Stephanie Cohen (BHS '12)

Stephanie Cohen (BHS '12) is a professional artist and surgery resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School. She earned her bachelor's of science degree in Biochemistry from Tufts University and a bachelor's of fine arts degree in Studio Art from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts. 

Her work ranges from whimsical, anatomical abstractions and puns, to detail-oriented medical illustrations for scientific publications. She has designed journal covers for World Neurosurgery, the Journal of Electrocardiology, and the Journal of Global Health. 

She began to combine her passion for art and science as a student at Barrington High School. In Cohen's biology class senior year she started learning about cancer for the first time. "The way that Mrs. Baylor described cancer cells as dividing out of control reminded me of an instrument in an orchestra that was out of tune and not responding to the conductor," Cohen said. 

When she received an assignment in her AP art class where she had to create a series of 12 illustrations or paintings that shared a common theme, Cohen decided to create a series of images that incorporated human anatomy and the inorganic shells of musical instruments.

Cohen is still trying to figure out what type of surgical sub-specialty she would like to pursue, but she plans to continue creating medical illustrations in order to teach surgeons and patients as part of her career.