ERAS photo mandatory

[snowhard]

Hello,

How is the ERAS photo used in the application? I have heard mixed messages.

1) Is it mandatory? If no, then do most people submit one?
2) Do programs see the photo before selecting you for an interview?

thanks

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[gutonc]

No
Yes
No - although there have apparently been changes since I dealt w/ this 2y ago

 

[Law2Doc]

Hello,

How is the ERAS photo used in the application? I have heard mixed messages.

1) Is it mandatory? If no, then do most people submit one?
2) Do programs see the photo before selecting you for an interview?

thanks

It's not mandatory, but if you don't submit it, it makes them assume you have a reason you didn't. Most people will submit a picture.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

In the past, here's how it worked:

You submitted a photo, and it was sent to all programs automatically once available.
The photo was "screened" (i.e. I couldn't see it) until you were selected for interview.

Problem is, nothing stopped me from clicking the "Select for interview" box, looking at your photo, and then unchecking the box.

So now:
You submit a photo.
You can release the photo to individual programs, any time you want. This allows you to do so up front, or wait until interview decision are made.
Once you send it, I get to see it right away.

Does not sending a photo hurt you? I would hope not. There are two possible scenarios:

1. Program offers you an interview, then sees your photo and decides that they no longer "like" you. Needless to say, they'll come to the same decision when you actually interview whether you send a photo or not.

2. Program doesn't offer you an interview because of a missing photo, because either a) they worry you have something to hide, or b) because they consider the photo a part of your application and hence your application is considered incomplete and not reviewed.

#1 seems a non issue -- would you really want to go to a program that would not interview you based on your photo anyway?

#2 seems very unlikely and highly paranoid. I guess if you're applying to a very competitive field and they're looking for reasons to reject applications, it's possible.

So, personally I expect it doesn't matter.

I would upload a photo once you have an interview. This way, we recognize you when you arrive.

 

[mules05]

In the past, here's how it worked:

You submitted a photo, and it was sent to all programs automatically once available.
The photo was "screened" (i.e. I couldn't see it) until you were selected for interview.

Problem is, nothing stopped me from clicking the "Select for interview" box, looking at your photo, and then unchecking the box.

So now:
You submit a photo.
You can release the photo to individual programs, any time you want. This allows you to do so up front, or wait until interview decision are made.
Once you send it, I get to see it right away.

Does not sending a photo hurt you? I would hope not. There are two possible scenarios:

1. Program offers you an interview, then sees your photo and decides that they no longer "like" you. Needless to say, they'll come to the same decision when you actually interview whether you send a photo or not.

2. Program doesn't offer you an interview because of a missing photo, because either a) they worry you have something to hide, or b) because they consider the photo a part of your application and hence your application is considered incomplete and not reviewed.

#1 seems a non issue -- would you really want to go to a program that would not interview you based on your photo anyway?

#2 seems very unlikely and highly paranoid. I guess if you're applying to a very competitive field and they're looking for reasons to reject applications, it's possible.

So, personally I expect it doesn't matter.

I would upload a photo once you have an interview. This way, we recognize you when you arrive.

Does anyone know HOW you upload a photo? I've been looking through all of the FAQs and how-tos on ERAS and can't find it, and there's nothing I can find under the Documents section to submit one. However, ERAS has been letting me choose to submit a photo for each program that I add. Does this mean my dean's office uploaded something?

 

[bjackrian]

Does anyone know HOW you upload a photo? I've been looking through all of the FAQs and how-tos on ERAS and can't find it, and there's nothing I can find under the Documents section to submit one. However, ERAS has been letting me choose to submit a photo for each program that I add. Does this mean my dean's office uploaded something?

The dean's office uploads the photos. At my school, we're required to provide the photo to the dean's office by September 15 (school-specific deadline, not an ERAS date).

 

[domer621]

However, ERAS has been letting me choose to submit a photo for each program that I add. Does this mean my dean's office uploaded something?

No, it's just giving you the option of sending the photo once your Dean's office has uploaded it. You need to physically give a photo to your Dean's office.

 

[ArcherM2]

If I send a picture to my dean's office tomorrow, but want to submit my applications tonight, can I still click on upload photo tab and have the photo become available once my school uploads it? Probably a silly question, but I'm not sure if this will preclude my application from being downloaded from programs. Thanks!

