Medical Photographer

Medical photographers provide a wide range of photographic services to staff working in the medical field. They use photography and sometimes video for:

• Patient care - taking photographs of patients to help diagnosis, and to track and record treatment. They also download digital images or scan conventional photographs onto a computer and edit them for use by medical staff. They may use video, for example to illustrate a patient's movement problems.
• General information and marketing - taking photographs for publications such as hospital newsletters and annual reports.

Medical photographers may also:

• take photographs or videos of medical procedures, such as surgical operations, to be used as teaching materials
• use specialist techniques such as photomicrography, which allows microscopic objects to be seen in detail
• photograph medical conditions and surgery to illustrate medical textbooks, journals, reports, prospectuses and information leaflets.

Medical photographers work closely with other healthcare professionals. Much of their work involves contact with patients. They normally use digital cameras and flash equipment (or the 35mm camera equivalent).

Medical photographers usually work around 35 to 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Some work takes place in clinical environments, such as operating theatres and pathology departments, where strict hygiene and protective clothing rules need to be observed.

Salaries may range from £18,200 a year for trainees to over £50,000 a year for heads of department in teaching hospitals or medical and dental schools.

A medical photographer should:

• have excellent photographic and computer skills
• have normal colour vision
• be able to deal confidently with patients and their families or carers, and be able to put them at their ease
• not be squeamish
• have a basic knowledge of anatomy, physiology and the symptoms of diseases.

Medical photographers may work in research or education. They often work on a freelance basis for employers such as medical publishers, however, the majority work in healthcare, where they are also known as clinical photographers.

Entrants require a degree in clinical photography to qualify as a medical photographer. Entrants with a degree in another photographic discipline can apply for a trainee position and then take a one-year graduate or postgraduate certificate in clinical photography whilst working. A degree course in clinical photography is available at Westminster University. Staffordshire University offers graduate and postgraduate certificates in clinical photography (students must be in relevant employment). For more details see Medical Illustrator. In the future, photographers working in healthcare may have to undertake state registration with the Health Professions Council.

It is possible for a medical photographer to become head of a department. Freelance medical photographers may broaden their business by developing additional specialist skills in related areas such as scientific or technical photography. The Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI) offers further training to support the continuing professional development (CPD) of medical photographers.

Further information

British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP), 1 Prebendal Court, Oxford Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP19 8EY. 01296 718530. Website: www.bipp.com

Health Professions Council, Park House, 184 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4BU. 020 7582 0866. Website: www.hpc-uk.org

Institute of Medical Illustrators (IMI), 29 Arboretum Street, Nottingham NG1 4JA. 0121 333 8492. Website: www.imi.org.uk

NHS Careers, PO Box 2311, Bristol BS2 2ZX. 0845 60 60 655. Website: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk

Skillset, Focus Point, 21 Caledonian Road, London N1 9GB. Free careers helpline: 08080 300 900. Website: www.skillset.org

September 2009