to SOAP or not to SOAP

[MrSunny1]

Interview season is over now and I finished sadly with just 2 interviews for IM. I'm in quite a predicament here because one program is surprisingly a well known academic program while the other is a small new community program. I was surprised to even get the interview at the first program and still doubt I have a great chance at matching there. I calculated that my chance to match IMcat or prelim is approximately 16% based on last year statistics which isnt great.

My question is what type of programs will be offering positions in soap? I cant seem to find any information on which programs offered positions for 2016 SOAP. I found that there were 84 Cat and 94 prelim spots offered so quite a bit out there.

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[Tenk]

SOAP should be a last ditch effort after every other possible resource has been used. It would be very foolish to not rank both of those programs.

The spots that are offered are generally ones that don't fill for a reason...

 

[DrBowtie]

Interview season is over now and I finished sadly with just 2 interviews for IM. I'm in quite a predicament here because one program is surprisingly a well known academic program while the other is a small new community program. I was surprised to even get the interview at the first program and still doubt I have a great chance at matching there. Assuming hypothetically that the second program was somewhere that I knew I was not a good fit and would definitely be miserable for 3 years for undisclosed reasons, I am forced to weigh the odds between not ranking the second program and going for SOAP. I calculated that my chance to match IMcat or prelim is approximately 16% based on last year statistics which isnt great. I may stand out since I have no redflags and pretty good scores on boards who knows maybe all of the programs will be fighting over me LOL.

My question is what type of programs will be offering positions in soap? I cant seem to find any information on which programs offered positions for 2016 SOAP. I found that there were 84 Cat and 94 prelim spots offered so quite a bit out there.

Only getting two interviews for IM means something is wrong. Either you have red flags or had poor application strategy applying to too few or too top heavy programs.

I wouldn't plan to SOAP. Rank both programs. Did you follow up with places you didn't hear from? Talk to advisors who could have gotten you maybe a few more by connections? What about your home program?

 

[MrSunny1]

Thanks for the response! I took step 2ck and step 2 CS both late probable/possible red flags for IM. score hadnt come back until december for step 2ck and step 2CS is pending but will be back before SOAP. So I'm hoping I would actually be much more competitive for SOAP since I will have all my scores in. I did apply to 30 programs but they were mostly all top highly competitive programs.

 

[doggydog]

Your post history shows you have one failed clerkship, one conditional pass on a clerkship, a low 221 step one, and have at least four interviews.

You also didn't transmit any board scores until late October.

All red flags/issues when applying to top IM programs.

Why lie, brah?

 

[cbrons]

Your post history shows you have one failed clerkship, one conditional pass on a clerkship, a low 221 step one, and have at least four interviews.

You also didn't transmit any board scores until late October.

All red flags/issues when applying to top IM programs.

Why lie, brah?

The Step I score is not a problem at all for IM.
The clerkship failure is a problem.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Your post history shows you have one failed clerkship, one conditional pass on a clerkship, a low 221 step one, and have at least four interviews.

You also didn't transmit any board scores until late October.

All red flags/issues when applying to top IM programs.

Why lie, brah?

221 is actually very good for low tier IM.

 

[MrSunny1]

Okay lol this is a hypothetical thread as well dont want to divulge too much information.

SOAP should be a last ditch effort after every other possible resource has been used. It would be very foolish to not rank both of those programs.

The spots that are offered are generally ones that don't fill for a reason...

This is what I dont understand... Looking back there are lots of spots at programs that seem quite reputable. There were 6 spots at Emory IM categorical that went unfilled. Lots of prelim spots at top 20 schools.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Okay lol this is a hypothetical thread as well dont want to divulge too much information.



This is what I dont understand... Looking back there are lots of spots at programs that seem quite reputable. There were 6 spots at Emory IM categorical that went unfilled. Lots of prelim spots at top 20 schools.

For a school like Emory that means something went wrong, can't count on that. Why would you want a prelim spot? That sounds awful

 

[MrSunny1]

For a school like Emory that means something went wrong, can't count on that. Why would you want a prelim spot? That sounds awful

I'm honestly not that familiar with prelim IM. I guess the fact that my fate would be dependent on finding a PGY2 or rematching categorical would be pretty stressful but I dont know the odds of it actually happening.. If its 95% then great thats awesome if its 5% then wow I probably would never dream of doing it lol.

 

[failedatlife]

Yep, I have a similar step 1 score. I'll be soaping too next year. FML

 

[doggydog]

221 is actually very good for low tier IM.

OP said that he applied to 30 programs and most of them were top tier/highly competitive.

So not sure what you're talking about.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Yep, I have a similar step 1 score. I'll be soaping too next year. FML

Lol

 

[studyaholic]

Interview season is over now and I finished sadly with just 2 interviews for IM. I'm in quite a predicament here because one program is surprisingly a well known academic program while the other is a small new community program. I was surprised to even get the interview at the first program and still doubt I have a great chance at matching there. I calculated that my chance to match IMcat or prelim is approximately 16% based on last year statistics which isnt great.

My question is what type of programs will be offering positions in soap? I cant seem to find any information on which programs offered positions for 2016 SOAP. I found that there were 84 Cat and 94 prelim spots offered so quite a bit out there.

Rank, and stay positive! My husband had only 2 interviews for internal medicine, and matched at his #1 choice which was a high tier IM residency at a university program!
If they interviewed you, they saw something in you...red flags are out the door once you get an interview.

SOAP-I have no experience in this, but my friends did SOAP, and still didn't get anything. Also, this year a lot of the new programs and AOA merger programs will be participating in SOAP-so if IM is your passion, keep trying.

Let's pray we don't have to do SOAP.
Good luck to all of us!

 

[Tenk]

Okay lol this is a hypothetical thread as well dont want to divulge too much information.



This is what I dont understand... Looking back there are lots of spots at programs that seem quite reputable. There were 6 spots at Emory IM categorical that went unfilled. Lots of prelim spots at top 20 schools.

Prelim doesn't guarantee a career in internal medicine.

Those "top spots" will be filled by the most overqualified applicants you have ever seen. They are people who only ranked a few programs out of overconfidence or just not wanting to move, etc and then did not match. I know because I have seen their applications in a SOAP. It is ridiculous.

Anyone who places their main bet on the SOAP is one hell of a gambler.

 

[sliceofbread136]

OP said that he applied to 30 programs and most of them were top tier/highly competitive.

So not sure what you're talking about.

Never saw that mentioned, but I would say the choice of programs is the problem then, not the step score

 

[Peach Newport]

Can someone explain to me why someone with a 221 and one failed rotation would be unable to match anything in IM?

DOs routinely match community IM with lower scores.

 

[xffan624]

Can someone explain to me why someone with a 221 and one failed rotation would be unable to match anything in IM?

DOs routinely match community IM with lower scores.

OP stated they applied to mostly high tier IM programs. OP is not a high tier IM candidate. I really wonder what kind of advising they had available to them.

 

[Peach Newport]

OP stated they applied to mostly high tier IM programs. OP is not a high tier IM candidate. I really wonder what kind of advising they had available to them.

Oh thanks, must have missed that.