Neurosurgery & RIT Medical Illustration Fellowship

The University of Rochester Medicine Neurosurgery and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Medical Illustration Program have partnered to offer an elite, immersive fellowship at the intersection of visual arts and advanced medicine.

Each year, a select cohort of talented undergraduate and graduate students from RIT are chosen to rotate directly within URochester Medicine’s high-volume neurosurgery department. Designed for future leaders in medical visualization, this collaborative program integrates students into the heartbeat of clinical practice, providing unprecedented access to surgical innovation and academic medicine.

Fellowship Highlights:

• Surgical Shadowing: Fellows step into the operating room alongside world-class neurosurgeons, observing complex cranial and spinal procedures firsthand to capture anatomical nuances that only real-time clinical observation can reveal.
• Academic Integration: Participants attend weekly neurosurgery academic lecture days, grand rounds, and case conferences, deepening their understanding of neuroanatomy, surgical techniques, and pathology.
• Collaborative Research & Media: Working side-by-side with neurosurgical faculty, residents, and researchers, fellows turn complex scientific concepts into high-impact visual media. Projects include publication-ready surgical illustrations, 3D animations, and dynamic instructional videos used for medical education, patient communication, and peer-reviewed journals.

By fusing RIT’s renowned technical and artistic training with URochester Medicine's cutting-edge neurosurgical care, this fellowship empowers students to build extraordinary portfolios, contribute to groundbreaking medical research, and shape the future of healthcare communication.