SOAP 2018 Thread

Residency Personal Statement
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I have applied to unfilled programs via ERAS. But still no response. Now available seats are reducing. What to do?
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colourboy87 said:
I have applied to unfilled programs via ERAS. But still no response. Now available seats are reducing. What to do?
Click to expand...
I guess we wait. Hope for a call or email. Perhaps more programs will open up... or not. :(
 
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colourboy87 said:
I have applied to unfilled programs via ERAS. But still no response. Now available seats are reducing. What to do?
Click to expand...
Sorry, this might be a stupid questions. But how do you apply the programs that you applied before vis ERAS?
 
coffeelover1234 said:
Sorry, this might be a stupid questions. But how do you apply the programs that you applied before vis ERAS?
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The programs where you applied before will already have your ERAS application--you don't need to re-apply (especially if they want $$). Just let the program know that you are one of their applicants who is still interested in an open position.
 
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How many positions will open up over the next few weeks/months before July 1? I know people withdraw, don't pass drug tests, don't graduate....etc. Anyone have any idea how common this actually is?
 
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einstein1990 said:
How many positions will open up over the next few weeks/months before July 1? I know people withdraw, don't pass drug tests, don't graduate....etc. Anyone have any idea how common this actually is?
Click to expand...
Your guess is as good as mine, einstein :) ;)
 
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Can i contact the medicine department at the place where i matched for advanced position today even if they do not have any unfilled spots for prelim year? These rules are too confusing.
 
physiatryorbust said:
My core rotation hospital had a few openings, and told me to send my ERAS. I've also been calling around to random DO places out of curiosity (it doesn't hurt to ask!), and one of them said they did have an opening... does anyone know the time frame on this stuff though???
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Congrats. Btw are most of you AMGs in this thread? I could not have possibly guessed that AMGs dont match and end up in SOAP.
 
My advanced program was able to make an additional prelim surgery spot for me. :soexcited: I know it's surgery, but hey, better something than nothing. If your in the same boat as I was, knowing your advanced position, but no prelim, contact the medicine/surgery prelim from the same hospital and see if they could make a spot for you.
 
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not_gruntled said:
Can i contact the medicine department at the place where i matched for advanced position today even if they do not have any unfilled spots for prelim year? These rules are too confusing.
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You can but you can't tell them that you matched to advanced program (your specialty) at that place since that is prohibited till tomorrow.
IMHO it's better to wait till tomorrow.
 
ChaseJ said:
My advanced program was able to make an additional prelim surgery spot for me. :soexcited: I know it's surgery, but hey, better something than nothing. If your in the same boat as I was, knowing your advanced position, but no prelim, contact the medicine/surgery prelim from the same hospital and see if they could make a spot for you.
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Isn't that a violation since you are not supposed to know where you matched till tomorrow?
 
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Can anyone here vouch for residency swap? It's expensive.... is it legit? I have seen a lot of vacancies posted on it over the past few days, many of which have been updated to 'filled.' As someone who didn't Match or SOAP, is paying for this worth it?
 
einstein1990 said:
Can anyone here vouch for residency swap? It's expensive.... is it legit? I have seen a lot of vacancies posted on it over the past few days, many of which have been updated to 'filled.' As someone who didn't Match or SOAP, is paying for this worth it?
Click to expand...
It hardly ever had any more info than free resources like FREIDA Online.
Don't waste your $$$ IMHO
 
It's a Wash said:
It hardly ever had any more info than free resources like FREIDA Online.
Don't waste your $$$ IMHO
Click to expand...

That's what I thought, but on ResidentSwap there are quite a few PGY1 unfilled spots listed (that are not listed on the R3 Unfilled List or on FREIDA) and I'm not sure what to make of that
 
lucky01 said:
Congrats. Btw are most of you AMGs in this thread? I could not have possibly guessed that AMGs dont match and end up in SOAP.
Click to expand...

Yep! I'm a partially matched (on the front-end) AMG who was half-stepping and dragging my feet on the SOAP/post SOAP festivities. Feeling pretty good about my current position. Maybe even too good.......
 
Which IM programs had a lot spots in the SOAP this year? Can someone post some of these programs since the SOAP is over?

Gosh... I just went thru this thread and I feel so bad for people who went thru the SOAP and did not match? What an emotional roller coaster! The lesson of this thread is to always have a plan B when it comes to this process... and don't trust anything PDs tell you during the interview season.
 
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lucky01 said:
Congrats. Btw are most of you AMGs in this thread? I could not have possibly guessed that AMGs dont match and end up in SOAP.
Click to expand...
I am AMG. But DO. From what I understand, DO's are getting hammered this year. My school always has a near 100% match rate, and last time I spoke with the residency advisor, she told me there's still a bunch of students this year who didn't match soap
 
W19 said:
Which IM programs had a lot spots in the SOAP this year? Can someone post some of these programs since the SOAP is over?

