As a person with absolutely no artistic talent, I’ve always been intrigued by people who can express a thought or idea in a painting, sculpture, or drawing. Medical illustrators have a particularly unique gift that combines their artistic talent with an extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology. The illustrations in AFP, including the cover, are created by a group of very talented individuals. Dave Klemm, who is a medical illustrator himself, is based in the Department of Faculty and Curriculum Support at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and is responsible for coordinating AFP illustrations. He works with artists all around the country to create the cover art and any article illustrations that may be needed for AFP.

When an article is to be featured on the cover, Dave reviews the manuscript with the medical editing fellow. Together they determine how the basic thrust of the article can be interpreted visually as an illustration. He then selects one of the illustrators and works with him or her to create the illustrations you see on the cover. This requires the artists to have a thorough understanding of the medical conditions being discussed, which often requires further research and consultation with the medical editors and authors. Most of AFP’s medical illustrators have extensive professional training and are board-certified by the Association of Medical Illustrators.

In June of each year, the staff members in the Publications Division at the Academy select one cover published during the preceding year to be framed and hung on the “Wall of Fame” in our office. We have so many wonderful covers, it would be great to display all of them, but they would soon cover every wall in the building. The favorite cover chosen this year is the March 15, 2006, issue, and the art is reprinted here. The artist is Scott Bodell from Dallas, Tex.

I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank all of the very talented artists whose creations have contributed to AFP during the past year.

• Mary Albury-Noyes, Burnsville, Minnesota

• Joan Beck, Beck Visual Communications, Cottage Grove, Minnesota

• Scott Bodell, Bodell Communications, Dallas, Texas

• Kathryn Born, Arlington, Texas

• Charles Boyter, Atlanta Medical Legal Art, Atlanta, Georgia

• Peter Brunke, Prairie Village, Kansas

• Todd Buck, Lombard, Illinois

• Renee Cannon, Medcom Studios, Scottsdale, Arizona

• Marcia Hartsock, The Medical Art Company, Cincinnati, Ohio

• Floyd Hosmer, FEH Illustrations, Birmingham, Alabama

• John W. Karapelou, Karapelou Medical Art, Columbus, Ohio

• David Klemm, Faculty and Curriculum Support, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C.

• Christy Krames, Austin, Texas

• Michael Kress-Russick, Kress-Russick Illustration, Madison, Wisconsin

• Teri J. McDermott, McDermott Medical Illustration, Elgin, Illinois

• Steven and Myriam Oh, KO Studios, Pacifica, California

• Bert Oppenheim, Medway, Massachusetts

• Mark E. Schuler, Prairie Village, Kansas

• Cynthia Turner, Alexander & Turner, Grayton Beach, Florida

• William Westwood, Westwood Medical Communications, Albany, New York