photo downloaded by programs ?

[stenosis]

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On my "track applications" tab it shows my photo to have been downloaded by the programs i applied to but on the efcmg website it says :" Programs cannot view your photograph during their initial evaluation of your application. Your photograph is only visible at the time the program has selected you for an interview"
Does anyone have a similar issue or is it just me? Isn't this a viloation?

 

[mig26x]

yep, they can only see it when you have received an invite to the interview. They cant see it before.

 

[raspberry swirl]

why would it be a violation? its a good thing. its that way so no one makes a decision to interview you, or not interview you, based on the way you look.

 

[sisyphus22]

I think he means that this program violated the rule that you can only download the photo AFTER the interview

 

[NoodleIncident]

I think it just means that this program has selected you for an interview and that you should receive the invite within a few days. It is only a violation if they don't select you for an interview. The program doesn't have to wait until after the interview to download your picture. As I think you'll see on your interview days, they will already have pictures of you when you get there so that they can identifiy you.

 

[Venus21pam]

I think it just means that this program has selected you for an interview and that you should receive the invite within a few days.

I doubt that downloaded photo eaquals an interview invitation.
All the programs that I applied to have downloaded my photo even before my scores were available on ERAS.
I think it just means that it is in the application package but probably the programs are unable to view it until they send message through ERAS to invite the applicant for an interview.

 

[pgy13]

Whatever you put in gets uploaded when the program connects to the ERAS post office. The photos are blocked until you are invited for an interview.

 

[Pox in a box]

Whatever you put in gets uploaded when the program connects to the ERAS post office. The photos are blocked until you are invited for an interview.

This isn't true. It's more of a "good faith policy" that programs do not "look" at your photo even though they "downloaded" it.

 

[stenosis]

This isn't true. It's more of a "good faith policy" that programs do not "look" at your photo even though they "downloaded" it.

I dont know about the good faith, but if programs can have access to your photo the system becomes open to abuse coz noone is there to police it. I think the foto should never be downloaded by a program at all. In many other job applications I have never been asked for a photo prior to any interview and I am sure someone somewhere can be disadvantaged by how they look or the color of their skin if they happened not to answer the silly ethnicity questions on eras. I recall that in drafting one's resume you don't even need to state your gender lest that be used to discriminate against you if you have a unisex name.....Just my thoughts.

 

[Rook16]

They cant see the photo? ....I knew I shouldn't have dropped 20 k on that rhinoplasty, brow lift and skin resurfacing...... I guess I will just have to let my application speak for itself.

 

[mig26x]

the reason they give for the photo is that programs need for a way to recognize you on interview day!!

that's what they told me so far.

 

[getinthehole]

Are you guys worried that you are so ugly you won't get invited?

Maybe it is that you are so overwhelmingly attractive, they think you couldn't possibly have any other talents.

Why would anyone care if anyone saw their picture before invites??? You can't possibly be that ugly or good-looking.

 

[treesap]

I got all excited when I realized they'd downloaded my photo. They made a big fuss that they wouldn't/couldn't see them until I'd been selected for interview.

So logically, that means that I've been selected for interview, right? The programs downloaded my stuff on Sept 1. Then a week later downloaded my photo? Why would you do that if you weren't interested or weren't going to look?

Then I kept checking and ALL the programs had downloaded the photo. There's NO WAY that all those programs want to interview me. I'm good, but not that good! I guess it doesn't mean anything after all.

 

[tiredmom]

All the programs that have downloaded my app downloaded the photo at the same time. I don't think it means anything.

 

[Colinator]

My roommate is a peds resident. I asked her about this, so she went to the program director's secretary . . . who proceeded to say "we're not supposed to look at pictures but it's right here, see" as she opened some random applicants picture to show my roommate. So having your photo downloaded by a program means nothing. And yes, abiding by the "not using photos to determine interview offers" rule is based on good-faith.

 

[Quink]

I checked with a program coordinator (they are in the know):

1) Programs download documents from the ERAS postoffice- whatever is sent is downloaded. There is no way to selectively download. If you designated your app /materials to go to Program X, then ALL documents sent are downloaded to Program X.

2) The documents are "processed" which means your LORs and transcript, etc, go into your app and not someone elses. ONLY at that time can the program view what has been downloaded. When and if they look at the document, is up to them. The fact that a certain document was downloaded by a program means ONLY that. They got it.

