do looks hurt or help or neither :

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dr.sartorius

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Im currently a 3rd year so I have yet to apply on ERAS or VSAS but a 4th year told me and a few friends about pictures being part of the application process. I personally don't see the big deal but i'm a dude, one of the girls I know, who is pretty smokin', was hesitant about looking too dolled up in her pic, said she would go for the plain jane look. She think being girly or pretty would work against her, not being taken seriously enough. I think it would work in her favor lol but I'm wondering what SDNs opinions on this matter is. Do residencies and residents give bonus points for looks during applications or interviews. I heard residents usually take out the interviewees to dinner or drinks to hang and I don't see how being too attractive could hurt in these situations. Anyway just wanted to hear your opinions, cheers!

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Being good-looking almost always helps.

But your smokin' hot female friend is right about downplaying her looks. She needs to present a professional but 'low maintenance' look, so NOT 'dolled up'.
 
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I think the requirement for a picture (headshot) may also be to tease out people with blatantly unprofessional/overly-liberal appearances, or who do not have the sense to clean up when push comes to shove. Think neck tattoos, think eyebrow and nose piercings, ridiculous haircuts, etc.
 
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Im currently a 3rd year so I have yet to apply on ERAS or VSAS but a 4th year told me and a few friends about pictures being part of the application process. I personally don't see the big deal but i'm a dude, one of the girls I know, who is pretty smokin', was hesitant about looking too dolled up in her pic, said she would go for the plain jane look. She think being girly or pretty would work against her, not being taken seriously enough. I think it would work in her favor lol but I'm wondering what SDNs opinions on this matter is. Do residencies and residents give bonus points for looks during applications or interviews. I heard residents usually take out the interviewees to dinner or drinks to hang and I don't see how being too attractive could hurt in these situations. Anyway just wanted to hear your opinions, cheers!

- good looks usually help
- you want to present yourself as a professional in the application process. Smoking hot people will look smoking hot either way
- sometimes women in medicine will sabotage younger, more attractive women.
 
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- good looks usually help
- you want to present yourself as a professional in the application process. Smoking hot people will look smoking hot either way
- sometimes women in medicine will sabotage younger, more attractive women.
Final point is true in all industries.
 
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- good looks usually help
- you want to present yourself as a professional in the application process. Smoking hot people will look smoking hot either way
- sometimes women in medicine will sabotage younger, more attractive women.

Exactly. Being a good-looking guy: almost always a plus, albeit not a huge one. Being a good-looking girl: a huge plus with guys, a negative with girls less attractive than yourself.
 
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Look professional. Appropriate attire that is the most important thing.
 
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I think the requirement for a picture (headshot) may also be to tease out people with blatantly unprofessional/overly-liberal appearances, or who do not have the sense to clean up when push comes to shove. Think neck tattoos, think eyebrow and nose piercings, ridiculous haircuts, etc.

They can't see pics until after interview invites are.sent out from what I understand

They claim it's partly to be sure who shows up that day matches the ERAS file since it's your med school that uploads it (a potential issue with IMGs maybe)

It's also to be sure when you said you were whatever race, that you look like that's true (not supposed to be a factor, but probably matters more than attractiveness)

I always say that med school grads are on average more attractive than the gen pop

Studies support from infancy on people treat you different, leading to more confidence, leading to better performance, they do crazy studies where the same essay or something gets a higher grade when coupled with a better looking author pic

I know I've gotten further in life based on looks

That said, yeah, I really hate just how much make up and cleavage and short skirts I see interview day

You can be smoking hot and still look a professional, like professionally hot haha
 
i haven't noticed any benefits of good looks in career advancement. the only benefits are getting checked out and not getting in trouble for checking girls out. a lot of the guys in my class are quite unattractive. height may matter though since almost every guy in my class is 6'0 or above, though for me being average height (5'9) has never been a detriment.

So what you're saying is that girls don't like attention from average or ugly guys.
 
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i haven't noticed any benefits of good looks in career advancement. the only benefits are getting checked out and not getting in trouble for checking girls out. a lot of the guys in my class are quite unattractive. height may matter though since almost every guy in my class is 6'0 or above, though for me being average height (5'9) has never been a detriment.

Studies would disagree, but too lazy to dig them up.

As far as fellow med students/docs being ugly, I'm telling you on average I would say not one of them is as ugly as ugly gets.

They should study that, word.
 
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