Careers & Opportunities

Graduates of Rowan’s Biomedical Visualization BFA are prepared to lead at the intersection of art, science, medicine, and technology. With a foundation in drawing, design, biomedical sciences, and advanced visualization tools, they enter a wide range of industries and emerging fields shaped by generative AI, VR/AR, and immersive simulation.

Rowan’s Biomedical Visualization BFA graduates are not just skilled illustrators. They are innovators and problem-solvers, equipped to shape the next generation of biomedical communication, visualization, and immersive learning experiences.

Career Pathways

Our graduates pursue careers in established and evolving roles, including:

• Medical and Scientific Illustrator  – visuals for surgery, education, animals, plant sciences and publishing.

• Biomedical Animator & Simulation Designer – 3D and VR learning modules for healthcare and research.

• UX / Healthcare Designer – digital applications, patient-centered platforms, and visualization interfaces.

• Educational Visualization Specialist – infographics, textbooks, museum exhibits, and online media.

• Legal & Forensics Illustrator – visuals for medical-legal cases and courtroom settings.

• Scientific Communicator & Designer – creating content for academic, government, and corporate partners.

• Serious Game & Interactive Media Designer – simulation, AR/VR games, and instructional design.

• Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) Visualization Content Designer – applying AI in medical and scientific illustration and immersive content creation.

Career Areas

Rowan alumni have entered careers across diverse industries and institutions, including:

• Pharmaceutical Media Markets

• Medical Device & Biotechnology Media Design

• Veterinary Media Markets

• Medical & Scientific Advertising / Educational Agencies

• Publishers (textbooks, scientific journals, educational media)

• Hospitals and Health Systems

• Universities and Research Institutions

• Government Agencies (e.g., USDA, U.S. Military, U.S. National & State Parks)

• Medical Legal and Forensics Firms

• Museums & Cultural Institutions

• Serious Gaming & Interactive Educational Media

• Pre-requisite Curriculum for Graduate Medical Illustration Programs (such as Johns Hopkins Art as Applied to Medicine, UIC, and University of Toronto)

Experiential Learning

Rowan emphasizes immersive, real-world training that connects students with industry and research:

• Faculty-Led Projects – Collaborative opportunities where students create medical, scientific, and engineering-based illustrations, graphics, and visualizations. Projects often integrate illustration, graphics, 3D visuals with AI and VR-driven biomedical visualization in partnership with faculty from Biomedical Visualization, engineering, and the sciences, giving students hands-on experience in applied research and interdisciplinary teamwork.

• MAVRC (Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence & Virtual Reality Center) – access to advanced VR systems, GPU clusters, and immersive environments, preparing students for careers in simulation and Immersive storytelling.

• Dreamscape Learn – cinematic, story-based VR classrooms that enhance science education and give students experience in immersive narrative design. 

• Internships – Opportunities with Cooper Medical School, Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, Cooper Hospital, MAVRC, the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, and partner institutions across the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania regions.

• Professional Engagement – faculty encourage membership in the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI) connects students to professional networks and evolving standards.

Alumni Outcomes

Our alumni are already making an impact in the field:

• Medical illustrators at Red Nucleus and Medscape

• Scientific communicators and designers at AstraZeneca and National Geographic

• Medical-legal illustrators at Anatomical Justice LLC

• Digital cartographers at Critical Response Group

• Graduate placements at Johns Hopkins Art as Applied to Medicine and other nationally recognized programs

Industry Context

Generative AI and immersive technologies are transforming the way science and medicine are communicated. Major pharmaceutical and biotech companies—including Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and Eli Lilly—are leveraging AI and visualization tools to accelerate drug development, improve patient education, and train healthcare providers.

Rowan graduates enter this evolving landscape uniquely prepared—fluent in both the language of biology and the tools of visualization. They combine advanced digital media skills, artistic talent, and critical thinking with the ability to leverage AI for future-forward solutions, bridging scientific accuracy with technological innovation.

Student VR Senior Exhibition Interactive Archive

The Biomedical Art & Visualization BFA is proud to present an archive of the 2020 Virtual Reality Group Exhibition, featuring senior thesis projects and portfolio highlights from Karlee D. Rogers, Lucas Petrin, Taylor McKeown, Megan Miller, Jennifer McCabe, Amanda Rosa, and Paxton Allen. The show includes 63 works spanning medical and scientific illustration, fine art, photography, and information design, created in collaboration with physicians, scientists, designers, and industry professionals.

The exhibition is available in two formats: a Virtual Reality Video Walkthrough and an Interactive VR Experience. In the interactive version, use the Box icon for full screen, click and drag to navigate, or use the map icon to jump between spaces. Click on each artwork for details, or use the Down Arrow next to the Play icon to go directly to an individual student’s gallery.