Radiologist Shubham Arora, MD, of Max Healthcare in New Delhi, India, believes that radiology education should be "clear and memorable." That's why he creates medical illustrations and infographics that "blend radiological knowledge with visual storytelling."
"My illustrations aim to bridge the gap between intricate medical concepts and intuitive understanding, making learning more accessible and enjoyable for students, educators, and healthcare professionals," he told AuntMinnie.
Shubham Arora, MD, of Max Healthcare in New Delhi, India.Shubham Arora, MD
Arora has been drawing since childhood, mainly portraits and landscapes. Art was one of his passions growing up, but he didn't see it as connected to his medical career until 2017, when he was in his early years of medical training and one of his surgery attendings not only asked him to create an illustration for a research paper but also invited him to observe surgeries in the operating room. The experience was life changing.
"As a first-year trainee, I found myself overwhelmed by the complexity of surgical anatomy, especially the stepwise, layer-by-layer dissection of structures," he said. "I remember wishing there were clearer, more intuitive ways to represent this process visually. I realized that illustration could bridge a critical gap in how anatomy and procedures are understood, and that's when I began exploring medical illustration."
Shubham Arora, MD
Arora's art helps learners "visualize anatomy and pathology in a way that mirrors how we actually encounter them in imaging," he said. "The most satisfying part is knowing that my illustrations reduce cognitive load, make learning more intuitive, and help concepts 'click.' It's especially rewarding when students and colleagues tell me they've saved my illustrations in their notes."
Shubham Arora, MD
Recently, Arora has established a website that presents his work; in addition to the illustrations and infographics, he also posts articles and short educational videos.
"[My] goal is to provide learners with visual tools they can revisit, annotate, and integrate into their own study methods making radiology learning more accessible, engaging, and memorable," he said.
