From NRMP website: "SOAP-eligible unmatched applicants shall initiate contact with the directors of unfilled programs only through ERAS." I'm an IMG so I don't have a dean's office to help me. Just need to understand the logistics of what kind of communication I need at my disposal for SOAP. It looks like it's a violation for SOAP applicants to start calling unfilled programs directly. Should I just get call-waiting for my land-line since that is the phone number on my ERAS application? How is the cell phone useful? Do people ask PDs to call back on the cell to free up the land-line? Also, it seems having a fax machine is not necessary since everything gets sent out from ERAS.
multiple phone lines and cell phones for SOAP?
- Thread starter dusselas
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Here is a PDF document that answers all of your questions:
http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/userguide/2012_soapapps.pdf
http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/userguide/2012_soapapps.pdf
I'm familiar with that pdf. It gives the impression that offers are extended to applicants based only on ERAS applications. I thought aProgDirector mentioned in another post that PDs would at least want to talk with candidates before offering them a position--that's why I want to know if there's a need for me to get an extra phone line or cell phone. I understand that the rules say I cannot call programs; I can only submit my ERAS app. But, I don't see anything that bars PDs from calling me--or is this prevented under the SOAP rules?
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You are prohibited from initiating contact with programs other than by sending them your ERAS application. Once they review your app, if they are interested, they will call you to conduct a phone interview; you should not expect to match at a program that does not at least extend you a phone interview.
Even if you had call waiting, there's no way they'll sit on the line for 10-15 minutes if you're busy interviewing with another program. Having not gone through the process myself, it's hard for me to guess whether they would consider leaving you a message to call them back if you had an alternate number such as a cell phone that they could call if you were on the line with someone else.
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In SOAP, there's 48 hours between when applications are released and when the 1st round of SOAP-matching happens. You should assume that any program interested in you will want to talk to you first, usually by phone but perhaps by email. Because of the long delay, the chances that two programs will call you at the same second are very small. Also, if that were to happen, you'd be able to call the second program back after you finished with the first (assuming you have caller ID), or it's likely the program will try to call you again.
So, I think that all you'll need is a single, solid, working phone number. That number should be a US based number if at all possible. Having both a land line and a cell number listed might be a good idea if possible, but that would mean that you'd need to sit next to the phone for several days.
One of the benefits of SOAP (compared with the previous scramble) is that it isn't a mad rush to contact people. Being the first person called isn't necessarily a benefit, since the program can rank people in whatever order they want.
The timing of SOAP is also very different. Programs get 1000's of applications, and it takes hours to download them all. Do not expect phonecalls early Monday afternoon. Programs need to download applications and then review them -- most of your calls will come late Monday or on Tuesday.
So, I think that all you'll need is a single, solid, working phone number. That number should be a US based number if at all possible. Having both a land line and a cell number listed might be a good idea if possible, but that would mean that you'd need to sit next to the phone for several days.
One of the benefits of SOAP (compared with the previous scramble) is that it isn't a mad rush to contact people. Being the first person called isn't necessarily a benefit, since the program can rank people in whatever order they want.
The timing of SOAP is also very different. Programs get 1000's of applications, and it takes hours to download them all. Do not expect phonecalls early Monday afternoon. Programs need to download applications and then review them -- most of your calls will come late Monday or on Tuesday.
