Why You Need a Professional ERAS Headshot | Cleveland Med Student Blog
Let’s face it your ERAS application has got a lot going on. Your photo shouldn’t be its weak point. Medical students pour years of their lives into the residency application process. You study for exams, complete rotations, collect recommendations, finalize research, craft your personal statement, and do everything else you can to put your best foot forward through one of the most stressful seasons of your medical career. Somewhere between step one and step twenty-five, however, your photo is typically relegated to an afterthought. Sure, it is not the entirety of your application, but it is part of the first impression you give.
When your application has your face on it, it deserves a professional headshot. An intentional headshot that matches the professionalism and academic success of your application materials. For medical students in Cleveland submitting through ERAS, professional headshots can help. No, your photo will not win you residency by itself. However, a bad photo can hurt you. An image that is poorly lit, oddly cropped, taken from a casual selfie, outdated, or otherwise hurried can distract from the hard work you have put into everything else. Programs will be reviewing thousands of applications. If there is an easy way to make your application stand out as professional and complete, it is worth doing.
Think of it this way: your image is communicating to programs. Whether you realize it or not, your photo is saying something about you. Is it telling them that you are professional, polished, confident, approachable, and ready for residency? Or does it give off completely different vibes? Your ERAS headshot should align with the story your application is telling. It should fit with your personal statement, your medical experience, your evaluations, and your image as a future physician.
That being said, your photo does not need to be sterile. In fact, the best ERAS headshots usually reflect the opposite. Your photo should represent you. Ideally, that means you will look like yourself on a great day. You want to appear prepared, smart, collected, and approachable. Keep that in mind when you schedule your session.
Here’s another thing to consider. As medical students in Cleveland, you are competing for positions at some of the best programs in the country. Your city houses major medical institutions, incredible hospital systems, and some of the most prestigious names in healthcare. Students and residents here at the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and elsewhere are training to work at these respected facilities. Competition is fierce, and your application should reflect that. Your headshot included.
Some students make the mistake of thinking that any headshot will do. If it looks fine on Instagram, it’ll probably look fine on ERAS, right? Wrong. Sure, technically, your DIY photo might get the job done. But does it look like you took the residency application process seriously? More importantly, does it send the message you want your future employer to receive when skim-scanning through applications? Things like lighting, posture, camera angle, cropping, clothing, and facial expression all play a factor in whether or not your photo looks professionally taken. A professional photo shoot takes these things into account. Along with experience, when you hire a professional photographer, you are not just hiring someone to take a sharp picture of you. You are investing in someone who knows how to make you look your best.
Speaking of clothing, what you wear matters too. At least when it comes to photography. For most ERAS applicants, that means classic professional clothing, simple cuts, and neutral colors. Avoid loud patterns, distracting prints, trendy clothing, and Jeans. You want your readers to focus on your face. Pick an outfit that will make your headshot feel timeless.
Which brings me to my next point. Something as simple as facial expression can make or break your photo. This is why professional headshots tend to turn out better than our selfies. Most people don’t realize how their face looks to a camera. You might think you look calm and cool, but the photo may not reflect that. Instead, you look tired, nervous, awkward, or unapproachable. Oftentimes, minor adjustments to your posture, chin height, shoulder position, and expression can change your photo from meh to oh wow. Not sure how to capture the best you? That’s what professionals are for.
Professional headshots can even benefit Cleveland medical students beyond their ERAS application. The same headshot you use on ERAS can (and probably should) be used for your LinkedIn profile, professional biography, speaking engagements, hospital faculty profiles, future fellowship applications, and more. In other words, a professional headshot can continue working for you well beyond matching with a residency.
When you work with Capture Style Photography, you get more than just a photo shoot. You get a photographer who understands what you’re looking for. As medical students and residents, you need a headshot that looks professional but not stuffy. Natural but put-together. There’s a balance, and we know how to help you strike it.
Oh, and did we mention we know medicine in Cleveland? Because we do. As a former residency director and former teaching faculty member at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, I have worked with hundreds of medical students and residents over the years. I understand the standards, the expectations, and what it takes to stand out in academic medicine. That’s why we offer discounts for Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals residents, as well as students attending CWRU SOM and Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Stop Treating ERAS Headshots like an Afterthought
Put your best face forward. Remember, your application would not feel complete without it. A professional ERAS headshot can help you match with your dream residency program and beyond. When you’re ready to look like a medical professional, reach out to Capture Style Photography.
Are you a medical student or residency applicant in need of professional ERAS headshots in Cleveland? Let Capture Style Photography help you craft a professional, timeless photo you can use on your application and beyond.