 

[fakin' the funk]

If I send a picture to my dean's office tomorrow, but want to submit my applications tonight, can I still click on upload photo tab and have the photo become available once my school uploads it? Probably a silly question, but I'm not sure if this will preclude my application from being downloaded from programs. Thanks!

Yep. Same goes for PS's and LORs. Hitting "Submit" sends your CAF.

 

[Samoa]

There are two possible scenarios:

1. Program offers you an interview, then sees your photo and decides that they no longer "like" you. Needless to say, they'll come to the same decision when you actually interview whether you send a photo or not.

2. Program doesn't offer you an interview because of a missing photo, because either a) they worry you have something to hide, or b) because they consider the photo a part of your application and hence your application is considered incomplete and not reviewed.

#1 seems a non issue -- would you really want to go to a program that would not interview you based on your photo anyway?

#2 seems very unlikely and highly paranoid. I guess if you're applying to a very competitive field and they're looking for reasons to reject applications, it's possible.

So, personally I expect it doesn't matter.

I would upload a photo once you have an interview. This way, we recognize you when you arrive.

If it were up to me, not only would they never know my race or see my picture, they wouldn't even know I was female until after rank decisions were made. Perhaps not even until I was done with residency. There are still many programs in my field who have never graduated a female resident, and this is widely tolerated, although not openly condoned.

 

[DrDarwin]

A resident once told me that he looked only at the photo, school, and Step 1 score when deciding who to recommend for an interview. And he was being completely serious.

 

[wire]

hey guys,

i'm afraid i've let myself go over my last year of medical school. here's the photo i took for my senior composite, do you think uploading this to eras will keep me out of schools?

 

[Still Kickin]

I just got an interview offer & I don't have my photo up yet. (Haven't had time to have one taken yet!)
(I'll be sure to get a photo up before my interview, however.)

If it were up to me, not only would they never know my race or see my picture...

You know, aside from the issues about the photo revealing this info, I spent forever deciding whether to mark off a race (vs. "no answer") and then again whether to mark ethnicity (hispanic/latino vs. not hispanic/latino vs. "no answer").

I kept thinking to myself what business of anyone's is this, why should it matter. In the end (since I'll be uploading my photo eventually) I decided they would eventually have this info about me, anyway, (well, the race info, anyway) and that if I chose "no answer" it would look cagey & make them wonder why I wasn't willing to answer.
(I also considered writing "human race" in the "other" spot but it looked wierd so I changed it back...)

I found the question even more odd than the photo thing. (I can see how a photo can be useful for helping them to remember us after the interview.) But to outright ASK???

 

[Still Kickin]

hey guys,

i'm afraid i've let myself go over my last year of medical school. here's the photo i took for my senior composite, do you think uploading this to eras will keep me out of schools?

Hey wire, there is another thread with some very nice examples of ERAS photos, you might find it helpful to check it out:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=556604

 

[haveaniceday]

I found the question even more odd than the photo thing. (I can see how a photo can be useful for helping them to remember us after the interview.) But to outright ASK???

I think it is more of a data-gathering/statistical question by the AAMC, rather than the programs wanting to know.

 

[mcl]

I think it is more of a data-gathering/statistical question by the AAMC, rather than the programs wanting to know.

Exactly. Once you match there is a mountain of paperwork requesting demographic information for the hospital, for ACGME, for various boards, etc. It's helpful to already have the information on record. Leave it blank if you want to take a principled stand, but I'd advise against answering this (or any other question) with sarcasm.

 

[Law2Doc]

hey guys,

i'm afraid i've let myself go over my last year of medical school. here's the photo i took for my senior composite, do you think uploading this to eras will keep me out of schools?

As long as you are shooting for peds, you are fine.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

better shave your mohawks before taking your picture.

or you can photoshop your pic if you're not very photogenic.
i fixed my slightly crooked smirk and turned it into a full smile.

no need to be afraid anymore.

 

[Law2Doc]

or you can photoshop your pic if you're not very photogenic.
i fixed my slightly crooked smirk and turned it into a full smile.

Yeah, I made myself a cyclops. Everyone will want to interview me just to see if I'm for real.

 

[TripleDegree]

hey guys,

i'm afraid i've let myself go over my last year of medical school. here's the photo i took for my senior composite, do you think uploading this to eras will keep me out of schools?

You're applying for Plastics, right?