What to Expect
Thinking about joining our program? Find out what you can expect as a student at UIC.
Everyone begins the semester with three days of orientation the week before classes begin with a day of introductions, tours, administrative, and informational sessions. During orientation, our new students attend a full day workshop at Vitruvian Studio, where they work with artists Melinda Whitmore and David Jamison to create a scale écorché figure before beginning the gross anatomy course.
Required courses
| ANAT 441 | Gross Human Anatomy | 5 hours |
| BHIS 499 | Information Sources in BHIS | 1 hour |
| BVIS 505 | Visual Learning & Visual Thinking I | 2 hours |
| BVIS 510 | Anatomical Visualization | 3 hours |
| BVIS 595 | Seminar in BVIS | 1 hour |
Electives
| BVIS 500 | Biomedical Visualization Techniques | 1 hours |
Opportunities
- Join the Student Association of Medical Artists (SAMA) at UIC
- Register as an AMI Student Member
Resources
You’ll begin your research in the spring by selecting topics and research advisors. Courses in illustration, design, modeling and animation provide you with a solid foundation in visual problem solving and critical thinking.
Required courses
| BHIS 500 | Strategic Inquiry in BHIS (first 8 weeks) | 3 hours |
| BVIS 552 | Graphic Design | 2 hours |
| BVIS 597 | Project Research (last 8 weeks) | 1 hour |
Electives
| ART 457 | Interactive 3D | 4 hours |
| ANAT 403 | Human Neuroanatomy (first 8 weeks) | 3 hours |
| ANAT 544 | Advanced Craniofacial Anatomy | 3 hours |
| BVIS 519 | Modeling I | 3 hours |
| BVIS 522 | Illustration Techniques | 3 hours |
| BVIS 541 | Animation I | 2 hours |
| BVIS 594 | Special Topics in BVIS: Introduction to C++ Programming | 2 hours |
| BVIS 596 | Independent Study | 1-4 hours |
| PCOL 540 | Ion Channels Structure, Function Pharmacology and Pathology Prereq: recommended one undergrad course in Biochemistry and one in Physiology, or consent of instructor |
2 hours |
Opportunities
- Register for the AMI Annual Conference in July and consider being an onsite student volunteer to defray some cost of your student registration
- Enter the AMI Student Salon
BVIS summer moves fast with most students attending the AMI Annual Conference later in July. Research presentations in BHIS 595 seminar are a highlight of the summer as you’ll complete your research proposal.
Required courses
| BHIS 405 | Medical Sciences and Human Pathophysiology | 3 hours |
| BHIS 595 | Seminar in BHIS | 1 hour |
| BVIS 518 | Web Development | 2 hours |
Electives
| BVIS 520 | Modeling II | 3 hours |
| BVIS 535 | Visual Learning & Visual Thinking II | 2 hours |
| BVIS 538 | Medical Legal Visualization | 2 hours |
| BVIS 542 | Animation II | 3 hours |
| BVIS 596 | Independent Study | 1-4 hours |
AMI Annual Conference
July 23-26, 2017
Austin, TX
The AMI annual meeting is a gathering of professional, student, and associate members of our association. Three days of plenary and concurrent sessions cover a rich variety of topics including art and visualization, biomedical subjects and business practices.
Students agree that the Clinical Sciences course is the highlight of the semester! You’ll complete rotations through various medical specialty departments, looking over shoulders of celebrated UIC physicians and surgeons.
Required courses
At least one of these courses
| BVIS 560 | Molecular Pharmacology for BVIS | 3 hours |
| GEMS 501 | Biochemistry | 3 hours |
| GEMS 502 | Molecular Biology | 3 hours |
| GEMS 503 | Cell Biology | 3 hours |
| NEUS 501 | Foundations of Neuroscience I | 3 hours |
Electives
| ART 452 | Informational Aesthetics I | 4 hours |
| ART 454 | 3D Space I: Modeling (Maya) | 4 hours |
| ART 457 | Interactive 3D | 4 hours |
| BVIS 543 | Animation III | 4 hours |
| BVIS 548 | Advanced Illustration Techniques | 3 hours |
| BVIS 562 | Advanced Graphic Design | 3 hours |
| BVIS 580 | Practicum in BVIS | 6-12 hours |
| BVIS 594 | Special Topics in BVIS: Haptics I | 2 hours |
| BVIS 594 | Special Topics in BVIS: Interactive Visualization | 2 hours |
| BVIS 596 | Independent Study | 1-4 hours |
Opportunities
Look forward to the completion and presentation of your research! You’ll prepare for professional life after graduate school by gaining valuable insight into business practices and exploring the unique and diverse employment opportunities for which you’ve been prepared.
Required courses
Electives
| ART 453 | Informational Aesthetics II | 4 hours |
| ART 455 | 3D Space II: Animation (Maya) | 4 hours |
| ART 457 | Interactive 3D | 4 hours |
| BVIS 530 | Surgical Illustration | 4 hours |
| BVIS 544 | Animation IV | 4 hours |
| BVIS 546 | Virtual Reality and Stereography in BVIS | 2 hours |
| BVIS 580 | Practicum in BVIS | 6-12 hours |
| BVIS 521 | Modeling III | 2 hours |
| BVIS 594 | Special Topics in BVIS: Advanced Interactive Visualization | 3 hours |
| BVIS 596 | Independent Study | 1-4 hours |
| CS 526 | Video Game Design and Development | 4 hours |
| GEMS 515 | Receptor Pharmacology and Cell Signaling Prereq: GCLS 501 Biochemistry or approval of the dept. |
3 hours |
| NEUS 502 | Foundations of Neuroscience II | 3 hours |
| PCOL 540 | Ion Channels Structure, Function, Pharmacology and Pathology | 2 hours |
Opportunities
- Enter UIC’s Student Research Forum
- Enter UIC Image of Research Competition – Deadline usually in late June
- Register for the Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Conference in July and consider being an onsite student volunteer to defray some cost of your student registration
- Enter the AMI Student Salon
- Enter BioCommunications Association Bioimages 2017
- Upon graduation complete your application for Professional Member status and a free year of membership in the Association of Medical Illustrators. Request a sponsor letter from a Certified Medical Illustrator such as a BVIS faculty member. Apply here »