Secondary Photo Attire

[Dance4Eva]

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Hi everyone! I have been scrolling through all the secondary picture threads and have a general consensus for what the photos should be like for secondary applications, but I was wondering how adcoms would view the following picture. My concern when asking this is that the attire isn't exactly "professional" (even though the schools I am thinking about applying to don't say specifically to have business clothing on) and my shoulders may be showing more than they should, but I also might just be overthinking it. I blocked the face just for the sake of anonymity 😉.

 

[Crayola227]

no no no no no no

I was probably wearing something worse in mine and it worked out, this is alllllllll wrong with the earrings, off the shoulder, looks like you're not even wearing a bra, not that if we could see straps that would be better

get a new picture!!!

my god, the post office or walgreen do passport photos for like $10

is this trolling? I don't mean to hurt you, but you have to see that off the shoulder is not professional

 

[wizzed101]

Oh hi!!!! You do ballet? 😉

 

[Meeehai]

Remove the earrings and wear something more... conservative. Remember that you're trying to appeal to a bunch of old, strict people, not look cute and fashionable for them.

no no no no no no

I was probably wearing something worse in mine and it worked out, this is alllllllll wrong with the earrings, off the shoulder, looks like you're not even wearing a bra, not that if we could see straps that would be better

get a new picture!!!

my god, the post office or walgreen do passport photos for like $10

is this trolling? I don't mean to hurt you, but you have to see that off the shoulder is not professional

What were you wearing in yours? 😉

 

[Crayola227]

Remove the earrings and wear something more... conservative. Remember that you're trying to appeal to a bunch of old, strict people, not look cute and fashionable for them.



What were you wearing in yours? 😉

passport photo were I was wearing a light pink tank top to where the straps blended with my skin making the appearance of maybe being topless!
truth be told I don't think I had anything that was professional to wear - I'm a skintight v neck t shirt and tank top kinda girl if I'm not wearing what passes for farmwork clothes

things is, my hair, make up, and smile were perfect that day in prep for the photo
then I moved to a state with humidity that ****ed my hair

in my defense, I ended up editing the photo so my hair was covering my shoulders and you couldn't tell what I was wearing

it wasn't the most professional looking photo, but it wasn't skanky

if I could go back I would have bought a shirt that worked and redid the pic

 

[Ismet]

Lol @ people freaking out about the "top" - it's like a yearbook photo and it's exceedingly common for senior portraits to use that black covering so that everyone looks uniform. It usually doesn't drop down THAT low, it probably should have been pulled back a bit, but whatever.

However, for your med school application picture, you want it to look business professional. Grab a blazer, lose the big earrings. Look somewhat like you would on interview day.

 

[lilmadge]

I think our chapters use the same composite company

 

[Dance4Eva]

Like Ismet said, it's not actually a top lol. It's just a drape that the picture company uses for all the members of my sorority for our chapter composite pictures every year. Thanks so much for all the responses! I'm definitely going to change the one I upload.

 

[DokterMom]

You just graduated from high school?

Because that's what this picture says.

 

[Pusheen]

Like Ismet said, it's not actually a top lol. It's just a drape that the picture company uses for all the members of my sorority for our chapter composite pictures every year. Thanks so much for all the responses! I'm definitely going to change the one I upload.

It looks like a nice picture, but the drape is oddly low. I just wore a blazer and button down for mine with gym shorts, haha. Obv only head and shoulders shows.

 

[ortnakas]

You just graduated from high school?

Because that's what this picture says.

This. Looks like my high school graduation picture. I know that's what the top is so to me it's not skanky, but it's not "professional adult" either.

Put on a nice collared shirt or blouse (suit jacket is a good idea but not necessary) and go to Walgreens to get a photo taken. Or even better-- find a friend with photography skills and a nice camera and have them take your photo against a neutral backdrop for free/buy them lunch.

 

[Necr0sis713]

I think I f'ed up in mine. I just took a selfie of me with a Tshirt. Like a plain white Tshirt you would wear in your pajamas.

 

[deleted482591]

is a black suit jacket over a button down and with a tie ok? for guys

 

[gyngyn]

is a black suit jacket over a button down and with a tie ok? for guys

Sounds great.

 

[desiredmembername123]

is a black suit jacket over a button down and with a tie ok? for guys

What else is there?

 

[Ismet]

I think I f'ed up in mine. I just took a selfie of me with a Tshirt. Like a plain white Tshirt you would wear in your pajamas.

Not the worst that's happened, but not the best choice. Get a professional pic taken.

is a black suit jacket over a button down and with a tie ok? for guys

Yes

 

[Ismet]

What else is there?

A top hat? 😀

 

[Technology]

You look very scandalous in that cold shoulder top 😉

 

[To be MD]

Hey OP,

I'd recommend getting a new photo, but you don't have to pay anyone to do it. Get dressed up and set up your smartphone (or your friend's if you don't have one) on a desk with a neutral colored, clean wall behind you. Put on the camera timer (3s, etc.) and center yourself. Then, continue to snap photos from different heights (I used magazines and a few books to get mine right) until you have one that looks professional.

If you need help on what a "good" picture looks like, anonymously scroll through some profiles on LinkedIn of doctors/CEOs/professionals. You'll gain an eye for sizing, style, and what your facial expression should be.

Best of luck!

 

[toutou]

If you look at residency pages with their current resident listed, you can kinda get a good idea on what's acceptable.

 

[deleted751373]

Can I submit my SDN photo? LOL


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[alpha-GTP]

I am definitely not advocating what I did, but I basically used a picture where I was standing in front of a white door and I was wearing a black tank top. Looking back on it, if I spent more than 2 seconds thinking about it, would I do it again? Probably not. I guess I was just being dumb and lazy. I have gotten 5 IIs so far, so I guess it wasn't the most horrible choice of photos. Who knows what the schools I haven't heard from will think.
I do have one secondary that specifically asks for a photo with professional attire, so I guess I'll have to take one. I suppose I'll use that one for the last handful of secondaries I have left to complete.

 

[Necr0sis713]

Can I submit my SDN photo? LOL


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