The residency match is the culmination of almost a decade of education and effort – and we know – it is criminal that you can go through all of that and still even face the possibility of going unmatched. The complicated nexus of politics which is responsible for that is a topic for another time.
This post is simply a failsafe. We didn’t write it because we think you won’t match – we think you are great and will match your #1 program :’).
However, if you do find yourself in the objectively tragic situation of receiving a “We are sorry…” email from the NRMP on March 17th, we want you to know exactly what to expect so you are ready to take action.
With that being said – let’s break down SOAP week, Matchpal style.
What is the SOAP Process?
The SOAP process is a part of the residency match system that helps unmatched medical students find an available residency position after the main match results are announced.
SOAP is essentially a re-match process that happens over the course of the 3 days after the official Match Monday results (for the more junior med students reading this, Match Week has 2 major days – the Monday is when you find out if you Match, and the Friday is when you find out where you match. Brilliant way to extract your cortisol, we know, but the silver lining is, the 3 days in between is when the unmatched undergo SOAP and try to lock in a spot).
These spots are generally those that weren’t filled during the regular match, either because the program didn’t receive enough applicants or because they never entered the Match in the first place for some reason (ie; a newly accredited program).
The Timeline
The SOAP process takes place over a four-day period and happens the week after Match Monday (which is March 17th this year). Here’s a general timeline:
- Match Monday: Results are announced, and if you don’t match (or only partially match), you’re eligible for SOAP. If you match, celebrate the win and be there to support any friends or colleagues that did not.
- SOAP Week:
- Day 1 (Monday): Students receive access to a list of unfilled residency spots at 10am.
- They can start applying to programs that have vacancies at 11am.
- Applicants will have up to 45 applications to use
- No additional fees will be charged to apply
- Days 2-3 (Tuesday-Wednesday): Programs review applications and select students to interview.
- It is up to the program how they choose to evaluate, contact, and interview SOAP applicants.
- We literally have heard of someone taking a Zoom interview during SOAP while driving to the grocery store because a PD called them asking to get on Zoom ASAP. Yep. It can be that crazy.
- This means you need to be ready basically at all reasonable times for possible interview, phone call, or email.
- We know this sucks but this is where having supportive friends and family is CRITICAL to offload literally any and all life responsibilities that don’t immediately pertain to the SOAP process.
- Day 1 (Monday): Students receive access to a list of unfilled residency spots at 10am.
- Day 4 (Thursday): Programs will submit rank lists. Applicants do not create rank lists.
- Positions are offered to applicants through the R3 system during four SOAP Offer Rounds on Thursday, March 20, with the first round beginning at 9 a.m.
- For each Offer Round, applicants are offered positions based on the program’s preference list order and according to the number of unfilled positions remaining in the program.
- Each Offer Round is two hours, during which applicants can accept or reject offers they have received.
- Available applicants can receive multiple offers in any Offer Round.
- Offers not accepted or rejected during each SOAP Offer Round expire.
- There are 3 more offer rounds at 12, 3 and 6pm on Thursday for spots that do not fill in the preceding round.
- Day 4 (Thursday): Programs will submit rank lists. Applicants do not create rank lists.
Interested in working with an expert advisor from our team to optimize VSLO, ERAS, or USMLE/COMLEX?
Strategies for Successfully Navigating SOAP
- Be Prepared to Act Quickly: The SOAP process moves fast, and you will need to make some pretty big decisions within the first hour that you get the news of not matching.
- You’ll need to be ready to apply to programs immediately upon accessing the list of available positions.
- Positions may not be available in the specialty you applied into. You need to decide whether you are pivoting specialties entirely or going for a preliminary year position with the intent of reapplying.
- Keep Your Application Materials Updated: Ensure that your application materials (CV, personal statement, letters of recommendation) are up-to-date and tailored for SOAP. While the applications to SOAP programs are generally simpler, programs may still request some basic documents, and it’s best to have them ready.
- Update your CV with anything notable that you achieved between applying in September and now.
- Consider revising your personal statement (especially if you decide to apply to a different specialty during SOAP than you did in the main Match)
- Check Your Email and MyERAS Frequently: Communication happens rapidly during SOAP, and you must be vigilant. You’ll likely get interview invitations and offers via email, so keep your email open and check it frequently. Make sure your spam filter doesn’t block any important messages.
- Target Programs That Fit Your Strengths: While SOAP gives you a second chance, it’s still important to be strategic about which programs you apply to. Your chances of success are better if you target programs that align with your background, interests, and qualifications.
- Research Available Positions and Prepare Accordingly: Review the list of open spots carefully.
- Most common/abundant categorical positions offered in the SOAP are FM, EM, and IM.
- Very rarely and unpredictably, some advanced specialties (ie; RadOnc, Derm, PM&R) will have a handful of unfilled positions.
- Consider Different Specialties: Many unmatched students may have focused primarily on a single specialty. However, SOAP offers an opportunity to explore other specialties that you might not have considered before. If you’re open to different paths, this could significantly increase your chances of landing a position.
- Prepare for Interviews The SOAP process often involves rapid interviews with residency programs. You may have to attend multiple interviews in one day, and they may be conducted via phone or Zoom.
- Be Ready to Answer Key Questions: Be prepared to answer questions about why you didn’t match initially, why you’re interested in the specific program, and how you can contribute to their residency program. Be honest, but also show your enthusiasm and commitment to the field and program.
- Prepare Your SOAP Elevator Pitch: You may need to quickly explain why you’re a good fit for their program. Craft a brief, compelling story about your strengths, what you bring to the table, and why you want to be part of their residency program.
- Be Flexible and Open The more open-minded you are during the SOAP process, the more options you’ll have. Some programs may be in locations you didn’t initially consider, or in specialties you may not have thought about.
- You have to thoroughly consider whether you would rather go unmatched entirely (do not recommend) instead of going to that small community program in a rural area.
- A word about preliminary positions:
- These 1 year positions give you a job as a resident doctor in a hospital, and for most people in the SOAP, this is what you will have the best chance of obtaining.
- It is nearly impossible to practice medicine in the United States (sans maybe rural urgent care) with just a 1 year residency under your belt, which means you will likely be reapplying the following year
- There are mostly preliminary medicine and preliminary surgery years.
- There is a rare handful of preliminary peds and OBGYN spots.
- Only go for surgical prelim if your goal is to reapply for general surgery or a surgical subspecialty. Otherwise you are subjecting yourself to a significantly more challenging year for little/no benefit.
- Choose a program that has the specialty you actually want to apply for/pursue the following year so you can hopefully do elective rotations/make connections there. This is how many re-applicants match.
- Reapplying the following year without being enrolled as an active PGY1 resident will be a challenging endeavour, with significantly lower odds of matching than an active PGY1.
Final Thoughts
We wouldn’t wish the SOAP upon anyone and our hearts go out to any medical student that has to endure this process. We do encourage you to be transparent about asking for support from friends and loved ones if you do have to SOAP – they are your biggest allies in this process and without them, it becomes insurmountably harder to handle.
Additionally, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team for free last minute guidance on how to navigate the SOAP, sell yourself during SOAP interviews, or discuss if pivoting specialties is the right choice for you.