 

[raspberry swirl]

i dont really like the idea of submitting a photo, but i did anyway, just because i thought it would be more awkward if i didnt.. as in "hmm this person didnt submit a pic like everyone else... wonder why?". i've heard that the pics are mostly used to help remember who's who once interviews are over and its time to make up the ROL. i guess that makes sense. im sure its hard to remember everyone, and i'd hate not to get ranked just because they confused me with someone else...

 

[lsres]

I noticed some programs downloaded my photo as soon as it became available (after they had downloaded other documents) while other programs only did so when I had the required number of letter of references. But so far I have received no offers for an interview.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

I think it just means that this program has selected you for an interview and that you should receive the invite within a few days. It is only a violation if they don't select you for an interview. The program doesn't have to wait until after the interview to download your picture. As I think you'll see on your interview days, they will already have pictures of you when you get there so that they can identifiy you.

I dont know if thats true.

1/4 of the programs I applied to have downloaded the photo. I have not received that many interviews yet...

What does this mean????

 

[Quink]

I dont know if thats true.

1/4 of the programs I applied to have downloaded the photo. I have not received that many interviews yet...

What does this mean????

IT MEANS NOTHING!!!! NOTHING AT ALL! Programs get files to download. They cannot selectively download. Anything that is sent to their program gets downloaded. Photo, LORs, Transcript, ETC. They cannot even tell who the documents belong to until the files are downloaded. Some programs download from ERAS often, some not as often. If your documents were downloaded, it just means the program got your stuff. It has no implication of an interview offer.

 

[Pox in a box]

IT MEANS NOTHING!!!! NOTHING AT ALL! Programs get files to download. They cannot selectively download. Anything that is sent to their program gets downloaded. Photo, LORs, Transcript, ETC. They cannot even tell who the documents belong to until the files are downloaded. Some programs download from ERAS often, some not as often. If your documents were downloaded, it just means the program got your stuff. It has no implication of an interview offer.

Agreed. Every program that has downloaded ANYTHING, has download the photo as well.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

IT MEANS NOTHING!!!! NOTHING AT ALL! Programs get files to download. They cannot selectively download. Anything that is sent to their program gets downloaded. Photo, LORs, Transcript, ETC. They cannot even tell who the documents belong to until the files are downloaded. Some programs download from ERAS often, some not as often. If your documents were downloaded, it just means the program got your stuff. It has no implication of an interview offer.

I see...🙁

 

[deleted109597]

IT MEANS NOTHING!!!! NOTHING AT ALL! Programs get files to download. They cannot selectively download. Anything that is sent to their program gets downloaded. Photo, LORs, Transcript, ETC. They cannot even tell who the documents belong to until the files are downloaded. Some programs download from ERAS often, some not as often. If your documents were downloaded, it just means the program got your stuff. It has no implication of an interview offer.

Can't say anything about the photo=interview thing, but I do know that they can download selectively.

How? Because some documents say "Available, but not yet downloaded." So yes, they can selectively download things.

 

[Hard24Get]

Are you guys worried that you are so ugly you won't get invited?

Maybe it is that you are so overwhelmingly attractive, they think you couldn't possibly have any other talents.

Why would anyone care if anyone saw their picture before invites??? You can't possibly be that ugly or good-looking.

Well, for one thing, if you are in a racial group the screener doesn't much like (black, Middle-eastern-looking) then maybe you don't get an interview. On the other hand, once you arrive you are interviewed by several people, and it is unlikely they would all share such a bias. Thus, equal opportunity may be at stake.

 

[Bertelman]

To the folks still not convinced that photo downloaded does not an interview make, let me assure you, it has no bearing. I have received declines from two programs, both of which have downloaded my photograph. So don't go looking at your long list of downloaded photographs and automatically raise yoru credit limit to accommodate all those flights you won't be taking.

To top it off, one of the programs actually downloaded another LOR 5 minutes AFTER they sent me the email declining an interview. I promise, if there was any system to the actions of these programs, some med student with plenty of time on their hands (this is fourth year, right?) would have figured it out.

I'm quite certain they don't have access to these photos prior to inviting you for interview. Besides, if you are worried about not getting a chance based on some admin's personal bias, do you really think that is the program you want to attend? If you're a green person, and this residency program hates green people, don't you think you'll be happier elsewhere?

