Interview season is wrapping up. What happens if I don’t match? What is this SOAP thing I’ve heard about?
SOAP stands for the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program. Check out this video explaining SOAP.
Applicants learn if they matched via email from the NRMP or on the NRMP R3 system on March 11 at 10 am. SOAP starts at that point. There are four rapid-fire rounds of apply/interview/offer for programs that did not fill to connect with applicants who did not match. SOAP concludes on Thursday of Match week. All students in the Class of 2024 are welcome to participate in the Match Day festivities on March 15!
Here are a few things to consider now (just in case):
If you are concerned that you did not receive enough interviews to have a high probability of matching, consider taking a few steps now to be sure you are ready to participate in SOAP in case you are unmatched or only partially matched on Monday of Match Week.
- Make sure your MyERAS application is complete. It must be certified before you can apply to programs in SOAP. If you certified it for the match, it is still certified for SOAP.
- Keep your personal information (including your NRMP ID) updated in MyERAS.
- You can update or add new personal statement(s). Many residency specialties will have very few (if any) positions available. Consider a parallel plan for SOAP. Is there a less competitive specialty you would consider? Create additional personal statements that are specialty-specific for your parallel plans.
- Consider obtaining additional letters of recommendation before Match Week. Make efforts to get letters specific to your parallel plan. You can request letters from new writers or ask old letter writers to make their letters specialty non-specific. It is acceptable to use your old letters if you choose (or if you’re unable to secure new letters).
Your lead advisor and the Medical Student Education deans and directors will be here to support all students needing to use the NRMP SOAP process to secure a match.
Contact Dr. Debra Rusk, assistant dean and director of career mentoring, with any questions.
