Snake logo - MedTrust Medical Staffing Agency.

Client: Med Trust Medical Staffing & Recruitment Agency.
Design Category: Medical, Sports medicine, Medical software
About: Logo design for temporary staffing of healthcare personnel (RN, LVN) in regional hospitals

Logo Brief: We've all seen the entwined snakes used frequently in medical logos and symbols. Known as a caduceus, this image has its roots in ancient Greek mythology (Hermes carried a staff featuring entwined snakes as a symbol of peace). There is actually some confusion about the imagery as there are two very similar symbols, with very similar (yet still unique) meanings. It has been suggested that the real confusion when the US Military were in the process of selecting a logo for their medial unit and began to use (mistakenly perhaps) the caduceus as their logo. It's likely this happened because the caduceus was similar to the REAL symbol of 'healing' - the staff of Asclepius who just happened to be the 'God of medicine'. His staff only featured one snake, with no wings, and is (correctly) used by the AMA (American Medical Association). So we've ended up with two symbols; the Caduceus (two snakes with wings) which means peace, and the Asclepius (one snake, no wings) which are now commonly used in medical logos, symbols and illustrations.

For the logo of MedTrust, we combined the two for a unique take on an arguably overwrought and overused image. While still recognizable as some sort of medical symbol, the logo is unique enough to stand up on its own. Another factor that may have influenced our designers - MedTust were planning to sponsor a mountain bike & trail running team, so the client wanted a logo with a youthful, energetic feel, but appropriate enough to wear on Nurses' hospital ID badges.

Prev: Pharmacy & Drug Store Logos
Next: Music Logo