Jorge Muniz, PA-C: Creating Medcomic and Studying Medicine

Jorge Muniz is a practicing PA and the creator of Medcomic, a study tool that uses illustrations and humor to teach medicine. He graduated from Nova Southeastern University's PA program in Orlando, Florida in 2013, and two weeks after graduating he sat for the PANCE alongside a large group of classmates. He is proud to say they all passed. He started practicing right away in orthopedic surgery, a position he secured during his clinical rotations.

Medcomic grew out of something he already loved. Many of us are visual learners, and Medcomic is built for exactly that, turning hard-to-remember pearls into cartoons that actually stick. What started as drawings to help classmates study became a published book and a brand.

Jorge has loved cartoons since he was a kid. As a PA student, he realized being in the medical field gave him a way to channel that creative energy while helping classmates study for exams. His art is influenced by the physical humor and big facial expressions of older cartoons like Looney Tunes, as well as the work of Mike Krahulik, the graphic artist behind the webcomic Penny Arcade.

Medcomic's mission is to make studying medicine fun and entertaining. Jorge's vision is to keep expanding the concept so it becomes more comprehensive, with plans for new features, apps, and additional volumes down the road. In his words, the goal is to build a foundation that medicine is taught in a more memorable, visual way.

Creating a single comic takes Jorge about 12 hours. Part of that is reviewing the topic and gathering the information students actually need for exams, and the rest is sketching and producing the illustration. He holds a high bar, and will throw away an idea midway through if it is not going to meet his standards. He constantly asks himself, if I were a student, would I find this useful? For him it is quality over quantity.

He produces most of his artwork on his days off, waking up early and working on an illustration all day. It is a sacrifice, but a gratifying one, because the cartoons help so many students. His Kickstarter campaign to publish the first book was successful, and Medcomic is now available on Amazon.

Jorge's story is proof that you do not have to put your creativity aside to be a great PA. If anything, the things that make you unique can make you a better, more memorable clinician and student. Find what energizes you and look for ways to fold it into your journey. For more visual and effective study strategies, explore our resources.