Academy Award-winning actress Jodie Foster dislikes working with Generation Z, finding them “really annoying.” She told The Guardian that some will come in late, saying, “Nah, I’m not feeling it today, I’m gonna come in at 10:30 a.m.”
Papillion native Broc Evitch defies the generation’s “lazy” stereotype, preferring to push the boundaries of hard work by dipping his hands into multiple creative ventures. The Creighton University junior sketches a rare path in pursuing a medical illustration career. The Association of Medical Illustrators reported fewer than 2,000 trained professionals in the world for a job field that combines artistry and medicine to produce textbooks, scientific journals, or exhibits that often help patients comprehend their diagnoses.
Evitch, with the muscular shoulders of a powerlifter, gently brushes his pencil across his notebook to portray visuals of surgical procedures at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center when not studying for his Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in biology. He sometimes has only seconds to draw an accurate portrayal on paper before the surgeon moves forward.
“Insane! Very brutal…but necessary,” Evitch noted under a drawing of exposed sections of the skull and brain during his first viewing of a craniosynostosis surgery. The artist also connected with the university’s cadaver laboratory, causing him to arrive home smelling of embalming fluids, but with more experience. The possibility of publication could come soon, as he has teamed up with the Creighton University School of Dentistry to illustrate a new neck discovery.
“I feel like I have imposter syndrome in the OR (operating room) with all these professionals, and I’m trying to keep up with my pencil,” Evitch said of his 12 surgeries thus far.
Evitch does realize only five accredited medical illustration programs exist in the United States, including his dream school at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, but that only makes the possibility of succeeding sweeter. Although no Nebraska school currently lists it as a degree, Creighton University associate professor and adviser Rachel Mindrup set up an interview for Evitch with a medical illustrator at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, so he could ask questions about his potential future career.
“Broc is optimistic, thoughtful, and kind…pretty much everything Creighton stands for,” Mindrup said.
Mindrup added other students on campus want to become illustrators, but the field remains tight since only a few students secure a spot in these selective programs. Evitch plans to start a portfolio to send to Johns Hopkins. He created his first art portfolio in middle school.
“Broc was the first kid I ever saw, an eighth grader, who came in with a whole portfolio,” said Creighton Preparatory School art educator Jeremy Caniglia.
Caniglia thought the artwork warranted skipping the basic class and putting the incoming freshman into the intermediate level instead. Evitch won key gold and silver awards along the way. Caniglia saw the talent in his student’s realistic anatomical drawings and pointed him toward the medical illustration field.
Evitch’s grandfather Frank, a former forensic artist in Wisconsin, told him, “You’re crazy. Can you pick a more difficult career?” But Frank reminded his grandson nothing stood in the way of reaching his potential.
“He’s humble and driven, but in a good way,” agreed his mother, Darleene, who entered her son into private art classes in grade school.
Evitch feels free with charcoal in his hands, seeing “in black and white,” and his work has already appeared in the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, Missouri. Positive Exposure in New York City showed his portrait on a doctor titled “The Second Victim.”
“I love his storytelling and how he pulls the viewer in. Broc’s an inspiration,” Caniglia said.
Evitch pets his two golden doodles, and his crafted gold bracelet shimmers, a jewelry-making hobby that allows him to “nerd out.” He sits straight in his chair where he used to serve wine, pizza, and cheese from their former business, The Stave, at his family’s home. His father, Chris, walks into the room, a shorter and older version of his son, who first showed him how to powerlift. Evitch’s two older brothers cheer him on from the sidelines.
“It takes a lot of work and he’s all in every day,” Chris said.
Evitch recently took first place at the 2024 America Patriot Open in bench, setting a state record for his age group with 446.4 pounds in his weight class of 264, which qualifies him for a spot at nationals. In addition, he volunteers as a powerlifting coach four times a week at his former high school.
“The community gave so much to me. I want to give back to them and use what I know,” Evitch said.
Evitch loves to stay busy, even entering and winning first place for his large cucumber at the Sarpy County Fair. The next venture could mean opening a local art gallery or acting as a springboard for amateurs to hear from professional Midwest masters. As his junior year heats up, Evitch doesn’t have much time, but insists that he’ll find it. He hands over a black and gold business card with his grandfather’s signature as the logo.
“I know what I want and I’m chasing what I want,” he said, his blue eyes patient behind his glasses.
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.