Gosh... I just went thru this thread and I feel so bad for people who went thru the SOAP and did not match? What an emotional roller coaster! The lesson of this thread is to always have a plan B when it comes to this process... and don't trust anything PDs tell you during the interview season.
Click to expand...
I don't remember which one but one program in NY takes the cake with 18 unfilled positions.
Maybe they forgot to submit their ROL ?
 
physiatryorbust said:
I am AMG. But DO. From what I understand, DO's are getting hammered this year. My school always has a near 100% match rate, and last time I spoke with the residency advisor, she told me there's still a bunch of students this year who didn't match soap
Click to expand...

I agree with this sentiment. There seems to be more people unmatched at my DO school as well, as a lot of people are resorting to remaining AOA spots.
This is probably the only scenario where being a DO is actually a good thing.
 
physiatryorbust said:
I am AMG. But DO. From what I understand, DO's are getting hammered this year. My school always has a near 100% match rate, and last time I spoke with the residency advisor, she told me there's still a bunch of students this year who didn't match soap
Click to expand...

I'm a DO too, heard similar saying for this year and know several did not get matched. Some matched into their last choices for FM programs in the middle of nowhere......
 
einstein1990 said:
Can anyone here vouch for residency swap? It's expensive.... is it legit? I have seen a lot of vacancies posted on it over the past few days, many of which have been updated to 'filled.' As someone who didn't Match or SOAP, is paying for this worth it?
Click to expand...

I tried it last year and had zero success with it
 
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Psych_hopeful said:
I tried it last year and had zero success with it
Click to expand...

It is “legit” for new position openings, but opportunities are few and far between. I paid for a 3 mo subscription twice and applied to 5 spots. The majority were disappointing (told we don’t have any open positions/the position has been filled), however, one resulted in a phone interview culminating to in person interview.

I would pay for it at least once, but it would be more helpful to google what programs are expected to be accredited in the next few months and look at those new programs to apply. There were a handful of FM programs starting in June/Sept/Oct of last year.
 
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SOAP finished and no match for me.

Emailed a few places that is associated with my DO school on the AOA Post Match for a TRI and hoping for a miracle. Absolutely gutted.
 
theosteoblasts said:
SOAP finished and no match for me.

Emailed a few places that is associated with my DO school on the AOA Post Match for a TRI and hoping for a miracle. Absolutely gutted.
Click to expand...
I thought you cant email the Pd Till 1?
 
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IMG here, did not match or soap.. did 3 rotations at University of Miami, one at Northwestern University, one at Cleveland Clinic FL, got 5 LORs. I dont know what to do to have a stronger application for next year.. I got accepted yesterday at a research position at Harvard but they told me today that they are unable to sponsor me a visa. I am devastated just want to kill myelf. Please does anyone here know how can I get a research fellowship?? I am desperate at this point
 
Psych_hopeful said:
I'll post this again. Missouri has an Assistant Physician program for people who have a year of graduation less than 3. I don't know much about it but perhaps people can look into it and see this as an alternative path.

https://pr.mo.gov/boards/healingarts/375-1002.pdf
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Just FYI, it's been a few months since I looked into this, but at that time there had been 0 people go through this program in the 3-4 years since it's inception. While theoretically it does exist, from what I could tell it doesn't appear that there is any actual infrastructure in place to make it a real, legitimate viable option.
 
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GoSpursGo said:
Just FYI, it's been a few months since I looked into this, but at that time there had been 0 people go through this program in the 3-4 years since it's inception. While theoretically it does exist, from what I could tell it doesn't appear that there is any actual infrastructure in place to make it a real, legitimate viable option.
Click to expand...

Last i heard there were about 100 registered Assistant Physicians working in Missouri. Is that wrong?? o_O
 
EcuMD69 said:
IMG here, did not match or soap.. did 3 rotations at University of Miami, one at Northwestern University, one at Cleveland Clinic FL, got 5 LORs. I dont know what to do to have a stronger application for next year.. I got accepted yesterday at a research position at Harvard but they told me today that they are unable to sponsor me a visa. I am devastated just want to kill myelf. Please does anyone here know how can I get a research fellowship?? I am desperate at this point
Click to expand...


