Team work never hurts.. Tell us your SOAP strategies for this year, Why you are soaping and future plans.. Match email will be sent on march 13th so now is the time to start gearing up and preparing to SOAP if you think you may need to.
How would you know at this point?Who is Soaping this year speak up!
To be fair, someone who registered w/ ERAS and NRMP for the sole purpose of SOAP-ing would know. But that should be a small population.How would you know at this point?
To be fair, someone who registered w/ ERAS and NRMP for the sole purpose of SOAP-ing would know. But that should be a small population.
Relatively small then. There were >42K applicants in NRMP last year and only 1869 without a rank list.Actually, not that small.
It takes reading between the lines, but here is a sample of what I think as "SOAP" only applicants (from NRMP)
In 2016:
7, 460 Non-US IMGs registered with NRMP.
1,869 did NOT submit a rank list. Now, some of them are folks who didn't get any interviews or didn't want to rank any of the programs they interviewed at. And, surely, some of them (most of them?) were in for SOAP only.
Why didn't you rank the other 3 programs you interviewed at?I only ranked one program so i think statistically there is only a 50% chance I will match there.. BUT I didnt feel very confident about that interview day so probably much lower chance... I wonder if SOAPING into a PRELIM from IM applicant is possible and if so should I rewrite my personal statement to reflect that I am interested in doing a 1 year prelim?
Medicine prelim positions are quite competitive. The applicants who matched advanced Derm, Anesthesia, Radiology... are all vying for those spots so they don't have to do a Surg prelim. And imagine how the Neuro folks who must have a medicine prelim are pushing for one! There were around 100 medicine prelims in the original SOAP availability list last year.I only ranked one program so i think statistically there is only a 50% chance I will match there.. BUT I didnt feel very confident about that interview day so probably much lower chance... I wonder if SOAPING into a PRELIM from IM applicant is possible and if so should I rewrite my personal statement to reflect that I am interested in doing a 1 year prelim?
I only ranked one program so i think statistically there is only a 50% chance I will match there.. BUT I didnt feel very confident about that interview day so probably much lower chance... I wonder if SOAPING into a PRELIM from IM applicant is possible and if so should I rewrite my personal statement to reflect that I am interested in doing a 1 year prelim?
SOAP into Integrated CT Surgery.Soap into surgical prelim or research year? What's the general consensus recommendation for well-qualified but unsuccessful applicants to hyper-competitive specialties such as ortho, ENT, plastics?
I think it depends upon why you didn't match. If the problem is your board scores are too low, then a research year isn't going to help much (except perhaps at that program, if they really like you). If it's concern about performance in your clinical years, then a prelim might help fix that. If it's not enough academics, then a research year -- although recognize that you'll be submitting your app in Sept, so you'll only have 2.5 months before your app is due.Soap into surgical prelim or research year? What's the general consensus recommendation for well-qualified but unsuccessful applicants to hyper-competitive specialties such as ortho, ENT, plastics?
SOAP into Integrated CT Surgery.
SOAP into Integrated CT Surgery.
Medicine prelim positions are quite competitive. The applicants who matched advanced Derm, Anesthesia, Radiology... are all vying for those spots so they don't have to do a Surg prelim. And imagine how the Neuro folks who must have a medicine prelim are pushing for one! There were around 100 medicine prelims in the original SOAP availability list last year.
There will be plenty of Surg prelims, though.
Just curious but how did you assume that it's only a 50% chance of matching? I understand why you're saying 50% since it's either a "yes or no", but isn't this statistic lower since it's based on "contiguous ranks"?
If you're SOAPing into a prelim spot, PD's will want to know what your plan going forward is. Don't waste time talking about how you always wanted to do Prelim IM.
I think it depends upon why you didn't match. If the problem is your board scores are too low, then a research year isn't going to help much (except perhaps at that program, if they really like you). If it's concern about performance in your clinical years, then a prelim might help fix that. If it's not enough academics, then a research year -- although recognize that you'll be submitting your app in Sept, so you'll only have 2.5 months before your app is due.
A real possibility, given the thread mentioning that a great program forgot to submit their ROL. There will be spots!
If you're SOAPing into a prelim spot, PD's will want to know what your plan going forward is. Don't waste time talking about how you always wanted to do Prelim IM.
I think it depends upon why you didn't match. If the problem is your board scores are too low, then a research year isn't going to help much (except perhaps at that program, if they really like you). If it's concern about performance in your clinical years, then a prelim might help fix that. If it's not enough academics, then a research year -- although recognize that you'll be submitting your app in Sept, so you'll only have 2.5 months before your app is due.
A real possibility, given the thread mentioning that a great program forgot to submit their ROL. There will be spots!
MeWho is Soaping this year speak up!
I will do.Who is Soaping this year speak up!
You need to tell them.Just wondering do you know the unfilled programs know whether I am unmatched or partially matched in soap?
Thanks and good luck
How, we are not allowed to start contacting the programs unless we get any interview we can talk there.You need to tell them.
You can tell them after they have contacted you.How, we are not allowed to start contacting the programs unless we get any interview we can talk there.
Not sure I was told that applicants had a 50% chance of matching to their number one choice. No idea what the odds are but they arent great especially since I didnt feel that confident about the interview.
Hi I had a question about the SOAP process and was hoping someone might know the answer. I was wondering if you had to transcript a new USMLE transcript in SOAP or if you could use the one that was already loaded into your original ERAS application? I had to retake Step 2 CS but will not get my new score until the end of April so I was just curious how the system works. Thanks!
Thanks for the thoughtful response. For this individual, board scores, clinicals and academics are all strong; interview skills are good; research was weak due to late specialty decision, so my thoughts are that delaying graduation for a research year might be a sound strategy. On the other hand, this is also the type of applicant who could find a plum in the SOAP and/or perform well in a surgical prelim. So for an applicant like this, what's the best strategy?
I'm geussing we have to pay for soap application? Like 45 to 20$ each? Another 900$ cold cash?
Hi,
Any idea whether the unfilled programs know we are unmatched or partially matched?
Thanks
Hi I had a question about the SOAP process and was hoping someone might know the answer. I was wondering if you had to transcript a new USMLE transcript in SOAP or if you could use the one that was already loaded into your original ERAS application? I had to retake Step 2 CS but will not get my new score until the end of April so I was just curious how the system works. Thanks!
I'm geussing we have to pay for soap application? Like 45 to 20$ each? Another 900$ cold cash?
I matched today.
For everyone soaping, I was in your shoe last year and I matched this year.
Don't give up guys.
Good luck for everyone.
Anybody have advice on what jobs that qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program like unlicensed MDs?
Third unmatched application, third SOAP. I've never heard of someone going four rounds with the match, so probably the last. I know how it goes now, just have to make a decision whether I should apply to the bunch of surgery prelims. I know that most of the other categories are red herrings that fill up internally with soft SOAP violations on the first round. Hopefully I won't get an interview call like last time where they just contact me to say that they only consider partially matched people.
Anybody have advice on what jobs that qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program like unlicensed MDs?
Sorry to hear that you went unmatched.
For PSLF all that matters is the institution, not the job. Any government or not-for-profit institution should qualify for PSLF which means that basically any job at an academic center will qualify. I see that you are listed as a post-doc now. I am currently working as a post-doc at a university and did PSLF this year. If you were interested in staying in research, you could easily find PSLF-qualifying jobs.
The real question is how much faith do you want to put in the future of PSLF.
There is always the Missouri option now that allows you to work as an assistant physician there.