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// For medical students applying to residency

ERAS Headshots for Medical Residency Applications

Your ERAS headshot.

Residency application photos built to the AAMC 2026 MyERAS spec, 2.5 × 3.5 inches, under 150 KB, JPG or PNG, face centered. Delivered ready to upload, with nothing for you to second-guess.

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$249 · 20 min · Delivered in 48 hours
Professional ERAS headshot: The First Headshot, DC Metro
// AAMC 2026 spec check
2.5 × 3.5✓
< 150 KB✓
JPG / PNG✓
Face centered✓
01 / The specs Built to ERAS requirements

Your photo meets every AAMC spec, without you checking a single one.

The 2026 MyERAS upload enforces strict limits that get photos rejected at submission. Yours arrives already formatted, sized, and ready for the portal, and built to the AAMC's published requirements.

// Dimensions
2.5 × 3.5"
AAMC max. Delivered at this exact aspect, ready to upload to MyERAS without resizing.
// File size
< 150 KB
The AAMC hard limit. Compressed cleanly without quality loss, no re-saving, no compression panic at 2am.
// File format
JPG / PNG
Both formats AAMC accepts. Delivered as JPG by default; PNG available on request.
// Composition
Face centered
AAMC explicitly requires the subject's face to be centered. Composed that way from the first frame.
// Background
Neutral
Light, neutral studio background is the industry standard for residency application photos, clean, modern, photographs well across all skin tones.
// Attire
Business pro
What most programs expect. Prep guide covers what to wear and what to skip, no white coats in the primary photo.
02 / What you walk away with

One session. Every file you need.

The $249 session delivers two fully retouched images, each arriving in every format ERAS, your residency program, and your professional life might ask for. No re-sizing, no re-paying.

01
ERAS-spec primary file
2.5 × 3.5 inches, under 150 KB, JPG (or PNG). Built to the AAMC 2026 spec, ready to upload to MyERAS the moment you receive it.
02
Web-resolution version
For your LinkedIn, your hospital ID, your program directory after match. Same photo, sized for screens.
03
Print-resolution version
300 DPI for if a program requests a printable photo, or for your eventual hospital badge.
04
Pre-session prep guide
Sent a few days before your session. What to wear, what to skip, what time to arrive, where to find the studio. Nothing left to guess.
// Why this matters

Your photo gets stared at for hours. It should be working for you.

Program directors print every applicant's photo and review them while building the rank list. The image you submit is doing real work in a room you'll never be in, long before your interview, sometimes long before they've read your personal statement.

You don't need an artistic portrait. You need a photo that says "this person can be trusted to do the job", and then steps out of the way of the rest of your application. That's the entire product.

I'm the photographer behind every session, working from a studio in South Riding, VA and serving medical students across the DC Metro area for their ERAS and residency applications.

03 / Book

One package. One price. Built for ERAS.

No tiers, no add-ons, no decisions beyond when you want to come in. Same product whether you're applying internal medicine, dermatology, or anything in between.

// The First Headshot · ERAS
$249
20 min session · 2 retouched images · 48-hour delivery
  • Studio session in South Riding, VA
  • Full coaching: every angle, expression, and adjustment
  • ERAS-spec file (2.5 × 3.5", JPG/PNG, <150 KB)
  • Web and print resolution versions included
  • Pre-session prep guide sent before your appointment
  • Free reschedule up to 48 hours before
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ERAS questions.

What dimensions does ERAS require?
The AAMC's 2026 MyERAS Applicant User Guide specifies a maximum of 2.5 × 3.5 inches, max file size 150 KB, in JPG/JPEG or PNG format, with the face centered in the frame. Your deliverable is built to those specs. (Older guidance about a 5 × 5 square format is not part of the current AAMC requirements.)
What should I wear?
Business professional, blazer or suit jacket, clean blouse or button-down, solid colors that read well against a neutral studio backdrop. No white coats in your primary photo, most program directors prefer the business-pro look for ERAS. The prep guide sent before your session covers this in detail.
Can I take a separate photo with my white coat?
Yes, time permitting within the 20-minute session. The primary deliverable is your business-pro ERAS photo, but if there's time at the end I'll capture a white-coat alternate. Two retouched finals are included; additional retouched images beyond that are $75 each.
How fast can I get my photo?
Standard turnaround is 48 hours from your session. If you're up against an application deadline, mention it when booking and same-day delivery is sometimes possible (add-on fee may apply).
What if I don't like the photos?
During your session, we review images on the monitor together, so you'll know what you're getting before you leave the studio. If you have feedback on the retouching after delivery, I'll make adjustments.
Do you photograph medical students for residency applications?
Yes, most clients are fourth-year medical students preparing their ERAS residency application photo, along with IMG and fellowship applicants. The session and deliverables are built around the AAMC MyERAS spec, so your medical residency headshot is ready to upload the day you receive it.
Are you an ERAS photographer near Washington, DC?
Yes. The studio is in South Riding, Virginia, an easy drive from Washington, DC and the wider DC Metro area, so you don't have to travel far for an in-person ERAS photographer. Most residency applicants book a single 20-minute session and have their photo within 48 hours.
Where is the studio?
South Riding, Virginia, about 25 minutes from Georgetown, 30 from GW Med, and accessible from anywhere in the DC Metro area. Free parking on-site. Address sent in your booking confirmation.