Hey!!!! don't kill yourself man you have so many options right now!!! let me list your options

1) apply next round (September is only 6 months from now thats not that far away)
2) take step 3 to make your application look better
3) go to residencyswap and wait for people to drop their residency spots. this happens all the time. i know because i used the website last year. as long as you don't care where in America you end up you can pick up a spot from there.
4) not all spots filled up and you can email and call those places that still have unfilled
5) you can quit medicine but not quit life go to a website called nonclinicaldoctors and you will see pages of options
6) you can teach at a college, you can be a pharm rep (and make more money than an MD), you can be a medical writer, work for the government health departments, cdc etc
7) you can get a masters in public health and use that (some are online and just 1 year)
8) you can do research at a hospital for a year and use that as your audition to apply for them. you can just do research and try to publish and that will make you look good too.
9) you can scribe or work as a medical assistant for a year and make money that way if you plan on reapplying

i hope you read this list before you do anything to yourself. there is still hope man! you are a doctor and thats not easy and this journey is not easy. thats what makes you great because you were able to make it this far and you can still do something with your life and career! its ok to be depressed but that feeling will go away and then you will be alive and eventually ready to move on and take the next steps. message me if your feeling down man ill give you my email or number and we can talk. there are options and so much hope. YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST YOUR DEGREE! YOUR DEGREE DOES NOT DEFINE YOU! you are worth it!
 
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What is the best way to find new programs that want to fill their inaugural class by July?
 
IamMOREthenjustMD said:
Hey!!!! don't kill yourself man you have so many options right now!!! let me list your options

1) apply next round (September is only 6 months from now thats not that far away)
2) take step 3 to make your application look better
3) go to residencyswap and wait for people to drop their residency spots. this happens all the time. i know because i used the website last year. as long as you don't care where in America you end up you can pick up a spot from there.
4) not all spots filled up and you can email and call those places that still have unfilled
5) you can quit medicine but not quit life go to a website called nonclinicaldoctors and you will see pages of options
6) you can teach at a college, you can be a pharm rep (and make more money than an MD), you can be a medical writer, work for the government health departments, cdc etc
7) you can get a masters in public health and use that (some are online and just 1 year)
8) you can do research at a hospital for a year and use that as your audition to apply for them. you can just do research and try to publish and that will make you look good too.
9) you can scribe or work as a medical assistant for a year and make money that way if you plan on reapplying

i hope you read this list before you do anything to yourself. there is still hope man! you are a doctor and thats not easy and this journey is not easy. thats what makes you great because you were able to make it this far and you can still do something with your life and career! its ok to be depressed but that feeling will go away and then you will be alive and eventually ready to move on and take the next steps. message me if your feeling down man ill give you my email or number and we can talk. there are options and so much hope. YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST YOUR DEGREE! YOUR DEGREE DOES NOT DEFINE YOU! you are worth it!
Click to expand...
That's beautiful! Stay positive and be realistic! Thanks.
 
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I will contact the member to assess access to resources, thanks everyone.
 
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srvlude said:
I thought you cant email the Pd Till 1?
Click to expand...

Spoke with my school counselor and they emailed me when I was allowed to officially contact programs.

So if I'm going down I'm taking my entire medical school down with me in a possible match violation.

This hurts so much man. Apparently a lot of my friends at school got their last choices and some in different states.. they are about as bummed as me
 
GoSpursGo said:
Just FYI, it's been a few months since I looked into this, but at that time there had been 0 people go through this program in the 3-4 years since it's inception. While theoretically it does exist, from what I could tell it doesn't appear that there is any actual infrastructure in place to make it a real, legitimate viable option.
Click to expand...

I know someone who went through this process, thrived, and matched this year.
 
IMGs Show Strong Performance in the 2018 Match
IMG Match Rates are Highest in 25 Years
International medical graduates (IMGs) showed strong performance in the 2018 Main Residency Match®, according to results published today by the National Resident Matching Program® (NRMP®). The NRMP Match determines where medical school graduates will enter residency (medical specialty) training each year in the United States.
While the overall number of IMGs participating in the Match declined by 211 compared to last year, their success rate in obtaining first-year residency positions was 56.5%, up from 53.3% last year.
Among U.S. citizen IMGs, 2,900 (57.1%) matched to first-year residency positions, an increase of 123 over last year. The number of U.S. citizen IMGs matching to first-year positions has increased in 13 of the last 15 years. For non-U.S. citizens, 3,962 (56.1%) matched, an increase of 148 positions. This is the seventh annual increase in the number of non-U.S. citizen IMGs who matched. For both groups, these match rates are the highest since 1993.
Today’s results show 16 consecutive years of growth in the number of first-year residency positions offered through the Match. In the 2018 Match, 30,232 first-year positions were offered, an increase of 1,383 (4.8%) compared to 2017 and a cumulative increase of more than 9,500 positions since 2002.
“The success of IMGs in this year’s Match demonstrates the importance of this talented and qualified pool of applicants for U.S. training programs,” said ECFMG President & CEO William Pinsky, M.D. “The growth in available residency positions, particularly in primary-care specialties like Internal Medicine, represents continued opportunities for IMGs interested in training in the United States.”
Click to expand...
 