 

[pdintheusa]

Lots of discussion here- straight from a PD's mouth [or fingertips, at least]

I am UNABLE to view photos until I have invited an applicant for an interview. They are downloaded automatically by the ERAS post office [we click a button, and the "post office" transmits hundreds of things per day - photos, letters, scores - each count as 1 item from the post office].

I review the files electronically [we have screening criteria set on ERAS, and I review all files that get past the filter] - I click "Select for interview" "Hold" or "Inactive" - my program coordinator clicks "Invite for interview" on all that I select for an interview.

After they have been invited, I can view the photo. It is "downloaded" before that, but CANNOT be viewed.

In addition, I would STRONGLY encourage all applicants to submit a photo - remember that programs get hundreds of applications, and we interview nearly 200 people - people without a photo are definitely at some disadvantage. It's nice to have at your interview [to put a name with a face], and when it comes to rank list time - it's definitely helpful for triggering memories about you.

 

[Shah_Patel_PT]

Lots of discussion here- straight from a PD's mouth [or fingertips, at least]

I am UNABLE to view photos until I have invited an applicant for an interview. They are downloaded automatically by the ERAS post office [we click a button, and the "post office" transmits hundreds of things per day - photos, letters, scores - each count as 1 item from the post office].

I review the files electronically [we have screening criteria set on ERAS, and I review all files that get past the filter] - I click "Select for interview" "Hold" or "Inactive" - my program coordinator clicks "Invite for interview" on all that I select for an interview.

After they have been invited, I can view the photo. It is "downloaded" before that, but CANNOT be viewed.

In addition, I would STRONGLY encourage all applicants to submit a photo - remember that programs get hundreds of applications, and we interview nearly 200 people - people without a photo are definitely at some disadvantage. It's nice to have at your interview [to put a name with a face], and when it comes to rank list time - it's definitely helpful for triggering memories about you.

Do you keep a copy of the picture in the file, when you interview? Or does all the information remain electronic (i.e. you see it on your monitor only)?

 

[pdintheusa]

We do keep the photo in the file. Again, it really helps to put a name with a face when you have so many candidates.

 

[pdintheusa]

We do keep the photo in the file, and we print it for all of the interviewers on interview days. Again, it really helps to put a name with a face when you have so many candidates.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I want to second my colleague's previous reply. Using the ERAS software, all information is downloaded on an ongoing basis, so just because your photo (or any other piece of information) is downloaded, doesn't mean that we've reviewed it. Photos are unable to be seen until an applicant is selected for interview, to prevent any concerns about discrimination. In addition, age, sex, birthdate, citizenship, visa status, and many other variables can be blocked completely until after the match, again providing a layer of protection that can't be addressed in a paper application system.

I also strongly recommend downloading a photo. It makes keeping track of everyone much easier. You don't need anything fancy!

 

[raspberry swirl]

im rotating at a hospital right now (i didnt apply there) but i was talking about my photo, and how i hadn't sent it in yet, and the med ed lady goes "oh we dont interview without a photo!" and i was like, "are you serious?" and she said yeah ... i dont know, i thought it was weird, and she's kind of a crazy lady, i woudlnt put it past her to lie to my face just to freak me out. however, i suppose it could be true. regardless, i still haven't sent one in yet ... i can't imagine this is the norm, seeing i have got a fair amount of interviews without a pic. but just thought i would throw that out there ... its probably best to get one in if you have one. who knows!

 

[ekydrd]

The software used to upload the files will not let the program look at the pics until they select the "invited for interview" button. Until then they cannot see the pics. This is supposed to prevent racial or ethnic bias as much as possible.

To completely prevent such bias the names of all the candidates would also need to be blocked out. That would be interesting.

 

[AnesCoord]

Everything from the PD's is absolutely correct. As for selectively downloading--it isn't possible. The first thing I do every morning is log-in to ERAS and download all new files (because first thing in the morning is when it's fastest). If something was recently added to your file I'll get it. If you add something today and then review your file and it reflects that I haven't downloaded that one document, it just means that I haven't done it yet, not that I chose not to. Other programs might not download as frequently.

The photos are very useful (but absolutely cannot be viewed until an applicant is both "selected" and "invited" for interview). At our program, even if we have your photo from ERAS, we'll take your picture the day you interview also. We hold our first interviews in November and don't have our selection committee till the end of January, so we need the photos to connect the names with the faces.