{"id":19035,"date":"2019-09-16T16:28:49","date_gmt":"2019-09-16T21:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=19035"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:40:37","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:40:37","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-soap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/usmle\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-soap\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know About SOAP (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As you wait to find out whether your own\u00a0Match Day story\u00a0has a happy ending, here\u2019s the scoop on the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrmp.org\/residency\/soap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)<\/a>.<br \/>\nSOAP is made up of a series of rounds in which participating programs seek to fill their unfilled residency positions. Keep in mind, just getting an email before Match Day about your eligibility for SOAP doesn\u2019t indicate whether or not you\u2019ve matched.<br \/>\nHere\u2019s what you need to know about the program:<br \/>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_heading  avia-builder-el-first  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Make sure you\u2019re eligible for SOAP<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nYour eligibility for SOAP is based on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrmp.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">National Resident Matching Program (NRMP)<\/a>\u00a0requirements. You\u2019ll need to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Register with the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrmp.org\/residency\/main-residency-match\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Main Residency Match<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Be eligible to enter graduate medical education programs on July 1 in the year of the Match.<\/li>\n<li>Be partially matched or fully unmatched on Monday of Match Week.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Everyone who is SOAP-eligible receives an email confirming this the Friday prior to Match Week.<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Know what to expect when Match Week commences<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nIf you\u2019re eligible for SOAP, you can see the List of Unfilled Programs in the NRMP\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrmp.org\/match-process\/registration-ranking-results\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system<\/a>\u00a0starting at 11 a.m. EST on Match Day: the Monday of Match Week. You can begin submitting your applications through the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.aafp.org\/medical-school-residency\/residency\/apply\/eras.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)<\/a>\u00a0at 2 p.m. EST. You\u2019ll be able to apply only for the categorical, preliminary, and\/or advanced unfilled positions that you\u2019re eligible for.<br \/>\nSOAP begins at 11 a.m. EST on Monday of Match Week when applicants find out whether or not they\u2019re matched.<br \/>\nYou will have until 2 p.m. EST to submit up to 45 applications. At 3 p.m. EST, programs have access to the applications and begin the \u201cinterviewing\u201d process, which can mean a phone call, video, or in-person [if local] interview. There are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nrmp.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/How-a-SOAP-Round-Works.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">three Offer rounds<\/a>\u201412 p.m. EST &amp; 3 p.m. EST on the Wednesday and 9 p.m. EST on the Thursday of Match Week. The offers are based off of the program\u2019s rank list<br \/>\nIf you are extended an offer during the first round and decline it, you will not be offered the spot again. After the last offer round, the remaining unfilled spots from both SOAP and non-SOAP programs are released. At this point, applicants can start to reach out to programs directly. During the SOAP process, it is a violation to contact programs outside of ERAS\u2014don\u2019t do it!<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_promobox  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Be ready if you\u2019re contacted for an interview<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nPrograms can contact you for a\u00a0residency interview\u00a0after they receive your ERAS application. Keep in mind that, as an applicant, you\u2019re not allowed to initiate contact with programs during SOAP. The programs will contact you first by phone or email and conduct brief phone interviews.<br \/>\nSome programs will want to have video interviews using Skype or, if you\u2019re local, they may offer to have in-person interviews. No matter what the format, be ready during your residency interview to show that you\u2019re the right candidate for the program.<br \/>\n\t<div  style='background:#c5c5c5;color:#ffffff;border-color:#c5c5c5;' class='av_promobox  avia-button-no   avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading '>\t\t<div class='avia-promocontent'><\/p>\n<div class='avia-iframe-wrap'><iframe width=\"1500\" height=\"844\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jO01w-4AwXs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>\n<\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_promobox  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Advice for U.S. Seniors<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nMany unmatched applicants can secure a position through SOAP. It may not be in your initial specialty or desired location. However, starting at a program offers the best option for switching specialties or re-applying the following year. Or you may find that you enjoy the specialty you matched at and complete the program!<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_heading  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Advice for IMGs<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nEven as a U.S. IMG [e.g. U.S. citizen at a Caribbean medical school], SOAP can be a frustrating process unless you already have a relationship with a program. Non-U.S. IMGs have even fewer resources to navigate the system, which can make it hard to optimize one\u2019s strategy for securing a spot.<br \/>\nIf your goal as an IMG is to practice medicine in the U.S. regardless of specialty, then applying to preliminary medicine\/surgery, as well as open categorical primary care specialties, may be your best option. Showing that you\u2019re a strong resident in a one-year position will probably open more doors for re-application the following year.<br \/>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Next steps after the SOAP<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\nIf you remain unmatched after the SOAP, you can use the list of unfilled spots to reach out to programs directly. There are typically very few programs left at this point and most programs will have either filled the spot by the time you\u2019ve reached out to them or decide to leave it unfilled. At this point, it doesn\u2019t hurt to reach out to any program you\u2019d be open to training at. Although, the number of offers extended at this point are minimal.<br \/>\nUnmatched applicants after Match Week will need to reflect upon deficiencies in their application in order to determine the best path for re-application. Certain aspects cannot be changed\u2014clinical grades and USMLE scores\u2014but letters of recommendation, research, and networking are all areas that can be improved upon.<br \/>\nYou may consider another advanced degree [e.g. MPH, MBA]. However, this also generally confers more debt. Reach out to mentors and ask for frank feedback on your application. It\u2019s important to reflect upon your application and move forward.<br \/>\n<i>After matching, heed our advice and\u00a0<\/i><a title=\"All About the USMLE Step 3\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/usmle\/all-about-the-usmle-step-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i>take Step 3<\/i><\/a><i>\u00a0before starting residency. Do it while you have time to study!<\/i><br \/>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As you wait to find out whether your own\u00a0Match Day story\u00a0has a happy ending, here\u2019s the scoop on the\u00a0Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). SOAP is made up of a series of rounds in which participating programs seek to fill their unfilled residency positions. Keep in mind, just getting an email before Match Day about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[145],"tags":[157],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19035"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19035"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34174,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19035\/revisions\/34174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}