5 Key Takeaways

• 1

  James Perkins transitioned from a potential career in paleontology to medical illustration after discovering the profession during his PhD studies.

• 2

  He earned a master's degree in medical illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he now teaches.

• 3

  Perkins' early career included significant projects for major medical publishers, including the first fully digital artwork for a pathology textbook.

• 4

  He later created medical exhibits for legal cases, which he found to be a creative and engaging aspect of his work.

• 5

  In 1998, Perkins returned to academia as a tenured professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, balancing teaching with professional projects.