ERAS PHOTO REQUIREMENTS · PHOTO AGE
How Recent Does an ERAS Headshot Need to Be?
The reviewed public ERAS application-photo instructions do not state a numeric age limit. The “taken within six months” rule is on Intealth’s separate MyIntealth account-establishment page, not the ERAS photograph section reviewed here. Match the rule to the exact photo task, then check any instructions from your programs.
What the current public instructions say
AAMC’s MyERAS photo page lists JPG/JPEG or PNG, a maximum 150 KB file size, and a centered face. It explains how applicants upload and assign the photo and tells applicants to research programs individually. The public photo checklist reviewed does not give a “photo taken within X months” limit.
For the IMG route, ECFMG/Intealth’s ERAS Supporting Documents page says to submit the photograph through MyIntealth. Its photograph section lists a clear, full-front head-and-shoulders image, centered face, natural expression with eyes open and looking forward, JPEG format, a 150 KB maximum, and dimensions no larger than 2.5 × 3.5 inches. The reviewed ERAS photograph section does not give a numeric capture-age limit; it also says applicants may update the photo through MyIntealth.
Intealth’s account-establishment page is different: it requires a face photograph for setting up a MyIntealth account and explicitly says that image must be current, taken within six months. That instruction is tied to that account/identity process. It is not automatically evidence of the age limit for a different ERAS Supporting Documents upload.
| Photo task | What the reviewed source says | Numeric age limit stated? |
|---|---|---|
| AAMC direct MyERAS photo | JPG/JPEG or PNG, up to 150 KB, centered face; check program requirements. | Not in the public photo checklist reviewed. |
| ECFMG ERAS photo for IMG applicants | Submit via MyIntealth; JPEG, up to 150 KB, no larger than 2.5 × 3.5 inches; route-specific framing criteria. | Not in the ERAS photograph section reviewed. |
| Intealth account-establishment photo | Photo used when requesting a MyIntealth account; separate account/identity purpose. | Yes: taken within six months of submission. |
A four-field source check for an older photo
Use this source-reading workflow before treating a date limit as universal. It separates what a page states from what a reader may infer.
- Name the task. Write “MyIntealth account establishment,” “ERAS Supporting Documents photo,” or “direct MyERAS photo.” A shared organization or sign-in platform does not make the uploads interchangeable.
- Open the matching public section. Find the page that describes that specific upload. A requirements list for an account identity step cannot fill a missing line in an application-photo list.
- Record each criterion separately. Keep capture date, file format, byte limit, dimensions, framing, and assignment as different fields. Do not turn a numeric condition for one field or task into an unlisted rule for another.
- Check the live applicant screen and program instructions. A portal can present a newer, account-specific instruction, and AAMC expressly directs applicants to research programs individually. When those instructions are unclear, ask the relevant support or program rather than treating a public-page omission as approval.
For example, if a photo was taken more than six months ago, the account-establishment page’s stated date condition is directly relevant if that is the task being completed. If the file is instead an ERAS application photo, the reviewed AAMC and ECFMG/Intealth public photo sections do not supply that same numeric cutoff. That comparison identifies the published rule boundary; it does not decide whether a particular older image still represents the applicant or will satisfy every program’s expectations.
Keep a small evidence note with the task name, source title, URL, date checked, and exact criterion. If a new portal screen adds a requirement, record it with that screen and route instead of silently rewriting the public checklist.
Photo age is different from reusing a prior-season photo
“How old is this image?” and “Will this image carry into another application season?” are separate questions. ECFMG’s current reuse instructions say eligible applicants who participated in ERAS 2026 and participate again in ERAS 2027 do not need to resubmit photographs as part of the described document reuse process. A new photo can be submitted through MyIntealth to replace the previous one. The AAMC page describes direct MyERAS uploading and assignment. Read the season-reuse eligibility and the current photo criteria separately; one does not define the other.
See the prior-season photo reuse comparison for the season-transfer question, or the color-rule source comparison for a different example of why task scope matters.
Apply the rule without guessing: three example records
The examples below show how to document the source result, not whether any particular photograph is acceptable. Each record keeps the question, source, and unresolved part separate.
| Situation | Source-bound statement | What remains to check |
|---|---|---|
| Photo is older than six months; applicant is establishing a MyIntealth account | The account-establishment page states a six-month capture window for that task. | Use the current account screen and its instructions for the account photo. |
| Photo is older than six months; applicant is preparing an ERAS application upload | The reviewed AAMC and ECFMG/Intealth ERAS photo lists do not state that numeric limit. | Check the exact route, any portal notice, and instructions from the programs. |
| Photo was used in a previous season | For eligible ECFMG reuse cases, the current page describes season reuse; this is not a general image-age rule. | Verify the season-pair eligibility and whether a new image is being submitted. |
This is a documentation pattern: (1) identify task and applicant route; (2) attach the matching source; (3) copy only the criteria actually listed; (4) mark an unstated age limit as “not stated in this section”; (5) keep program-specific or in-portal checks open. It prevents a known six-month condition from being misapplied just because both tasks mention MyIntealth. It also prevents the opposite mistake: treating a public checklist’s silence as proof that every older image passes. If a specific program or current portal gives a stricter rule, that source governs the question it addresses.
Common questions
Does ERAS say an application headshot must be less than six months old?
The AAMC and ECFMG/Intealth public ERAS photo sections reviewed here do not state that numeric age limit. The six-month wording appears on Intealth’s account-establishment photo instructions for a different task.
Does that mean any old ERAS photo will be accepted?
No. The reviewed public sections do not establish universal acceptance for every image, portal screen, or program. Use the current instructions for the exact upload and any program-specific requirements.
Can an IMG replace an ERAS photo?
ECFMG/Intealth says applicants can submit a new photograph through MyIntealth; once processed, it replaces the previous photograph in the MyERAS application. Follow the current portal instructions for that upload.
Is prior-season reuse the same as the photo-age rule?
No. Reuse describes whether a stored photo transfers for an eligible season pair. A photo-age limit describes how recently a particular image must have been taken for a particular task.
Why applicants ask about photo age
A recent public applicant thread asks whether a headshot taken in 2023 could be used for ERAS. That is a question signal, not official guidance. The answer above is limited to the current public source wording listed below.
Video explainer
This English explainer compares the reviewed ERAS photo instructions with the separate MyIntealth account-establishment photo rule. English narration is accompanied by burned-in English captions.
Sources and scope
- AAMC, Photo — direct MyERAS photo upload/checklist and program-specific instruction.
- AAMC, FAQs for ERAS Residency Applicants — MyERAS Documents — current 2027 document-list context.
- ECFMG/Intealth, ERAS: Supporting Documents — Photograph — IMG-route photo criteria, upload, replacement, and assignment.
- Intealth, MyIntealth Applicant Account Establishment & Identity Verification — the separate six-month account-establishment photo condition.
- r/headshots, “Can I use ERAS headshot I took in 2023?” — applicant question signal only; comments are not treated as official policy.
Official pages checked October 27, 2026. Public wording may not show every logged-in screen or individual program instruction; this page does not predict acceptance. Residency Headshot is independent and is not affiliated with AAMC, ECFMG, Intealth, or ERAS Support Services.