How many psychiatry spots are usually available during soap?

[zach175]

I had a general question regarding the soap each year for psychiatry spots. Does psych usually fill all spots through the general match or are there some left for soap? If so, is there a place that lists which programs had spots available for soap?

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[hamstergang]

Why could you possibly care if you aren't right now in the SOAP?

 

[zach175]

I'm just trying to gauge the competitiveness and was curious if any place broke down the numbers post-match, pre-SOAP. I've seen post-SOAP numbers somewhere for programs in the US but not pre-SOAP.

I am just trying to gauge competitiveness as I'm interested in psych as a potential residency when I apply next year. I assume most spots get filled through match but was just curious and wanted to double check.

Thanks for your help.

 

[splik]

the nrmp publishes the lists each year of number of matched/unmatched per program and track. this however doesn't necessarily tell you about the SOAP as programs are not required to put their unfilled spots in the SOAP. but this info is all available online.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

The number of spots available in SOAP for any particular field isn’t an indication of competitiveness. Psych has relatively few SOAP positions, where are radiology had quite a number. Radiology is still much more competitive, but they are sliding. Maybe SOAP spots are the first derivative of competitiveness because as a field of medicine dives, the directors are caught off guard, whereas psychiatry directors have learned to keep very long lists going a long time ago. # of SOAP positions does show you where to bail into if you go unmatched. I hear Prelim surgery is a favorite.

 

[so721]

I think 16 spots went unfilled. This does not mean that these programs are inferior in anyway. It means that the programs made the mistake of not interviewing enough candidates or did not rank enough applicants. Also, some applicants may have not ranked all programs.

By the same token, just because a program consistently fills and does not go unfilled, does not mean anything either. Some programs, even malignant ones, are very realistic about whom they select for interviews. Typically these are candidates with step failures, decels, FMG's who have been out of graduation for many years, Visa issues etc. They know that these candidates will rank them at any cost, and therefore are able to fill their spots.

My advice is to not bank on having quality positions in SOAP, things can change considerably from year to year. SOAP is not a strategy.

 

[zach175]

Thanks -- this clears things up well. I had never thought about how programs are putting their match lists together to account for trying to not go into SOAP where possible. This makes sense though and clears things up for me...appreciate the input!

 

[WingedOx]

The number of spots available in SOAP for any particular field isn’t an indication of competitiveness. Psych has relatively few SOAP positions, where are radiology had quite a number. Radiology is still much more competitive, but they are sliding. Maybe SOAP spots are the first derivative of competitiveness because as a field of medicine dives, the directors are caught off guard, whereas psychiatry directors have learned to keep very long lists going a long time ago. # of SOAP positions does show you where to bail into if you go unmatched. I hear Prelim surgery is a favorite.

Honestly from what I've seen through the years, the places that SOAP are the ones who screw up their match, rather than any sort of issue with "competitiveness."