Silly question about pictures on secondaries

[snowman.33]

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I know what the theoretical answer is, but just wondering what is what IRL. Some schools ask for a picture along with the secondary...anybody have a good reason besides everybody wants good looking doctors? Just kidding...but really though.

 

[Alucard6]

Why else? It's 95% of the application. If you see somebody who is good looking, you assume they are hygienic and they will be properly suited to help you with your problem.

Those "gpa" and "mcat" things are just for show.

 

[kyamh]

Apparently, there are some applicants who are careless/unprofessional enough to send inappropriate photos. Seems to be an unwritten admissions test 😉

 

[baxt1412]

Should photos be in interview attire or would business attire be appropriate? I know some people have differing opinions on what is interview attire so - should the picture be in a suit and tie for gentlemen and a pant/skirt suit for women?

 

[lobo.solo]

Should photos be in interview attire or would business attire be appropriate? I know some people have differing opinions on what is interview attire so - should the picture be in a suit and tie for gentlemen and a pant/skirt suit for women?

I had on a dress shirt and tie and had no problem.

 

[kyamh]

Should photos be in interview attire or would business attire be appropriate? I know some people have differing opinions on what is interview attire so - should the picture be in a suit and tie for gentlemen and a pant/skirt suit for women?

What you wear below your shoulders doesn't matter - the picture should be primarily of your face, with neck and a bit of shoulders/upper chest. The background should be light and not have any writing/patterning. Whatever you wear should be pretty subtle and not distracting from your face. Given how little of your body is shown, even a t-shirt (not tank top) would be fine as long as it didn't have any writing/design on it. Below is similar to the photo I sent in, my hidden face has minimal makeup...no makeup, actually, and I am smiling. I'm wearing a plain T-shirt here, though you can't really tell.

 

[LizzyM]

Head & shoulders shot. Neutral background. Safest is shirt, tie & jacket for the gentlemen and modest blouse & jacket for the ladies (as you would dress for an interview). My school doesn't seem to mind if you use a polo shirt or something along those lines (business casual) for the picture.

The adcom where I am doesn't use the pictures except on interview day to help us recognize the people we are slated to interview and to jog our memories of who we've interviewed afterward.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I know a couple of the schools I interviewed at liked to put a name to a face, so things went smoother on the interview day. It also gives your application a bit more character and personality.

 

[terp720]

I believe I've seen some adcom members on here say that they don't use the picture prior to the interview and it is just used to help the interviewer put a face to their recommendation so it's easier to remember.

edit: ....and LizzyM beat me to that

 

[baxt1412]

Thank you, everyone. I have a photo with a polo, but the background doesn't meet the criteria. I was already basically planning on taking an updated photo anyway. Have to go a couple suits anyway, and who doesn't like a fashion show?

 

[Narmerguy]

I wore a button down shirt with a vest over it. It's cropped so you don't really see that much of the outfit in your picture except what's right around your neck.

 

[snowman.33]

Why don't I add another silly question here - so say you send in an inappropriate photo (say, one that they take of you coming down a roller coaster where you are screaming your face off) would that automatically neutralize an otherwise pristine application?

 

[baxt1412]

Why don't I add another silly question here - so say you send in an inappropriate photo (say, one that they take of you coming down a roller coaster where you are screaming your face off) would that automatically neutralize an otherwise pristine application?

If I was on admissions somewhere and I saw a photo that was either showing way too much (primarily women), or was in dirty/stained/wrinkled clothes it would be hard of me to forget that. It would question the applicant's seriousness in my opinion.

 

[pDeluxe]

Wear an ascot, instant admission

 

[Doctor Strange]

Why don't I add another silly question here - so say you send in an inappropriate photo (say, one that they take of you coming down a roller coaster where you are screaming your face off) would that automatically neutralize an otherwise pristine application?

This is an application to a professional program, and you should treat it as such. If it was me, I would throw the application in the trash without batting an eye. There are plenty of other applicants I could choose from that were smart enough to submit an appropriate photograph.

