Using SOAP Strategically

[DrBeethoven]

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[Crayola227]

NO

NEVER

 

[IlDestriero]

Sounds like a great plan!


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Il Destriero

 

[Crayola227]

please go read some old SDN threads so we don't have to explain why this is the worst idea ever

 

[19pieces19]

Why would these people want you for SOAP if you they wouldn't want you in regular match?

 

[deleted103644]

This is a horrible idea.

Why?

There are very good applicants, probably much better on paper than you (by your description), who will end up in SOAP because they failed to match into the most competitive specialties.

Those top spots will go to them, because by the time they send out SOAP applications most will be cured of their hubris.

Also, choosing a specialty isn’t a game you can “win” (even dermatology). Find something you love or at least can stand and aim for the best program you can in that specialty. If it is very competitive, include a backup plan, eg dermatology —> IM, and apply for that in the match.

Don’t be an idiot.

 

[Stagg737]

What could one do, with some advanced preparation and game-planning, to snag one of those competitive Anesthesiology, Radiology or Surgery spots that inevitably slip through the cracks every year?

I think you're overestimating how common this actually is. If a spot in a competitive field remains open in the match, there's typically a very good reason for it. I'd guess the number of times a prestigious position remains unfilled by chance is exceptionally low, if not zero.

 

[Psai]

Just be like that DO family medicine guy who won't stop talking about how amazing his soap program is. Like buddy we get it, no program wanted you and no one wanted your program. It's okay.

 

[ortnakas]

Amazing programs (in any specialty) tend to not have open spots— the famous SDN examples are famous because of how rarely it happens. This is a bad strategy.

Also trying to match “something competitive” without factoring in what you actually like/dislike sounds like a recipe for being miserable even if it works out. Nobody likes rads, ortho and gas equally; they’re too different.

 

[libertyyne]

although not the exact strategy, There is a strategy to match into competitive subspecialty surgical programs that have attrition. Usually this is trying to get a spot after intern year. Not really a stragety more like a hail mary, or a desperation move. SOAP should definately not be the first line strat for anything.

 

[Treebeard]

I knew someone who matched to a competitive residency that didn't have an associated prelim year, and she "forgot" to apply to any prelim years through ERAS so she scrambled into one.

I strongly suspect this is a misuse of the word "forgot".

 

[sloop]

This is a bad idea for multiple reasons. The first is obvious, which is that it’s likely to fail.

The second is that if you would otherwise have no chance in a particular institution, you’ll feel like an idiot and probably be miserable if you match there. I matched at my particular (famous) hospital and even so it’s not infrequent that I feel like an idiot. There are a ton of people who do all sorts of high level **** in such a facile way, it’s unbelievable. At least I’m generally able to keep up but I can’t imagine what it would be like if it wasn’t even like people thought I was good enough to be here in the first place.

 

[deleted274002]

Also, as I'm not sure this has been said, but if by some quirk in the universe a spot in a prestigious specialty in a prestigious program does end up in SOAP, they're more likely than not to not take anyone rather than an applicant in the SOAP.

 

[Mad Jack]

I know this might sound like an off-the-wall question, but is there any merit to actually aim to SOAP into a residency in an effort to "game" the system and obtain a spot in a specialty or institution that otherwise you would have zero chance in?

Let's say hypothetically one was an average applicant who was almost guaranteed to match but not in anything especially competitive. Their main goal is to obtain the most prestigious residency slot regardless of specialty, so they don't rank any residencies and proactively start planning to scramble into whatever was available after match day. What could one do, with some advanced preparation and game-planning, to snag one of those competitive Anesthesiology, Radiology or Surgery spots that inevitably slip through the cracks every year?

You'll be competing with people more competitive than yourself in any competitive field, even in the SOAP

 

[Mad Jack]

Just be like that DO family medicine guy who won't stop talking about how amazing his soap program is. Like buddy we get it, no program wanted you and no one wanted your program. It's okay.

His program is actually one of the best FM residencies in the country, he just got really damn lucky

 

[Mad Jack]

Also, as I'm not sure this has been said, but if by some quirk in the universe a spot in a prestigious specialty in a prestigious program does end up in SOAP, they're more likely than not to not take anyone rather than an applicant in the SOAP.

Except that year Columbia forgot to put their surgery ROL in on time lollll

Really though, there's enough competitive applicants in the SOAP for good programs that didn't rank enough candidates to still fill with great applicants.

 

[NavyDoc23]

Please follow Dwight Schrute’s advice: “Whenever I’m about to do something I think, would an idiot do that? And if they would, I do not do that thing.”

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You could also take all of your loan money for the year, go to Vegas, and place it all on a single roulette wheel number. At 35:1, place the $75K you get for the year and win, and you'll have $2.6 million (slightly less, since you'll have to pay back the $75K). What could go wrong?

That's why you shouldn't count on doing better in SOAP. It might work out for someone. But most people will end up sorry.

The exception (perhaps) is the post above -- matching Advanced, not bothering to interview at any prelims, and snagging one in SOAP. If you're competitive and have an advanced spot, this is probably a reasonable safe plan. You'd save time / effort applying to prelims. But you're likely to have better choices if you just applied.

 

[Snoopy2006]

Every year there's a medical student that thinks they're smarter than everyone else and that they've come up with a new strategy no one else has thought of. It usually doesn't work out well.

 

[deleted274002]

Except that year Columbia forgot to put their surgery ROL in on time lollll

Really though, there's enough competitive applicants in the SOAP for good programs that didn't rank enough candidates to still fill with great applicants.

To the first point, ok, but how often does that happen? One shouldn't plan one's entire career on something so rare. As for the second point, that's exactly my argument. If they don't find a great applicant in the SOAP who just made a strategic error in rank listing and who otherwise fits their criteria, my feeling is that great programs would rather leave that spot empty than go to a mediocre candidate.

 

[RTD]

Except that year Columbia forgot to put their surgery ROL in on time lollll

Columbia ended up SOAPing no one that year

 

[Mad Jack]

To the first point, ok, but how often does that happen? One shouldn't plan one's entire career on something so rare. As for the second point, that's exactly my argument. If they don't find a great applicant in the SOAP who just made a strategic error in rank listing and who otherwise fits their criteria, my feeling is that great programs would rather leave that spot empty than go to a mediocre candidate.

The first was a joke