THE SOAP 2013 Thread

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time is just not flying fast enough....
 
I feel like 2 hours to respond is more than enough time, maybe they should cut this down to 1 hour?
 
Hey all,
Started following this thread since it started but just now decided to post. US med student with 21* score on step one but step 2 score went down. Had 9 interviews and everyone said that was sure to get in. Got some letters saying they hoped i chose them for residency (doing anesthesiology by the way). Didnt get accepted and now just feeling horrible. Haven't heard anything after applying to 14 anesthesiology and 16 IM prelim. Put in Surg prelim now and still nothing. Beyond disappointed but trying to stay positive. Hang in there everyone
 
So will they email us if we are a potential phone interview? Or do we have to wait by our phones all dressed and ready to go in hopes someone will call? This is nerve wracking! How late can they call? I wish there was more explanations for this process...I feel lost 🙁
 
I realize this might not work for everyone, but for those of us having a hard time tearing our eyes away from the interminably slow clock... youtube cat videos. Seriously heps take your mind off of things. Just saying...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2Da4q5Ny54
 
general question that i guess some people might know - but doing a prelim surg year - if i don't want to do surgery (or anesthesia) is it even really worth it? Because don't most of the advanced programs prefer/almost require a prelim IM or TY? or is any pgy1 year usually ok?
 
Just got my hopes up for nothing, when I checked my email, and saw the typical "no reply" sender from ERAS, only to find out it was just the PD sending out notice to everyone that applied, that they're filled 🙁
 
yep. only 7 spots left. I'm working on my CV. lol.
 
FMDoc13 said:
told you, only 1 matters!!!
Click to expand...

This might just be like a gambler that got lucky and attributes it to their lucky rabbit's foot but I want to say for people still in SOAP who got interviews, try to get Doctors at your school/institution to advocate or vouch for you.

I didn't even know till after the PD contacted me (after I accepted the offer) but the dean of student affairs, chief of academic affairs and one of my LORs contacted the program yesterday (my school wanted to know each program that contacts me, I thought it was for statistics) to tell the PD I'd be a great resident and to answer any concerns they might have of me.

Considering the PD spent so much time talking about it, I was really left with the impression it was what put me ahead of candidates who had better step scores, interview better (I totally thought I shanked the interview), etc.

Good luck to everyone still looking for a spot. I'm rooting for my fellow SOAPers.
 
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Yep, I just crossed off well over half of the places I applied to.

Anyway, back to updating my linkedin profile and my resume. My wife just applied for a job today too. All I can say is, thank god we have each other during this most horrendous time in our lives. I am grateful that our daughter is far too young to know what is going on.
 
Ogenki said:
This might just be like a gambler that got lucky and attributes it to their lucky rabbit's foot but I want to say for people still in SOAP who got interviews, try to get Doctors who know you to advocate or vouch for you.

I didn't even know till after the PD contacted me (after I accepted the offer) but the dean of student affairs, chief of academic affairs and one of my LORs contacted the program yesterday (my school wanted to know each program that contacts me, I thought it was for statistics) to tell the PD I'd be a great resident and to answer any concerns they might have of me.

Considering the PD spent so much time talking about it, I was really left with the impression it was what put me ahead of other candidates.

Good luck to everyone still looking for a spot. I'm rooting for my fellow SOAPers.
Click to expand...

Isn't it a violation for your school/whatnot to contact programs?
 
Ogenki said:
This might just be like a gambler that got lucky and attributes it to their lucky rabbit's foot but I want to say for people still in SOAP who got interviews, try to get Doctors who know you to advocate or vouch for you.

I didn't even know till after the PD contacted me (after I accepted the offer) but the dean of student affairs, chief of academic affairs and one of my LORs contacted the program yesterday (my school wanted to know each program that contacts me, I thought it was for statistics) to tell the PD I'd be a great resident and to answer any concerns they might have of me.

Considering the PD spent so much time talking about it, I was really left with the impression it was what put me ahead of other candidates.

Good luck to everyone still looking for a spot. I'm rooting for my fellow SOAPers.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm sure that it really does help to have people advocate for you. My clinical advisor told me to let her know whenever I get an interview, and she'll call and put in a good word. I'm sure some of the people in the dean's office would do the same even though I graduated last year.
 
Anybody know if we have to pay to apply to more programs if we don't get offers by 5pm on Friday?
 
rodester86 said:
Anybody know if we have to pay to apply to more programs if we don't get offers by 5pm on Friday?
Click to expand...

I think we do after Friday. I know May first is the deadline to even use ERAS for this year, but I beleive that you do have to pay for any additional apps being sent out after SOAP is over
 
rodester86 said:
Anybody know if we have to pay to apply to more programs if we don't get offers by 5pm on Friday?
Click to expand...

There's no applying at that point. You do a traditional scramble if you want any of those positions.
 
