What exactly happens if you match at a program and decide not to go there?

[l0st1]

I know that this is a match violation, but what exactly are the ramifications of that? Can one still participate in the SOAP in the same year?

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[Dral]

http://www.nrmp.org/policies/the-match-commitment/

 

[Law2Doc]

I know that this is a match violation, but what exactly are the ramifications of that? Can one still participate in the SOAP in the same year?

No. As mentioned in the link above, if you do this without a waiver you are kind of hosed.

 

[j4pac]

Do not rank a program you are unwilling to attend...period.

 

[gutonc]

I know that this is a match violation, but what exactly are the ramifications of that? Can one still participate in the SOAP in the same year?

Not only will you not be able to SOAP that year, but you may be banned from the Match for up to 5 years, and definitely for at least the next 1-2 years.

 

[the argus]

The whole premise of this question never made much sense to me. If you end up somewhere you interviewed at and hated, then presumably all the other places you applied to either 1) didn't offer you an interview, or 2) didn't rank you high enough for you to match there. So even if you were allowed to break the match agreement, you would be assuming either 1) a program though the SOAP would be better, even though programs in the SOAP are historically not very desirable, or 2) you would apply to a whole different set of programs next year, at least one of which would interview you, rank you to match, and be somewhere you would want to go. Seems like a lot of uncertainty when you already had a guaranteed spot. Better the devil you know then the devil you don't.

 

[J ROD]

I would just suck it and get through it. Better to have a seat at the table than not.

Plus, SOAP positions are not usually at the most desired places as mentioned above.

And if you really hate a program you interviewed at, do not rank them that way there is no way you will end up there.

 

[mvenus929]

Additionally, you won't find out WHERE you match until Friday of Match week, and SOAP opens on Tuesday so that people can still have an envelope to open at their ceremonies. If you don't like your program and were able to participate in SOAP (which you won't be able to, because you won't be eligible since you matched), there would be next to nothing left by the time you were able to participate.