ERAS Headshot Requirements & Photo Guide

A complete guide for medical residency and fellowship applicants. Learn the current ERAS photo requirements, how to prepare for your headshot, and what makes a professional application photo look confident, approachable, and polished.

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Current ERAS Photo Requirements

Your ERAS photo must meet the technical requirements established for residency applications. Current AAMC guidance specifies a professional photograph with the face centered in the image.- Photo size: 2.5 × 3.5 inches - Resolution: 150 dpi - File size: Maximum 150 KB - File format: JPG/JPEG or PNG - Composition: Face centered in the photographRequirements can change, so applicants should always verify the current AAMC/ERAS guidance before submitting their application.
What Should an ERAS Headshot Look Like?
A strong ERAS headshot should look professional, approachable, and authentic. The goal isn’t to create an overly stylized portrait—it is to present a polished version of yourself that still looks like you. Clean studio lighting, natural retouching, professional attire, and a confident, welcoming expression keep the attention where it belongs: on you. Your face should remain the focus, with a clean, balanced composition appropriate for a medical residency application.
Professional ERAS residency headshot of a male medical residency applicant in professional attire
Professional ERAS residency portrait of a medical residency applicant photographed in Navarre, Flori

What Should You Wear for an ERAS Headshot?

Your clothing should look professional without distracting from your face. A well-fitting suit, blazer, dress shirt, blouse, or other professional attire generally photographs well for residency applications. Solid or subtle colors tend to work best, while busy patterns and oversized accessories are usually best avoided. Focus on looking polished, comfortable, and like yourself.

How Should an ERAS Headshot Be Cropped?

An ERAS headshot should keep your face clearly visible and prominent while leaving enough space around your head for a balanced, professional composition. A vertical portrait showing the head, shoulders, and upper torso provides flexibility when preparing the final image for ERAS. Avoid extreme close-ups, excessive empty space, or crops that place the face too close to the edge of the frame.

When Should You Take Your ERAS Headshot?

Ideally, schedule your ERAS headshot before you are ready to submit residency applications. This gives you time to select your favorite image, complete professional retouching, receive the properly prepared file, and upload it without rushing. For the 2027 ERAS season, residency programs may begin reviewing applications on September 23, 2026, so applicants should plan their headshot well in advance of that date.

ERAS Headshots for Fellowship Applications

ERAS headshots aren’t only for residency applications. Physicians applying for fellowship programs through MyERAS can also use a professional photo as part of their application materials.

The same polished, professional headshot approach works well for both residency and fellowship applicants. For the 2027 ERAS season, December-cycle fellowship applicants may begin submitting applications on November 12, 2026, and December-cycle fellowship programs may begin reviewing applications on December 2, 2026. Schedule your headshot early enough to allow time for image selection, professional retouching, and preparation of your final ERAS photo.

How Do You Upload Your ERAS Photo?

U.S. medical school graduates upload their photo through the MyERAS portal by selecting “Upload New Photo” in the Actions column, choosing the prepared image file, and uploading it. After upload, the photo must be assigned to the programs where you want it included. International medical graduates (IMGs) follow a different process: ECFMG is responsible for uploading the photo into ERAS, so IMG applicants should follow the current ECFMG instructions for submitting their photo.

Need an ERAS Headshot?
Panhandle Headshots provides professional ERAS headshots for medical residency and fellowship applicants from my studio in Navarre, Florida, serving applicants throughout Navarre, Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and the surrounding Florida Panhandle.