The 4 programs that contacted me all still have at least 1 spot left, hopefully 1 of those is mine in 34 mins!!
 
aquabatch said:
Isn't it a violation for your school/whatnot to contact programs?
Click to expand...

Not if they contact you first. The person that interviewed me wasn't the pd (I didn't talk to him at all until after I accepted). Then I told my advisors via email. At that point, two of them independently called the PD and also told one of my LOR writers my situation and she also called and spoke at length with the PD to advocate for me.

I really felt from my conversation with the PD he liked that I had so many people to vouch for me since they only know me by a 15 minute phone conversation with a anesthesiologist in their department. And of course I am really grateful to my mentors who took initiative to do it (wasn't something I would have thought of.)
 
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joesephine said:
anyone getting their 10 apps downloaded yet?
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only sent in 6 - waiting for the other 4 til 5pm. had half downloaded half not. one of the not downloaded i applied to before 2pm and they were filled. who knows.
 
redrumi said:
The 4 programs that contacted me all still have at least 1 spot left, hopefully 1 of those is mine in 34 mins!!
Click to expand...

fingers crossed for you!!!! I would email or call them at this point.... say: Thank for the interview, I am still here, ready to work for you!
 
Can someone please explain to me why there are more G-Surg prelim spots than categorical FM spots?

I'm trying to go into FM but at this point I'm willing to take anything so does anyone know if its easier to get a G-Surg prelim spot as opposed to FM since there are many more G-Surg spots available at this point in time? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Ok. I have five apps left and have a really important question.

At this point, does anyone with experience have any input on this? I have personal statements written for psych, peds, fm and transitional year. Let's say I apply to some random local IM or surg prelim spot so I can just freaking match, have a job and not relocate my family.

What PS would I use, or is this a terrible idea?
 
I've pretty much already realized that I won't be getting a spot this year. It's kind of a shocker because I was a strong applicant in my first specialty and thought I'd be a strong applicant this time around too. I've already passed all steps (high scores) and have my license. It's been total silence from all my SOAP applications. As an independent applicant, I don't have anybody to make any phone calls for me. But at least I do have a locum gig I can keep working to pay rent and stuff while I want to repeat all this again next year...
 
changethesystem said:
Can someone please explain to me why there are more G-Surg prelim spots than categorical FM spots?

I'm trying to go into FM but at this point I'm willing to take anything so does anyone know if its easier to get a G-Surg prelim spot as opposed to FM since there are many more G-Surg spots available at this point in time? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

prelim surg is not a very popular field. it is basically a slave scut monkey for a year. i did a year of it myself and wasnt fun but did make the best of it.
 
I had a few people call, and the program told them to email. so im not sure how helpful this is ....they're sending emails anyway, but this definitely would have been better if done yesterday or early this morning. I wish I had thought of that.
 
notinkansas said:
I've pretty much already realized that I won't be getting a spot this year. It's kind of a shocker because I was a strong applicant in my first specialty and thought I'd be a strong applicant this time around too. I've already passed all steps (high scores) and have my license. It's been total silence from all my SOAP applications. As an independent applicant, I don't have anybody to make any phone calls for me. But at least I do have a locum gig I can keep working to pay rent and stuff while I want to repeat all this again next year...
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If you have high USMLE scores, may I ask which specialties you applied to?
 
CAn you explain further-did these programs contact you for an interview first? You can seed me a PM if you want
 
I almost don't want to check in the next 5 minutes. This is so awful.
 
sair said:
Me too... ready to call it at this point...
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yeah - going 0/30 and at this point 0/36 is just painful.

whats the saying? definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result? feel like im bordering that.
 
if you need to kill time, turn on tv. white smoke at the vatican. a new pope has been chosen
 
changethesystem said:
Can someone please explain to me why there are more G-Surg prelim spots than categorical FM spots?

I'm trying to go into FM but at this point I'm willing to take anything so does anyone know if its easier to get a G-Surg prelim spot as opposed to FM since there are many more G-Surg spots available at this point in time? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

Because surgery prelim has a notorious reputation for existing only so there's someone to do scut work for a surgery department.
 
HIJay said:
if you need to kill time, turn on tv. white smoke at the vatican. a new pope has been chosen
Click to expand...

haha. thats actually a great recommendation. Makes all this seem more insignificant really
 
got an IM prelim offer just now and accepted it. Goodluck to everyone else this week. I will be praying for all of you.
 
Question: If you don't get any offers right now (3pm), does that mean you still might get an offer by the time the next offer round comes around (9am tomorrow)? or does it mean you're definitely not getting an offer this round?
 
Nada, I'll just watch the white smoke and wait for the new identity of the new Pope.
 
I think it also needs to be said that some of the apps sent an hour ago (once we got the updated list) have not even been downloaded. Keep your heads up, there are still positions out there.

Now if everyone could just not apply to IM Cat, that'd be great (insert lumbergh voice). Good luck all. Its a bump in the road but certainly not the end
 
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