 

[hoihaie]

How big should the headshots be? (i.e. is there an optimal size?)

 

[Doctor Strange]

How big should the headshots be? (i.e. is there an optimal size?)

Some secondaries will have a pixel or file size specification, but, in general, the picture should be square (at least 200x200) and less than 3 MB.

 

[baxt1412]

where I am applying ED is stated as 2x2". i'd check each school's website or call/email them for clarification if you can't find it on their website

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

Should I shave my mustache?

 

[kyamh]

Should I shave my mustache?

Does your mustache look well groomed/clean? Are you going to have it during interviews?

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

Does your mustache look well groomed/clean? Are you going to have it during interviews?

It's pretty great, but I would probably shave it for interviews. I have a picture that I was thinking of using, but it isn't like a yearbook picture or anything. It was a picture of me they used for the cover of my employer's publication.

 

[snowman.33]

It's pretty great, but I would probably shave it for interviews. I have a picture that I was thinking of using, but it isn't like a yearbook picture or anything. It was a picture of me they used for the cover of my employer's publication.

You should submit a professional (ish) photo that you may resemble when/if you go for an interview, IMO. Perhaps just have a friend, or yourself, take shoulders up shot with a neutral background, as someone said above.

 

[PreciousHamburgers]

You should submit a professional (ish) photo that you may resemble when/if you go for an interview, IMO. Perhaps just have a friend, or yourself, take shoulders up shot with a neutral background, as someone said above.

Hmm, well it was professional, since it was for a publication, but it is a close-up of me at an event and is a candid shot. Maybe I should take a trip to Sears...

 

[BeancheBlanco]

I wasn't wearing pants in mine. Nobody will ever know...

 

[listener23]

Im going all out for mines, I'm thinking of hiring terry richardson

 

[NickNaylor]

Hmm, well it was professional, since it was for a publication, but it is a close-up of me at an event and is a candid shot. Maybe I should take a trip to Sears...

As long as it's reasonably professional you'll be fine. I was wearing a button-up in my pic with no tie, jacket, etc.. Just make sure you look reasonably good and it otherwise looks nice. You don't need to go get professional shots done. I took mine in the backyard.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LizzyM]

I'm house cleaning today and I just found some interview materials. The men were split 50-50 between photos with jacket & tie and open neck shirt, no jacket. There was one applicant in what looked like military clothing and one wearing a cardigan (?)
The women's photos were equally split between dress and jacket/blouse.

 

[The Milkman]

Why don't I add another silly question here - so say you send in an inappropriate photo (say, one that they take of you coming down a roller coaster where you are screaming your face off) would that automatically neutralize an otherwise pristine application?

If I were on an adcom, you'd be coming for an interview.

 

[infinitessimal]

I'm house cleaning today and I just found some interview materials. The men were split 50-50 between photos with jacket & tie and open neck shirt, no jacket. There was one applicant in what looked like military clothing and one wearing a cardigan (?)
The women's photos were equally split between dress and jacket/blouse.

What is your stance on girls' makeup? I had professional photos done very recently and would ideally use them; I'm wearing a blouse and my hair is done up, but I have on considerable eye makeup. Nothing that's inappropriate for the workplace, but I'd wear much less to the interview. Is this something that might turn people off?

 

[RTC19]

I'm house cleaning today and I just found some interview materials. The men were split 50-50 between photos with jacket & tie and open neck shirt, no jacket. There was one applicant in what looked like military clothing and one wearing a cardigan (?)
The women's photos were equally split between dress and jacket/blouse.

I apologize for any thread hijacking, but what is your stance on sleeveless dresses for women? This is a plain black business dress that is sleeveless, but the kind of sleeveless that covers the entire shoulder. Would this be okay? Should I wear a cardigan just in case?

Thank you.

 

[juliuspepperwood]

I wonder how a turtleneck, plaid blazer and pipe would play out... and one eyebrow raised of course

 

[Doctor Strange]

You guys (and ladies) are getting way too meta about these secondary photos now. It's a headshot for god's sake.

