ERAS Picture

[babycatcher28]

Hi all - this may be a dumb question, but I did my own ERAS photo at home with a digital camera and thought it looked fine on my computer, but recently saw it printed out when I interviewed at my home program and didn't like how it looked (color balance was off and just didn't stand up side-by-side to the professional photos). Would there be any problem with uploading a new photo mid-interview season? I don't want to draw any additional attention to it by changing it, but also don't want to be haunted by a bad photo should it be used on residency websites later on. Thanks!

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[NotAProgDirector]

You're worried about nothing, but feel free to upload a new photo if you'd like.

 

[TheTruckGuy]

My understanding is that the photo is only there so that when the program director and similar folks are going back through your application and/or ranking you, they can put a face to the application, try and recall the interview etc. If you think the picture looks messed up and they won't recognize you, it may be worth it, but I doubt it.

I just used a picture from a wedding I was in (in a tux) and cropped myself. I had a PD spend like 3 minutes talking to me about my picture. He didn't say anything bad, just that I wouldn't believe the number of folks who submit pics of them at parties, selfies that they take, pics of them holding a beer, etc. So not sure if I messed up by not getting a portrait done. He did say that it looks like I know how to clean up well.

 

[AdmiralChz]

just that I wouldn't believe the number of folks who submit pics of them at parties, selfies that they take, pics of them holding a beer, etc.

🤣🤣🤣

We've had two fairly competitive applicants this year send along pictures of them very likely drunk at a party. Not a great first impression!

 

[mcl]

🤣🤣🤣

We've had two fairly competitive applicants this year send along pictures of them very likely drunk at a party. Not a great first impression!

Exactly. Applicants: Think of photo as your first chance to make an impression. Everyone who sees it--reviewer, interviewer, residents meeting you for dinner, etc.-- will start forming opinions about you based on the photo you submit. No, it doesn't have to be professionally done, and it doesn't need to be a "glamour shot" -- but it does need to represent the version of you that you want to present to the world. And subsequent to Match, we use that photo quite a bit.

 

[Apollyon]

Some 25 years ago, when I was in military school, a guy I knew that was an upperclassman had borrowed one of his classmate's notes for one of their military science (Army ROTC) classes. One question is why you had to provide a picture. What the guy had written was "to prove you don't look like a grub".

I guess that's how times change. I do admit, more than 10 years ago, in our residency rating meeting (as it wasn't the actual rank list, but we gave our opinions - the late, lamented @pandabear got bumped WAY down), we, the guys in the classes commented regularly (sotto voce) about "hot or not" for each female applicant. This didn't change anything, though - no one spoke up to say they really liked an applicant just because she was hot.