How should I approach SOAP? Advice needed!

[vytorin]

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Hi everyone,

I am an old IMG ( 2007 ) with not very good scores ... 202, 226, CS (2nd attempt), 206. I did one elective from a prestigious medical school in US back in 2007 and three observerships from different US hospitals in the next few years.

I have been applying for a residency for the past 3 years ... didn't get any interviews the first 2 times but got 1 in FM this year probably because of taking STEP 3 last year. Interview went pretty well but, with only one interview in my plate I am not aiming much high. I applied to 180 FM programs and remained very proactive throughout the season with phone calls and emails but failed to get more calls.

I need your help regarding SOAP. I know it's very very competitive and chances of securing a position is next to none but the least I could do is to give it one last shot. I read that Prelim IM might be a good bet but again so many people with awesome scores will be applying there.

I know a lot of people might say stuff like what was I doing all those years. I am a mother of a 3 year old with special needs. Past few years had been a struggle for us, but if it's meant to be it will happen for me. Any sincere advice is much much appreciated.

Thank you in advance for the much needed help.

 

[j4pac]

I know nothing about the soap but I certainly hope the best for you.

 

[vytorin]

Thank you j4pac!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I agree with your assessment that your chances in SOAP are not great, but it costs you nothing and you might as well try if you don't match to your single program this year.

Prelim IM tends to be more competitive than FM. There will be people who match into Neuro, Derm, and Rads who need a prelim year that will be SOAPing for these spots, and there usually aren't many of them.

Your best options are FM and Prelim surgery. Getting an FM spot would obviously be ideal. Prelim surgery spots tend to be the most numerous in SOAP, but you'll have to decide whether you're willing to commit to the pain and misery of a year of prelim surgery for the hope that it makes you more competitive for something else, which might or might not happen.

 

[gutonc]

Not that the old scramble was much better, but the numbers for the SOAP are abysmal. 9000 IMG/FMGs applying to the SOAP each year with about 150 of them actually getting positions.

I'm not sure if the numbers are that much worse, but we have real statistics now since it goes through ERAS/NRMP. But, yeah...not a pretty sight.

 

[vytorin]

Thank you so much guys for the quick response and guidance! I am not leaning much towards Surgery (life is already very busy with my daughter and I don't want to make it any harder by getting into something which doesn't have much prospects for me) ..... if I wouldn't match this year then I might either do an MPH or start looking for something related to Pathology (although I don't have ideal Step 1 scores but that's something I like best after IM/FM).

I have one more question which requires your assistance/advice, do I need to make a list beforehand like for example; If I'll be looking for FM or Prelim Surgery programs during SOAP should I need to prepare a certain list of the hospitals (community perhaps) who are open to my credentials? So that, I'll be able to apply right away when SOAP opens, as I am assuming it's going to be first come first serve basis.

Again, I don't have very high hopes but I want to give it a shot for my own peace of mind.

 

[Law2Doc]

..., as I am assuming it's going to be first come first serve basis...

The "scramble" used to be first come first serve. Lots of racing to fax things before the fax machines jammed, lots of calling and getting put into voicemail or endless hold. Soap is actually less of a race and more like a bunch of mini matches, so its not really first come first serve (which as mentioned above now benefits the US grads). I have no idea how you think you can prepare lists head of time as you don't even know what programs will even have spots in SOAP until after the match. I guess you can wrap your head around alternative specialties, regions of the country etc.

 

[gutonc]

There's nothing to do to prepare for SOAP other than maybe editing your PS for specialties like FM. As mentioned above, it's basically a mini-Match.

Go here for the details.

 

[vytorin]

Thank you all for the help!

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Since you mentioned pathology, you should figure out whether you want to consider applying to any open positions in SOAP. Path isn't terribly competitive.