Tackling the First 4 Hours of Match Week

Tackling the First 4 Hours of Match Week

While you can click to view the full timeline for the Post-Match SOAP® here, it’s truly important residency candidates understand the tricky timing and limited nature of the Monday of Match Week.

One of two things with happen, Monday, March 12, 2018. Either you will be Fully Matched, or you will remain Unmatched/Partially Matched. If the first option happens, you can pop open a bottle of champagne and kick back until Match Day on Friday, March 16th. However, if the second option happens, you will be thrown into the Post-Match SOAP without a life vest. (Remember, unmatched means you did not obtain any residency position and partially matched means you matched into either a preliminary position or advanced position.)

Summarizing the First Four Hours

Time

What Residency Candidates Should Be Doing
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (EST)

Research Time

  • Check your Match Status
  • If not Fully Matched: Review the List of Unfilled Programs on NRMP’s® R3 System® and decide which programs to pick based on personal preferences and fulfillment of program’s criteria requirements
12 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST)

The Golden Hours
  • Search the programs you have chosen from the List of Unfilled Programs within ERAS when it opens at 12 p.m. (EST)
  • Assign documents to your chosen programs
  • Review your 45 program application choices and make sure they are STRONG**
  • Apply to programs when you are sure you’re ready (While you can technically apply to programs from 12 p.m. to the end of SOAP, it is highly suggested that you apply before 3 p.m. to be among the first group of applicants). 
3 p.m. (EST)

Application Release
  • Continue applying to the 45 programs that you assigned documents (ERAS® will release the prepared applications at 3 p.m.)
  • Continue checking your phone, email, NRMP, and ERAS accounts throughout Match Week


**STRONG program choices are those in specialties you have the right, specialty specific documents for (Personal Statement, Letters of Recommendation, etc.) and you fulfill the program’s application requirements.

As you can see, the first four hours of the first day of Match Week are time sensitive and limited. Unlike the Regular Match Season with unlimited program applications, you are only allowed a maximum of 45 applications. You will need to squeeze a month’s worth of research into the first three hours in order to make the most of those 45 applications.

SOAP Case Scenarios 

Applicant A is an IMG who did not Match in the Main Residency Match®. They are prepared to apply to preliminary Internal Medicine programs and Family Medicine programs by having the right, specialty specific documents. Hypothetically, there are 40 programs in Internal Medicine and 60 programs in Family Medicine. This is far more than they are allowed to apply to so Applicant A must make their choices wisely. Applicant A wants to focus on IMG friendly programs that they have the right credentials to apply. But, there is NO WAY for Applicant A to visit 100 program websites and assign documents to their program choices in the time allotted. Applicant A ran out of time to research and applied randomly. They were immediately filtered out of 10 of their program choices and their SOAP chances were hurt very badly.

Applicant B is also an IMG participating in SOAP and aiming for preliminary Internal Medicine programs and Family Medicine programs. However, Applicant B was aware of the time sensitivity and decided to seek professional research help. Applicant B registered for Electronic Residency and activated the Internal Medicine and Family Medicine specialties. By simply searching with the 10-digit ACGME code or surfing by specialty, Applicant B was able to identify 45 strong, compatible programs to apply to in plenty of time.

With a limited amount of program applications you can send out, each program choice you make must be golden. But, it is almost impossible to make well-informed choices in the time allowed and many applicants end up applying blindly to incompatible programs. Fortunately, services exist to help you complete your program research instantly.

Check out Electronic Residency to learn more about the SOAP, and see what the power of the right help can do to relieve stress and strengthen your Post-Match chances.

(Content Updated: February 9, 2018)

 

Letters of Recommendation for SOAP

Letters of Recommendation for SOAP

If you are reflecting on your Residency Application Season so far and you’re dissatisfied with the results, it may be possible that your application supporting documents were not doing you justice.

