ERAS Photo - 2024
Professional Medical Residency Headshots

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Thanks for stopping by!

​We'd love to help you out with your ERAS photo – and we promise to make the process quick and painless!

The City Headshots Team

How important is the ERAS photo?

Your residency headshot is absolutely critical because faculty members make snap judgements about how serious you are just by the way your ERAS photo looks.

​And they do this BEFORE they even look at your application.

Some residency applicants are tempted to take their own photo or ask a friend to take it with a decent camera, and while that might work for a simple LinkedIn photo, for something as important as a residency application, it's critical to send the best possible first impression.

​The simple truth is that if your photo does not meet the AAMC's criteria, admissions will simply skip past your application. This is because they don't have time to read thousands of applications and need a faster way to narrow them all down.

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​Below are answers to the most common questions about ERAS headshots:​

What is the best ERAS photo background color?

A white or light gray backdrop typically stands out on ERAS as a thumbnail and is statistically more likely to be clicked on, which means more eyeballs looking at your application.

That being said, some applicants choose to go with a darker background for a more sleek and conservative look. That being said, do NOT shoot with anything besides a flat studio backdrop behind you or your photo won't be taken seriously by faculty members.

What size should an ERAS photo be?

The correct format is 2.5 x 3.5 inches at 150 dpi, with a maximum file size of less than 150 KB*. It must be in color, with your full face and shoulders visible and centered in the middle of the image.

 *note that spec was updated to 150KB from 100KB in 2023.

What should I wear for my ERAS photo?

Some general guidelines on clothing for your residency application photo:

• A professional outfit is an absolute must. A navy or charcoal suit jacket is strongly encouraged for both men and women, and a tie is critical for men. Dark, rich, solid colors generally work best (except for your tie – that can have a pattern).
• Avoid wearing a white coat for your primary application photo. If your photographer allows, you can take an extra shot with a white coat, but it is generally not a good idea for your primary ERAS photo submission.
• Studies have shown that applicants with glasses are statistically more likely to receive interview requests, but we only recommend wearing glasses if you actually do wear them! Don't buy fake ones for your photo unless you plan to wear them at your interviews as well.
• Keep jewelry to a minimum and avoid low-cut shirts. Your outfit should generally be very conservative so faculty members judge you by your application and not by your photo.

Dive deeper on what to wear on camera by clicking here.

Can you smile for an ERAS photo?

Absolutely! Because of how professional the backdrop, clothing, and overall look of your photo will be, we encourage smiling so you don't come off as too "standoffish."

Think of your smile as a way to tell faculty members that you're friendly and easy to work with, and think of your clothing and backdrop as things that tell faculty members you're extremely professional, trustworthy, and take your career seriously.

We recommend open-mouthed smiles if you're comfortable with your teeth, or doing a closed-mouth smile if you're not. Just avoid a serious/stern expression!

Christopher Pecoraro, Residency Applicant

He received DOUBLE the interview requests of a typical applicant with his credentials and eventually landed his dream residency. He attributes much of that success to his headshot.

​"I was surprised at how often my picture showed up. I interviewed with anywhere from 2 to 12 people in one day, and they’re all given a file of each applicant. On that file was always a BIG blown up print of my headshot!

"One place in particular printed out all the applicant’s headshots on one page and handed them to everyone in the room. At another interview, everyone's headshots were shown on a huge projector - it was so awkward for the people who didn't have professional photos; you could just sense how they were probably feeling about that mistake."

​Learn how Christopher received DOUBLE the interview requests of a typical applicant by clicking here.

In-Person Shoots
​&
Virtual Shoots
(our Virtual Headshot package allows you to take your photo online and from the comfort of your home)

All packages include:
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• Direction and coaching to look your best – we'll help you capture an approachable, confident, and intelligent expression (even if you don't have much experience on-camera).
• A professional photo that stands out – we can make recommendations on a backdrop that will work best based on your skin tone, hair color, and outfit.
• Quick turnaround – you'll get ALL your high-resolution images same-day.
• Professional retouching – your favorite image(s) will be Photoshopped, where we fix blemishes, flyaway hairs, under-eye circles, and even whiten teeth.
• ​Advice on what to wear – we can guide you through the process of choosing colors and outfits (here's a great article that explains what looks best on camera).
• Correct formatting & specs – we'll send your final chosen photo(s) pre-formatted for easy upload and submission to the ERAS portal.
• Receive all your high-res images + full usage rights – you can keep all your originals too and use them anywhere, including LinkedIn and social media.

We have studio locations in midtown Manhattan, Northern NJ, and Denver.
(we can also take your headshot virtually from anywhere in the world)

See Our Headshot Packages