SOAP

The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program^® (SOAP^®) is the process by which eligible unmatched, or partially unmatched applicants may apply to programs with unfilled residency positions and receive offers through the National Resident Matching Program^® (NRMP^®) Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3^®) system. ERAS SOAP Information.

• This entire process is confidential - classmates need not know about Match status unless one choose to tell them.
• The Office of Student Affairs and departmental faculty are here to help guide applicants through this stressful time. OSA can assist in reviewing the student’s application, estimate chances of SOAPing into a spot in that residency or assist in making alternative plans.
• What follows is a rough roadmap of the process.

During Match Week, unmatched and partially unmatched applicants who are deemed eligible may participate in SOAP® to try to obtain an unfilled residency position.

• SOAP® for Applicants from NRMP® and Guide
• ERAS and NRMP SOAP® 101 Webinar

To participate in SOAP^®, applicants must be: 

• Registered for the NRMP^®Main Residency Match^®. 
• Eligible to start residency in July 
• Unmatched or partially matched on Monday of SOAP^® week. 

There is no separate registration for SOAP^® and applicants do not submit a rank order list. 

The SOAP^® Week Schedule can be found here.

SOAP Frequently Asked Questions

MONDAY of MATCH WEEK

• Applicants will be able to find out if they are matched or unmatched via the NRMP R3® system or via the NRMP Voice Response System (with NRMP code and PIN numbers).
• Unmatched students should contact OSA immediately. OSA will be attempting to contact you as well so please make sure your contact information on MedScope is current! 
• Unmatched applicants cannot apply to programs BEOFRE the designated time on Monday of match week and cannot contact programs until contact by programs first.
• Unmatched applicants cannot accept positions outside of the Match
• Eligible applicants cannot accept offer outside of SOAP®

Unmatched Applicant To-Do

• SOAP^® Applicant Check list
• SOAP^® Guide for Applicants
• Eligible applicants should have main strategy (e.g., attempting to apply to unfilled positions in to the initial specialty) and a backup strategy (e.g., applying to unfilled preliminary year position, applying to a different specialty, or taking a year off to do research, etc).
  • Alternate Strategies: Research, Master Programs, non-clinical positions
• Applicants may bring a support person, such as a significant other or
• Review the MyERAS profile and add the NRMP ID if necessary.
• Update the MyERAS application - If considering applying to a different specialty, applicants may want to write a new personal statement and might want to assign new letters of recommendation.
• Discuss - Plan to meet with OSA and Specialty Advisors this afternoon
• The MSPE will be updated and re-uploaded by OSA

The programs with unfilled spots will be available on Monday. The list shows what programs in each residency are unfilled and how many spots they have available.

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY of MATCH WEEK

• Check in daily with OSA, Departmental Advisors, and Support Network
• Students can submit applications through ERAS.
• Students may apply to 45 programs in SOAP.
  • We generally recommend applying to all 45 programs before Round 1. Some applicants may choose to save some applications for later rounds.
  • The distribution of applications (either specialty, type (categorical/preliminary/transitional), or timing should be discussed with OSA and departmental faculty.
• Applicants may NOT contact programs. Programs must initiate contact with the applicant.
• Applicants should be available to be contacted by programs via phone or email Tuesday through Thursday
• Each program will be different: some will only review the students application via ERAS, while other program directors will actually get on the phone or Zoom and conduct a “mini-interview”. 
• Rarely will local programs ask to come in for an interview.
• No offers will be made over the phone or in person. Official offers will ONLY go through ERAS.

THURSDAY of MATCH WEEK

• NRMP SOAP^® ROUNDS 1 through 4 occur over the course of the day

Accepted a Position   

• Let OSA know the specialty of the program you matched to, as well as the institution name, city and state and whether it is PGY1 or PGY2.
• Let OSA know if planning to attend Match Day

Students Remaining UnMatched after SOAP^®

• Review “ERAS Fees Post SOAP®” and “After SOAP® Concludes”
• Please review UnMatched Student page
• Careers in Medicine: Unmatched Applicants
  • Steps in the FindAResident Process
  • Normalizing Going Unmatched
• Read: “If you don’t Match: Steps to Manage Student Loans”
• Connect with faculty mentors and OSA

FRIDAY of MATCH WEEK

• Match Day