Please guide me how to search for Low-tier FM, IM and Pathology programs?
 
TennisShoeChic said:
It is “legit” for new position openings, but opportunities are few and far between. I paid for a 3 mo subscription twice and applied to 5 spots. The majority were disappointing (told we don’t have any open positions/the position has been filled), however, one resulted in a phone interview culminating to in person interview.

I would pay for it at least once, but it would be more helpful to google what programs are expected to be accredited in the next few months and look at those new programs to apply. There were a handful of FM programs starting in June/Sept/Oct of last year.
Click to expand...
How do we get to know which programs are expected to be accredited? Thanks for your input!
 
IamMOREthenjustMD said:
Hey!!!! don't kill yourself man you have so many options right now!!! let me list your options

1) apply next round (September is only 6 months from now thats not that far away)
2) take step 3 to make your application look better
3) go to residencyswap and wait for people to drop their residency spots. this happens all the time. i know because i used the website last year. as long as you don't care where in America you end up you can pick up a spot from there.
4) not all spots filled up and you can email and call those places that still have unfilled
5) you can quit medicine but not quit life go to a website called nonclinicaldoctors and you will see pages of options
6) you can teach at a college, you can be a pharm rep (and make more money than an MD), you can be a medical writer, work for the government health departments, cdc etc
7) you can get a masters in public health and use that (some are online and just 1 year)
8) you can do research at a hospital for a year and use that as your audition to apply for them. you can just do research and try to publish and that will make you look good too.
9) you can scribe or work as a medical assistant for a year and make money that way if you plan on reapplying

i hope you read this list before you do anything to yourself. there is still hope man! you are a doctor and thats not easy and this journey is not easy. thats what makes you great because you were able to make it this far and you can still do something with your life and career! its ok to be depressed but that feeling will go away and then you will be alive and eventually ready to move on and take the next steps. message me if your feeling down man ill give you my email or number and we can talk. there are options and so much hope. YOU ARE MORE THAN JUST YOUR DEGREE! YOUR DEGREE DOES NOT DEFINE YOU! you are worth it!
Click to expand...
How can you teach at a college or be pharm rep? Thanks for writing just a detailed and positive post?
 
Asterias12 said:
How do we get to know which programs are expected to be accredited? Thanks for your input!
Click to expand...

I googled it last year and found a list with stars next to programs anticipated to be accredited in 2017.
 
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Asterias12 said:
How can you teach at a college or be pharm rep? Thanks for writing just a detailed and positive post?
Click to expand...

Adjunct university or community college instructors/professors have to be "academically" or "professionally" qualified. This varies depending on the accreditor's requirements* and, occasionally, the state where the school is located (e.g. California and Oregon may have distinct requirements). You can look at a school's website to find their accreditor and the accreditor's website to find the requirements.

Academically qualified means the degree attained by the instructor. Professionally qualified means the on-the-job experience. Someone with a PhD in bio is academically qualified to teach bio. Bill Gates is professionally qualified to teach computer science, or entrepreneurship even though he didn't obtain a BA/BS. Professionally qualified is subjective.

Generally, someone with a BA/BS can teach community college general education (say office skills, excel and powerpoint), someone with a Masters can teach BA/BS classes and someone with a PhD can teach Masters or BA/BS. But if someone is professionally qualified they can teach up a level. For example, I have a masters but teach masters-level students because I have specialized training in finance.

With an MD, you might be considered by some schools and accreditors to be equivalent to a PhD (for approval to teach, not for tenure or a permanent full-time position). It just depends. You'd likely be qualified to teach bio or chem if your undergrad degree is in bio or chem but not if your undergrad degree is in economics, for example.

Best idea is to reach out to any professors or deans that you know at local colleges. That's how I got my first college teaching job.

You can also try the Chronicle of Higher Education which has a huge job search engine and you can have new jobs emailed to you based on criteria that you select.

Good luck!

*Accreditors include:
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC CIHE)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC CTCI)
  • North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)
 
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Asterias12 said:
Hi, I tried to understand this assistant physician program but couldn't. Could you explain a bit?
Click to expand...

It is not really a program. Missouri state has passed a law allowing medical grads to practice primary care as Assistant Physician. It is only open to MDs with step 1 and step 2...but not step 3 and no PGY-1 from my understanding. If you meet the requirements, you need to apply for a AP license, find a supervising physician and "shadow" him for 30 days, then you will be able to practice in underserved areas of Missouri within 50 miles from your supervising physician.
 
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