ERAS HEADSHOT · PHOTO FRAMING
Does an ERAS headshot have to show your shoulders?
It depends on the submission route’s published wording. ECFMG’s current MyIntealth photograph instructions for IMG residency applicants explicitly call for a full front view of the head and shoulders. The AAMC’s current direct MyERAS photo checklist says the face should be centered but does not list shoulder framing. That difference does not establish how a private portal preview crops an image.
What each current photo page says
The ECFMG ERAS Supporting Documents page describes photographs submitted through MyIntealth. Its photo description says the image must be clear, show a full front view of the head and shoulders, center the face, and show a natural expression with eyes open and looking directly ahead. The page separately lists JPEG format, a 150 KB maximum, and a maximum size of 2.5 by 3.5 inches.
The AAMC Photo chapter describes the direct MyERAS route for U.S. medical school graduates. Its listed photo requirements include JPG/JPEG or PNG, a 150 KB maximum, and a centered face. The reviewed public checklist does not include the same “head and shoulders” phrase.
Read the page for the route that applies to your submission. The AAMC page directs IMG residency applicants to ECFMG for photo submission information; the framing phrase from ECFMG should not be presented as text that appears on the direct MyERAS checklist. A missing phrase on one public page also does not prove that a close crop is accepted in every account or upload screen.
A route-by-route wording matrix
| Public route page | Framing wording reviewed | What that wording supports | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAMC · direct MyERAS | Face is centered in the photo. | The public checklist names face centering. | It does not state a shoulder crop measurement or describe every preview. |
| ECFMG · MyIntealth | Full front view of head and shoulders; face centered. | The public checklist names head-and-shoulders framing and a centered face. | It does not define a pixel boundary for the shoulders or explain every preview crop. |
This matrix separates three kinds of statement: exact text on a route page, a plain-language restatement of that text, and a question the page leaves open. It prevents a route-specific sentence from quietly becoming a universal portal rule. The source wording gives a framing description; it does not provide a measured box in pixels or a guaranteed preview rendering.
A repeatable way to check the framing without guessing
- Name the route first. Identify whether the photo is submitted directly in MyERAS or through ECFMG’s MyIntealth. AAMC directs IMG residency applicants to ECFMG for its photo-submission instructions.
- Read the live route page. Copy the framing sentence as written. For ECFMG, the reviewed page explicitly names a full front view of the head and shoulders. For direct AAMC/MyERAS, the reviewed photo checklist names a centered face.
- Inspect the full saved image. Look at the original image file separately from any circular or square preview. A preview crop only shows that interface’s preview; it does not by itself prove how another view is rendered.
- Record what you can verify. Note the file you selected, the route page you followed, and any acceptance or rejection message. Do not convert a visual impression such as “too tight” into an undocumented pixel rule.
- Resolve route-specific uncertainty with the route owner. If the upload screen or account feedback appears to conflict with the public wording, ask AAMC or ECFMG support about that exact screen and route. Their public pages do not specify every crop, clipping threshold, or downstream display.
This is a source-reading process, not a test of MyERAS or MyIntealth. It does not score a photograph, predict acceptance, or infer program preferences. Keep a copy of the original image so that a preview or export does not replace the file you are comparing.
A recent public applicant thread asked whether programs see a circular crop or the full photo after an ERAS preview clipped the top of the head. That post is a question signal only; it cannot verify the private program view. The official route pages and the actual support response for a specific screen are the relevant evidence.
Common questions
Does AAMC’s direct MyERAS checklist say “head and shoulders”?
The current AAMC photo checklist reviewed here says the face should be centered. It does not include that same shoulder-framing phrase. The public wording should be read as written, without inferring that a particular close crop will pass.
Does ECFMG’s MyIntealth photo description mention shoulders?
Yes. It says the photograph must show a full front view of the head and shoulders, with the face centered and the other listed facial-expression conditions.
Does a circular preview prove that the uploaded image is cropped?
No. It shows a circular preview in that interface. The two public photo pages reviewed do not describe every program-facing or account-specific rendering.
Can I use one route’s framing text for the other?
Keep the instructions tied to their stated route. AAMC directs IMG residency applicants to ECFMG’s photo-submission instructions; the reviewed wording differs between those pages.
Sources
- AAMC, Photo — current direct MyERAS route and its listed photo requirements.
- ECFMG, ERAS Supporting Documents — Photograph — MyIntealth route, photo description, and file specifications.
- Public applicant question about a cropped preview — used only as a question signal, not evidence of downstream display.
The route comparison above was assembled from the listed public pages reviewed November 5, 2026. No application portal or program account was accessed. This independent site is not affiliated with AAMC, ECFMG, or Intealth.