 

[RTC19]

I wonder how a turtleneck, plaid blazer and pipe would play out... and one eyebrow raised of course

*Laughs* Or go full Sagan on that b'otch! (Kidding)

 

[juliuspepperwood]

You guys (and ladies) are getting way too meta about these secondary photos now. It's a headshot for god's sake.

Wait, I shouldn't be reading NEJM in the pic?

 

[el_duderino]

Wait, I shouldn't be reading NEJM in the pic?

If you don't have your hands in someone's abdomen in the pic, just give up now.

 

[LizzyM]

What is your stance on girls' makeup? I had professional photos done very recently and would ideally use them; I'm wearing a blouse and my hair is done up, but I have on considerable eye makeup. Nothing that's inappropriate for the workplace, but I'd wear much less to the interview. Is this something that might turn people off?

The picture that I get is the size of a postage stamp... I'm lucky if I can tell that the applicant has eyes.

 

[LizzyM]

I apologize for any thread hijacking, but what is your stance on sleeveless dresses for women? This is a plain black business dress that is sleeveless, but the kind of sleeveless that covers the entire shoulder. Would this be okay? Should I wear a cardigan just in case?

Thank you.

If the picture is tight enough, you won't even see bare skin... that's all you need. I'm pretty sure one of the applicants whose picture I unearthed today was wearing a sleeveless but I didn't see any shoulder action.

 

[allantois]

They take pictures of students at the pre-professional office at my school and they tell students to wear business attire (jacket or no jacket). At the end of the day, you are trying to get into a professional school.

 

[BrCo]

@LizzyM is a darkish brown background considered neutral?

 

[familyaerospace]

1) I don't know what they do for other schools I interviewed, but MSU they use it to identify you during the MMI.

2) I've used a suit/tie (I seriously need to redo that, great photo but a little old), a passport picture (can you say horrible?), and one school got a photo from when I was in Israel.

 

[Redpancreas]

What you wear below your shoulders doesn't matter - the picture should be primarily of your face, with neck and a bit of shoulders/upper chest. The background should be light and not have any writing/patterning. Whatever you wear should be pretty subtle and not distracting from your face. Given how little of your body is shown, even a t-shirt (not tank top) would be fine as long as it didn't have any writing/design on it. Below is similar to the photo I sent in, my hidden face has minimal makeup...no makeup, actually, and I am smiling. I'm wearing a plain T-shirt here, though you can't really tell.

View attachment 182374

Is that you? Is irrational as it sounds I somehow thought you sounded more like a guy, even though your avatar is a girl. Haha that picture reveals so much, but so little.

 

[allantois]

med.fsu.edu/index.cfm?fuseaction=directory.tableStudent&groupID=20&usemenu=studentAffairs

I think this might be helpful as these are obviously photos of medical students

 

[LizzyM]

@BrCo I'd say dark brown is a neutral color. However, be sure that there is a contrast between your skin/hair color and the background.

 

[kyamh]

Is that you? Is irrational as it sounds I somehow thought you sounded more like a guy, even though your avatar is a girl. Haha that picture reveals so much, but so little.

Yep, that's me.

Edit: your confusion may stem from me talking about my girlfriend sometimes 😉

 

[NickNaylor]

The picture that I get is the size of a postage stamp... I'm lucky if I can tell that the applicant has eyes.

Word to the wise, though: your institution might use these pictures forever and ever. I know mine does; for example, our AMCAS picture was also used in the class directories that were printed and given out to everyone. Even though the picture adcoms see might be small, do be sure it's still a decent picture. You never know how your school may continue to use it.

I will also say that it doesn't seem to matter too much what the picture actually is as evidenced by the fact that people that are now my classmates used pictures that were clearly Facebook pictures simply cropped out. They were the small majority, sure, but I'd say about half were simply spontaneous pictures they repurposed for their app.