial role in advancing research and education since 1948. Keep reading for more history of medical illustration at Ohio State.

O-H-I-O illustration

The Origins of Medical Illustration at Ohio State

In April 1948, Robert M. Zollinger, MD, founded Ohio State’s Department of Medical Illustration as part of the Department of Surgery. He hired Gabriel Evancy, artist and photographer from Milwaukee, to head the department. The Department of Medical Illustration included a service unit and an academic program in medical illustration. The academic program was established within the School of Fine and Applies Arts and housed within the University Hospital. William Frederick Shepard (1909 – 1989), a self-taught medical illustrator, established a three-year BFA medical illustration program. Below is a timeline overview of medical illustration program at Ohio State.

  • 1968 – Shepard retired in September and Makes Rl Kreutzfeld was appointed director of the Department of Medical Illustration.
  • 1971 – Kreutzfeld moved the program into the School of Allied Medical Professions
  • 1982 – Rick Hall became the academic coordinator. During Hall’s tenure, he emphasized the importance of curriculum, including program and course objectives evaluations and exit-level competencies.
  • 1984 – Stephen Moon became the academic coordinator of the Medical Illustration Program. Both Hall and Moon were students of Gerald Hodge at The University of Michigan. Hodge studied under medical illustrator Ranice Crosby, a Max Brodel student.
  • 1993 – The Ohio State academic program for medical illustration was phased out