This question has many answers. Several of the medical illustration programs now have specialties in biomedical animation, like the Rochester Institute of Technology. So you would be trained as a medical illustrator with an emphasis in animation.

On the other hand individuals with excellent animation skills can apply their experience to biomedical animation. Typically biomedical animators work with science or medical experts to make sure that the content of the animation is correct. This means that you don’t have to worry too much about knowing the science and just focus on the animation.

I think that you need to decide what is important in your career, if you know for sure that you want to be a biomedical animator then getting a bachelors or masters degree will certainly provide many opportunities in that field. If you are not too sure that you want to spend all your time animating cells and anatomy and may want to do other types of animation then a general education in animation may be the way to go.

Regardless of what you decide there is nothing stopping you from working in the field now if you already have animation skills. There is a growing demand for skilled animators to create conceptual and anatomical animations.

Mike

Helpful insight. Thank you

As someone with a science + art background who is interested in getting into the field of 3D animation. Would you recommend pursuing a masters degree in biomedical illustration from a university, or rather finding the best 3D animation program there is (albeit, non-medical), and pursing that degree? In other words, is it easier to break into the business of biomedical animation through having a medical illustration degree, or simply having very good 3D animations skills?

Thanks for your help
Kyle