ERAS Headshots:
What Connecticut Medical Students Need to Know
(information updated August 2026)
Your ERAS photo is a small file with an outsized job. It's often the first thing a program director sees, sometimes before a single line of your application, and it stays attached to your name through every stage of review and interview. This page covers what the photo actually requires, what makes one work well beyond the technical minimum, and how a session works if you'd like one taken here in Connecticut.
What ERAS actually requires
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) sets the technical specification for every ERAS photo, and it's a narrow one: 2.5 by 3.5 inches, 150 dpi, JPEG or PNG file format, under 150 kilobytes as a file. A photo outside those numbers can fail to upload correctly or display distorted to the programs reviewing it, regardless of how good the photo itself looks.
There's a lot of inconsistent information about this floating around online, older guides citing 100 KB, others citing 240 KB. The current, correct number directly from AAMC is 150 KB.
One exception worth knowing before you plan around any of this: Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology no longer use ERAS. Both specialties moved to a separate application system called ResidencyCAS, with its own requirements. If you're applying in either of those fields, confirm your photo specification directly through ResidencyCAS rather than assuming ERAS rules apply.
If you are a medical professional searching for professional headshots that can help your growing career, other than applying for residency, please visit the page for healthcare headshots.
What actually makes an ERAS photo work
Meeting AAMC's technical spec gets your photo accepted. It doesn't make the photo good, and those are two different problems.
A compliant photo can still undersell you: flat expression, uneven lighting, a background that reads more like a hallway than a portrait. Programs are moving quickly through hundreds of applications, and a photo that's technically fine but visually forgettable does nothing to help a reviewer remember you. The goal isn't just clearing the file requirements. It's looking like the capable, credible future resident you already are, in a photo that holds up next to everyone else's.
That's the gap between a photo taken to check a box and a photo taken by someone who knows how to light a face, direct an expression, and hand you a file that's already sized correctly. You shouldn't have to choose between the two.
Where and how sessions work
I'm based in the Hartford area and frequently work close to home, but ERAS sessions are available around Connecticut, generally scheduled at flexible office space depending on where the demand is. If enough Hartford-area or Fairfield County applicants want a session around the same date, that's usually enough to schedule a day there.
Sessions are one-on-one, booked individually, and priced in line with my standard headshot rates, starting at $600. Your finished photo is delivered to your email, already sized and formatted to meet the current AAMC specification and ready to upload whenever you're ready to submit it. The same photo often works well for other professional purposes too, LinkedIn or your CV, for instance, since it's a properly lit, properly composed headshot, not a compliance photo.
When to book
ERAS runs on a fixed calendar. The season typically opens in early summer, when applicants can begin building their MyERAS profile, but applications aren't actually transmitted to programs until early fall, several months later. That gap feels like time to spare. Booking early just means the session happens on your schedule rather than competing with board studying, rotations, and everything else on your plate that same summer, and it leaves room if your own timeline or program list shifts before the fall window opens.
For exact current dates, AAMC maintains a timeline that updates each cycle.
Have a Question ?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the current ERAS photo requirements?
AAMC requires a photo at 2.5 by 3.5 inches, 150 dpi resolution, saved as a JPEG or PNG, under 150 kilobytes as a file, in color, showing head and shoulders with the face centered. These are the current official numbers, confirmed directly from AAMC, not a third-party estimate.
Do Emergency Medicine and OB/GYN applicants need an ERAS photo?
No. Both specialties now apply through ResidencyCAS instead of ERAS, with a separate application system and separate requirements. Confirm your photo specification with ResidencyCAS directly rather than assuming the ERAS numbers apply.
Can I use a photo I already have, like an old headshot or a school ID photo?
Only if it happens to already meet the exact size, resolution, and file size requirements, which most existing photos don't. Even a strong headshot taken for another purpose is usually sized differently than ERAS requires, and resizing after the fact can distort the image or push it out of spec.
Do I need to wear a white coat?
No. A white coat is acceptable at some programs but not required, and many applicants are photographed in professional attire without one. If you're unsure what's expected for your specialty, it's worth asking your school's advising office, since expectations can vary slightly by field.
How far in advance should I book my ERAS photo session?
Well before the fall transmission window, ideally during the same early summer stretch when you're building the rest of your MyERAS application. Booking early gives you room to work around board studying, rotations, and any changes to your own schedule or program list before the season is underway.
Do you serve areas outside Hartford?
Yes. I'm based in the Hartford area and frequently work close to home, but sessions are available statewide, including Fairfield County, generally scheduled around demand at flexible office space.
Can I use my ERAS photo for other professional purposes?
Often, yes. Since it's a properly lit, properly composed professional headshot rather than a bare compliance photo, many applicants find the same image works well for LinkedIn or other professional use beyond the ERAS upload itself.
What happens if my photo gets rejected after I submit it?
You can upload a new photo and reassign it to your programs through MyERAS. It's a fixable problem, but it costs time you don't have to spare once the season is underway, which is the strongest argument for getting it right the first time.