BPC WEB | Biomed Program | From the Chair


	Frequently Asked Questions, an except from They Teach That in College!? Interview with Michael Peres, Written by Andy Morkes The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is the only school in the United States that grants a Bachelor of Science in this exciting field. The editors of They Teach That in College!? discussed the field of biomedical photography with Professor Michael Peres, Chair of RIT’s Biomedical Photographic Communications Department. Q. What exactly is biomedical photography? A. Biomedical photography might be defined as the photodocumentation applied to the biological sciences. The biological sciences might include human and veterinary medicine with sub-specialties in ophthalmology and forensic science (medical examiner’s office), as well as bio-research (e.g., agriculture, entomology, pharmaceuticals, etc.). In these various applications/industries, the images that are created represent data and/or scientific facts rather than pictures. One might characterize this type of photography as information imaging. It can include both still- and motion/time-based photography, as well as other computer imaging. Q. Can you provide some examples of the types of biomedical subjects that are frequently photographed? A. People who are having plastic surgery, including their pre- and post-operative conditions, might be representative of subjects included in this type of photography. In dermatology, there is pre-screening photography for skin cancer where changes in moles are monitored photographically to monitor changes in color and/or size. In ophthalmic photography, retinal images are made in large numbers using a test called a fluorescein angiogram. In laboratory work, using a microscope is also common for subjects smaller than a rice grain. Depending on the application/industry, anything might be a subject. Q. Please describe a typical student in your program. A. The typical student is both creative and technical. He or she loves to solve problems that requires the use of tools (cameras/lights) and processes that are both analytical and conceptual. An example of this might be how to develop and use a system to photograph a round transparent subject such as a contact lens, or how to create a solution to photograph something invisible such as a headache. He or she is also self directed, likes science, love photography and pictures, has an analytical mind and likes using the computer to enhance and to distribute the work either through the web, through print, or with multi-media. He or she also enjoys working with people and is interested in a career in the photographic services industry. Q. What type of co-ops or internships are available to students in your program? A. All students are required to complete at least one work study block. The minimum co-op requirement suggests an eight-week duration that is paid and a minimum of 20 hours per week. Almost all students find a 10-week block that is full-time. We often will have approximately 20 students on co-op during a typical summer. Over the course of the last few years, some traditional sponsors include the Veterans Administration medical centers across the country, various research labs in the Smithsonian Institute, Columbia University Hospital, The Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Zeiss MicroImaging, FujiFilm, and Johns Hopkins Hospital, to name a few. Q. What types of career options are available to graduates of your program? A. After they graduate, students are fairly open minded to many options in the job market. Ophthalmic photography continues to be the dominant career option for biomed students. There is often one job opportunity per week anywhere in the United States—with a starting salary of approximately $38,000. Other positions exist in the pharmaceutical industry, in human medicine, in forensic labs, in and veterinary schools; some graduates work as visual imaging specialists for the military or industrial sectors. Job titles include ophthalmic photographer, visual imaging expert, medical photographer, graphics specialist, technical services representative, photographic researcher, and multimedia specialist. Q. What is the future for your program and biomedical photography in general? A. The future for our program seems stable. Biomed is a small department, so finding employment for 12-15 highly motivated, smart imaging experts seems more than achievable. For now, the department is fixed in its capacity to take and place more students because of space, faculty and the equipment realities. Biomedical photography in the United States has undergone significant changes as a consequence of nationally recognized changes in the health care industry and reimbursement procedures, as well as the complete integration of digital photography into that same industry. Ophthalmic photography is experiencing growth for now, and although this trend may slow in the next years, the industry is readily accepting highly skilled people. We have also observed easy placement of our graduates into the “instructional media industry,” such as companies that produce home school educational products.
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Frequently Asked Questions, an except from They Teach That in College!?
Interview with Michael Peres, Written by Andy Morkes

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is the only school in the United States that grants a Bachelor of Science in this exciting field. The editors of They Teach That in College!? discussed the field of biomedical photography with Professor Michael Peres, Chair of RIT’s Biomedical Photographic Communications Department.

Q. What exactly is biomedical photography?

A. Biomedical photography might be defined as the photodocumentation applied to the biological sciences. The biological sciences might include human and veterinary medicine with sub-specialties in ophthalmology and forensic science (medical examiner’s office), as well as bio-research (e.g., agriculture, entomology, pharmaceuticals, etc.). In these various applications/industries, the images that are created represent data and/or scientific facts rather than pictures. One might characterize this type of photography as information imaging. It can include both still- and motion/time-based photography, as well as other computer imaging.

Q. Can you provide some examples of the types of biomedical subjects that are frequently photographed?

A. People who are having plastic surgery, including their pre- and post-operative conditions, might be representative of subjects included in this type of photography. In dermatology, there is pre-screening photography for skin cancer where changes in moles are monitored photographically to monitor changes in color and/or size. In ophthalmic photography, retinal images are made in large numbers using a test called a fluorescein angiogram. In laboratory work, using a microscope is also common for subjects smaller than a rice grain. Depending on the application/industry, anything might be a subject.

Q. Please describe a typical student in your program.

A. The typical student is both creative and technical. He or she loves to solve problems that requires the use of tools (cameras/lights) and processes that are both analytical and conceptual. An example of this might be how to develop and use a system to photograph a round transparent subject such as a contact lens, or how to create a solution to photograph something invisible such as a headache. He or she is also self directed, likes science, love photography and pictures, has an analytical mind and likes using the computer to enhance and to distribute the work either through the web, through print, or with multi-media. He or she also enjoys working with people and is interested in a career in the photographic services industry.

Q. What type of co-ops or internships are available to students in your program?

A. All students are required to complete at least one work study block. The minimum co-op requirement suggests an eight-week duration that is paid and a minimum of 20 hours per week. Almost all students find a 10-week block that is full-time. We often will have approximately 20 students on co-op during a typical summer. Over the course of the last few years, some traditional sponsors include the Veterans Administration medical centers across the country, various research labs in the Smithsonian Institute, Columbia University Hospital, The Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Zeiss MicroImaging, FujiFilm, and Johns Hopkins Hospital, to name a few.

Q. What types of career options are available to graduates of your program?

A. After they graduate, students are fairly open minded to many options in the job market. Ophthalmic photography continues to be the dominant career option for biomed students. There is often one job opportunity per week anywhere in the United States—with a starting salary of approximately $38,000. Other positions exist in the pharmaceutical industry, in human medicine, in forensic labs, in and veterinary schools; some graduates work as visual imaging specialists for the military or industrial sectors. Job titles include ophthalmic photographer, visual imaging expert, medical photographer, graphics specialist, technical services representative, photographic researcher, and multimedia specialist.

Q. What is the future for your program and biomedical photography in general?

A. The future for our program seems stable. Biomed is a small department, so finding employment for 12-15 highly motivated, smart imaging experts seems more than achievable. For now, the department is fixed in its capacity to take and place more students because of space, faculty and the equipment realities. Biomedical photography in the United States has undergone significant changes as a consequence of nationally recognized changes in the health care industry and reimbursement procedures, as well as the complete integration of digital photography into that same industry. Ophthalmic photography is experiencing growth for now, and although this trend may slow in the next years, the industry is readily accepting highly skilled people. We have also observed easy placement of our graduates into the “instructional media industry,” such as companies that produce home school educational products.