SOAP first come first serve?

[medicine12]

---

Members do not see this ad.

As I understand it, we have two hours to apply to unfilled positions during SOAP, right? Do they send out offers based on a first come first serve basis? So we have to be quick choosing programs?

And if you get an offer, do you have to accept it fast too? Or it's not going to expire before two hours from the time it was sent?

 

[gutonc]

As I understand it, we have two hours to apply to unfilled positions during SOAP, right? Do they send out offers based on a first come first serve basis? So we have to be quick choosing programs?

And if you get an offer, do you have to accept it fast too? Or it's not going to expire before two hours from the time it was sent?

Did you even read the SOAP rules? The answers to all of your questions are in there.

 

[umz]

I second gutonc.

Also, in regards to this question:

Do they send out offers based on a first come first serve basis? So we have to be quick choosing programs?

I'm assuming you're referring to the same phenomena of how programs tend to look first at those who apply early in the general application season. Meaning, by applying late you end up on the bottom of their app pile & thus have less of a chance of getting an interview. As far as applying this to SOAP, there is no way for us to know yet how programs will choose applicants. Perhaps you may have a better chance if you are #5 in the app pile versus #200, because there's a higher chance they've found a suitable candidate before reaching the 200th app. But that's just my own speculation.

 

[mcl]

Maybe it would be more accurate to think of it as first come, better served. If my program has to participate in SOAP, I imagine that my first priority will be to download applications and at least give a cursory review using our interview criteria. Once we get a sense of the strength of the applicant pool, my focus will need to switch to arranging phone interviews and making preference lists. There's no way to know how deep our list has to be, but I'm envisioning at least 10-15:1 because I don't know how many other programs will be offering a spot to the same applicant I am, or how likely that applicant would be to decline our offer if they have a choice of programs to consider. I guess the bottom line is that I'll download applications multiple times, especially on Monday, but at some point my focus is going to have to switch to analysis--so I don't think applicants should delay too long in deciding where to send their 30 applications.

 

[medicine12]

Did you even read the SOAP rules? The answers to all of your questions are in there.

Thank you. So the offers won't expire before 2 hours pass, it's not like they send out more offers than the number of unfilled positions and who accepts it first gets the position?

Also correct me if I'm wrong, but according to what is posted in this link, the odds of getting an interview in IM or FM would be lower than other specialties since the mean number of applications per unfilled program is highest?

 

[gutonc]

Thank you. So the offers won't expire before 2 hours pass, it's not like they send out more offers than the number of unfilled positions and who accepts it first gets the position?

No...it's a little mini-Match. They offer the # of spots they have (or less if they don't want anybody in the scramble) and wait for people to take them, or not. Then they re-offer in Round 2 if they have any spots left. You get the stated amount of time to reply to offers.

Also correct me if I'm wrong, but according to what is posted in this link, the odds of getting an interview in IM or FM would be lower than other specialties since the mean number of applications per unfilled program is highest?

You are wrong. But that's OK since the statistics are a little misleading if you only look at it on the basis of applicants/spot. But that's clearly not the whole story. As with the Match in general, there's a lot of self selection that happens here. If you didn't match in IM or FM (or didn't even get any interviews) you're going to shoot for the "easy" specialties in the Scramble, not the rare Gas, Derm or Rad Onc spot that's available. The raw number of people who applied to more competitive specialties but went unmatched will be smaller than those who applied for less competitive specialties which will make the numbers look the way they do.

If you were a decent candidate for a competitive specialty and didn't match, you might as well apply to any available spots in that specialty, as well as however many IM or FM (or prelim) programs you can. But if you applied to every single FM program in the country and didn't get a single interview, spending your SOAP ducats on that one Derm, 4 gas, 1 rad onc, 1 ortho and 1 em program (I made those numbers up BTW) is going to be a huge waste of time and money on your part.

 

[medicine12]

You are wrong. But that's OK since the statistics are a little misleading if you only look at it on the basis of applicants/spot. But that's clearly not the whole story. As with the Match in general, there's a lot of self selection that happens here. If you didn't match in IM or FM (or didn't even get any interviews) you're going to shoot for the "easy" specialties in the Scramble, not the rare Gas, Derm or Rad Onc spot that's available. The raw number of people who applied to more competitive specialties but went unmatched will be smaller than those who applied for less competitive specialties which will make the numbers look the way they do.

If you were a decent candidate for a competitive specialty and didn't match, you might as well apply to any available spots in that specialty, as well as however many IM or FM (or prelim) programs you can. But if you applied to every single FM program in the country and didn't get a single interview, spending your SOAP ducats on that one Derm, 4 gas, 1 rad onc, 1 ortho and 1 em program (I made those numbers up BTW) is going to be a huge waste of time and money on your part.

No I mean more competitive than the other specialties on this table (Psychiatry, Peds, Prelim surgery).

 

[gutonc]

No I mean more competitive than the other specialties on this table (Psychiatry, Peds, Prelim surgery).

Those are all as or less competitive than IM (but not FM) in the first place. Prelim surg never fills (even after the scramble) and is usually (but not always) a waste of a year since it is generally a dead end.

 

[deleted103644]

Just don't drop it.