What is Graphic Medicine*?
Graphic Medicine, a term coined by British physician and cartoonist Dr. Ian Williams in 2007, refers to the use of visual storytelling forms like comics and graphic novels in healthcare, illness narratives, and medical education. It serves as a tool for healthcare professionals to educate patients, convey complex medical information, and promote patient engagement and empowerment.
Additionally, it provides a platform for patients and caregivers to share their experiences, fostering understanding and empathy among healthcare providers and the general public. Covering a vast array of topics such as mental health, chronic illness, disability, healthcare disparities, end-of-life care, and medical ethics, Graphic Medicine is an interdisciplinary field that merges medicine, healthcare, and the visual arts, and has garnered increasing attention and recognition in recent years.
*While Graphic Medicine is the formal term for the use of visual storytelling in telling tales of healthcare narratives, this guide uses the term "Graphic Healthcare" to broaden it's scope.
Resources
- Health Sciences Library, Graphic Medicine Collection
Use this link to easily search our full collection of Graphic Medicine titles. The results include both physical items and electronic items. Find our collection in the Reading Area on the main floor (second floor) of the library, designated with the label shown to the left.
Marbles by Publication Date: 2012-11-06Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between "crazy" and "creative" in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers.
Cancer Vixen by Publication Date: 2009-09-29The groundbreaking graphic memoir that inspires breast cancer patients to fight back--and do so with style. "What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life finds...a lump in her breast?" That's the question that sets this powerful, funny, and poignant graphic memoir in motion.
Sobriety by Publication Date: 2014-10-21Gold Winner of the Midwest Book Award in the self-help category from the Midwest Independent Publishers Association!Through rich illustration and narrative, Sobriety: A Graphic Novel offers an inside look to recovery from the perspectives of five Twelve Step group members, each with a unique set of addictions, philosophies, struggles, and successes while working the Steps.
- Graphic Medicine
Graphic Medicine is a site that explores the interaction between the medium of comics and the discourse of healthcare. We are a community of academics, health carers, authors, artists, and fans of comics and medicine. The site is maintained by an editorial team under the direction of the Graphic Medicine International Collective. - National Library of Medicine Graphic Medicine Exhibition
An exhibition created by the National Library of Medicine that focuses on Graphic Medicine that provides information and resources. - Graphic Medicine Review Journal
The Graphic Medicine Review (GMR) publishes scholarly works relevant to both the comics medium (aka comic books, graphic novels, manga, bande desinée, etc.) and healthcare, medicine, wellness, patient experience, and public health policy. GMR is an open-access resource primarily produced in English but international in scope and concerns.
- StoryBoardThat
StoryboardThat is an online storyboarding tool that makes it easy to create storyboards even without being an artist. With StoryboardThat, you can create a digital story in minutes using both images, text, and storyboard templates. You can even use their many resources to help you get started. - Canva
Canva is a web-based graphic design platform that allows users to create a wide range of visual content, including presentations, posters, social media graphics, logos, flyers, and more. Canva offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and a library of templates, images, graphics, and fonts, making it easy for users to create professional-looking designs without any design experience. - Creately
Creately offers a wide range of features and templates that make it easy for users to create professional-looking visuals without any design experience. Users can choose from a variety of templates, shapes, and symbols to create their diagrams and strips and can also import their own images and graphics. The tool also offers real-time collaboration features that allow multiple users to work on a creation simultaneously. - Pixton
Pixton offers a range of tools and features that make it easy for users to create high-quality comics and graphic novels, even if they have little or no experience in art or design. Users can choose from a variety of pre-made characters, backgrounds, and props, or they can create their own custom characters and designs. They can also add speech bubbles, captions, sound effects, and other visual elements to their comics. - Adobe Express
Introducing Adobe Express, the latest and greatest way to design and publish your comic strips. Adobe Express helps you create stunning graphics that you can build from scratch or with stunning template designs to get you started. Easily resize your creation to share on any social platforms or printed format. It’s as easy as choosing a template, customizing, and sharing.