While preparing for the Post-Match SOAP®, there are some aspects of your residency application that are worth revisiting to ensure your application is as strong as it can be. Two of the most important documents you can refresh, rewrite or replace are your Personal Statement and Letters of Recommendation.

Supporting Documents for the Post-Match SOAP: Letters of Recommendation

Of course, the first step is to review data from last year’s SOAP to get an idea of which medical specialties are more likely to have vacancies and which specialties probably won’t. This way, if you have the specialty specific documents already, you can just edit or revise them. Or, if you don’t have the documents, you can put them together.

For example, the medical specialties with the most vacancies in 2017:

  1. Preliminary General Surgery (486 positions)
  2. Family Medicine (141 positions)
  3. Internal Medicine (128 positions)

Be sure to carefully compare the documents you have in-hand to the specialties you are considering applying to in the Post-Match. It is especially important you start thinking about your Letters of Recommendation now because these can take time to ask new letter writers and for the writers to craft their letters.  

Almost every specialty likes to see at least one specialty specific Letter of Recommendation. If you do not have a Letter of Recommendation in the specialties you have identified from the previous SOAP year’s data, you should be sure to secure at least one per specialty. This will give you a great advantage over those who come into the Post-Match unprepared for the contingencies.  

Even if you already have Letters of Recommendation in your chosen specialties, it is most certainly worth the effort to refresh them. When it comes to Matching in the Post-Match, residency candidates cannot afford to leave any stones left unturned.

Addressing your Letters of Recommendation now will not only strengthen your overall application but also give you an edge over other residency applicants who are not as prepared.

(Content Updated: February 1, 2018)  

 

What is Post-Match SOAP?

What is the Post-Match SOAP?

The Post-Match Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) is a service offered by NRMP®, with applications transmitted through ERAS®. The Post-Match is an opportunity for residency programs to fill any vacant spots they may have after the Main Residency Match® and for residency candidates to fill those empty positions.

Simply put, the SOAP takes the whole residency application process and condenses it down to a mere few days.

For those who are unable to Match, or only partially Match to a preliminary or advanced position, the Post-Match SOAP can act as the next step to completing the Match Season and your requirements for full medical licensure in the US.

A Brief Overview:

The Post-Match SOAP takes place during Match Week from Monday until Thursday. You will receive an email the Friday prior to Match Week letting you know whether or not you are Post-Match SOAP eligible (this email does not indicate if you have Matched or not). Those who have conducted less than 10 interviews or have any other concerns about their chances to Match should make sure they fulfill the requirements for SOAP eligibility.

On Monday morning of Match Week, SOAP-eligible applicants will first learn their Match Status on NRMP. Then, they will be given the chance to view the List of Unfilled Positions provided by NRMP and select a maximum of 45 programs after researching each program for greatest compatibility. Finally, SOAP applicants will go to ERAS to prepare and submit their 45 applications for the programs they choose from the Unfilled List.

After candidates have had a chance to apply, programs will have the remainder of Monday and Tuesday to review applications and contact applicants. (Please note: Applicants are not allowed to initiate first contact with programs beyond submitting their ERAS application.) Starting Wednesday, NRMP will begin conducting a series of 2-hour long Offer Rounds where candidates will have a chance to Accept or Deny possible offers from programs.

The Post-Match SOAP will end at 11 a.m. (EST) Thursday, March 16th. NRMP will release a final, updated version of the List of Unfilled Programs to include non-SOAP participating programs.

The Road Ahead:

The Post-Match SOAP can be the most stressful part of the residency application process– especially if you are overwhelmed by the confusion of the SOAP process. You will need to prepare yourself in advance to have the best chance of Matching during the Post Match.

Electronic Residency is dedicated to answering your questions and helping you make the most of the Post-Match. Follow our info blog for tutorials, tips, and in-depth explanations.

If you have any questions about the Post-Match SOAP, be sure to contact the Post-Match experts at Electronic Residency by calling 858-299-2003 ex. 1 or emailing support@electronicresidency.com.