Your ERAS photo Same day

AAMC requires ERAS photos to be 2.5 × 3.5 inches (375 × 525 pixels at 150 dpi), saved as JPEG or PNG, no larger than 150 KB. The image must be a head-and-shoulders shot on a plain light background in professional attire.

Every session ships the spec-perfect JPEG ready for MyERAS — no resizing on your end.

375 × 525 pixels at 150 dpi — the AAMC minimum. For a higher-quality source file, shoot at 1,500 × 2,100 pixels (300 dpi) or larger and downsize for the final MyERAS upload. We shoot at full sensor resolution and prepare both the spec-perfect 150 KB JPEG and the high-res master.

ERAS accepts JPEG (.jpg) or PNG (.png). JPEG is the most common choice because it compresses to under 150 KB more easily than PNG. We deliver JPEG by default.

150 KB. Files larger than 150 KB will be rejected on upload to MyERAS. Every photo we deliver is compressed to fit under the limit while staying visually clean.

AAMC specifies a plain, light background — typically light gray, off-white, or very pale blue. Avoid pure white (it blows out under standard exposure) and any patterned, textured, or dark backdrop. All three of our studios shoot on a calibrated light-gray seamless.

The 2027 ERAS residency cycle opens for applicants on June 4, 2026. International medical graduates request their ERAS Token through ECFMG's MyIntealth platform in late June 2026. Applicants may begin submitting MyERAS applications to programs on September 2, 2026; programs may begin reviewing applications on September 23, 2026.

Schedule your ERAS photo six to eight weeks before the September application window — typically July or early August — so you have time for a retake if anything needs adjustment. For the 2027 cycle, aim for a session by mid-August 2026.

The 2027 fellowship cycle opens on June 4, 2026 at 9 a.m. ET. EFDO distributes fellowship tokens starting June 5, 2026. July-cycle specialties (cardiology, GI, heme/onc, pulmonary, critical care) may begin submitting on July 1, 2026, with programs reviewing from July 15. December-cycle subspecialties (interventional cardiology, advanced heart failure, transplant subspecialties) begin submitting on November 12, 2026, with programs reviewing from December 2. The 2026 fellowship cycle ends May 31, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET.

ERAS Basic and Besties sessions run up to 20 minutes per person. ERAS Plus runs up to an hour and includes multiple outfit changes and backgrounds.

Same day. You leave the studio with the final AAMC-spec JPEG ready for MyERAS, and the full high-resolution gallery is delivered within a few hours.

At ERAS Photo, a single-applicant ERAS Basic session is $225. ERAS Plus (longer session, multiple outfits) is $350. ERAS Besties is $300 total for the whole session — split it with a friend from med school for $150 each, the lowest per-person price on the menu. Retouching beyond the included light cleanup is $25–50 per image (Basic $25, Advanced $50).

Besties is the cheapest per-person path — same AAMC-spec deliverable as Basic, split between two friends.

Quick tip — grab a friend from med school and book ERAS Besties together. The Besties session is $300 total; you split it down the middle and it works out to $150 each. That's the lowest per-person price on the menu — less per person than booking either of you a Basic session alone ($225). You come in the same morning, same studio, and each of you walks out with the same AAMC-spec ERAS Basic deliverable, ready for MyERAS upload — and a shared session is shorter and less awkward than going solo. Cheapest way to get this done without cutting corners on quality.

AAMC does not technically require a professional photographer — but program directors see thousands of photos each cycle, and a poorly lit phone shot stands out for the wrong reasons. A professional ERAS photo costs $200–$400, takes 20–60 minutes, and is the single most-viewed image on your application.

Light cleanup is included with every session. Heavier retouching — flyaways, blemishes, under-eye, teeth whitening — is $25–50 per image (Basic $25, Advanced $50) and added after you pick your favorites.

Solid colors photograph best. Dark navy, charcoal, or black jackets are the safest choice. Avoid busy patterns — they pixelate at the 150 KB / 150 dpi compression. A simple button-down or sweater works if a blazer isn't your style.

AAMC does not require a smile, but program directors respond well to a natural, warm expression. A relaxed half-smile beats both a stern closed-mouth look and a wide grin. The photographer will direct you on the day.

Yes. The studio adjusts your angle and lighting to avoid lens glare. If your prescription includes anti-reflective coating, you're in good shape. If not, the photographer may ask you to remove the glasses for two or three frames as backup.

The eight common rejection reasons: file larger than 150 KB; wrong aspect ratio (not 5:7); background too dark or patterned; head not centered; face partially cropped or too small in frame; sunglasses or hat visible; image is a screenshot rather than a JPEG/PNG; image was rotated and saved with wrong orientation metadata.

Yes. You can update your photo in MyERAS at any point, but program directors who've already opened your application may have seen the original. Get it right the first time by booking with a studio that delivers AAMC-spec output the same day.

An ERAS photo is a tightly cropped 2.5×3.5-inch head-and-shoulders image on a plain light background, sized under 150 KB for the AAMC system. A LinkedIn headshot is square, larger, often shot with environmental context, and used at higher resolution. ERAS Plus delivers both formats from one session.

Yes — the AAMC photo spec is identical for residency ERAS and fellowship ERAS. If your residency photo is recent (within 12 months) and still looks like you, you can re-use it for fellowship. Most applicants choose a fresh photo for fellowship to reflect their current career stage and updated wardrobe.

Often, yes. Beyond appearing in every reviewer's file, applicant photos are frequently projected on a wall or shown on a large screen while a residency selection committee discusses candidates together. Your application photo can be seen by an entire room at once, at large size — not just on one reviewer's monitor. It's one of the highest-visibility elements of the whole application, which is why it's worth getting right even though the upload itself is small.

It depends on what needs fixing. Because the file is compressed to a small resolution, tiny details disappear — a stray hair flyaway, for instance, isn't worth retouching because it won't register at that size. But meaningful corrections do carry through: noticeably clearer skin, neater hair, or cleaner clothing change the overall tone, contrast, and impression of the image — and that improvement stays visible even at the small ERAS size and when the photo is enlarged on a screen during committee review. Skip the micro-details; invest in retouching only where there's a real, visible improvement to make.

That's normal — it doesn't mean the photo is low quality. The ERAS file is formatted to the AAMC's required small resolution: 375 × 525 px, under 150 KB. When you open a file built for that small size and blow it up to fill a full screen, it naturally looks soft — you're viewing it far larger than it was made to be seen. At the size programs actually display it, it's sharp. Every session also includes the high-resolution master for any use — LinkedIn, faculty pages, printing — where you need full sharpness at large size.

You don't have to figure it out alone. During the session your photographer reviews the take with you on the spot and helps you identify the strongest, most successful frames — the angle, expression, and lighting that work best for you. Your full gallery is then delivered organized by rating, with the top-rated shots surfaced first, so the best options are easy to find instead of buried in a flat folder of near-identical frames. You always make the final call — we just make it obvious which photos are the strongest.

Three studios — pick whichever is closest. All three deliver the same AAMC-spec output the same day.

• New York · Times Square 260 W 44th Street, Office 501, New York, NY 10036
• New York · Wall Street 50 West Street, Office C10, New York, NY 10006
• Miami · Brickell 168 SE 1st Street, 10th Floor, Miami, FL 33131

Yes. All three studios — Times Square, Wall Street, and Brickell — are open on Saturdays and Sundays, including throughout the busy ERAS application season (July–September).

Same hours, seven days a week — every studio. Weekend slots stay open straight through the ERAS peak (July – September). Hours are local to each studio.