What's really important for the SOAP?

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Anatom

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Hello
As you know, in the SOAP process the P.Ds have only limited time to evaluate plenty (I guess) of applicants and to choose their ONE only by digging in the application package....
Does someone know (preferably P.D by himself or another faculty) what is THE main important thing in their point of view?
Are those the USMLEs?
Is it the Letter Of Intent?
Are those the LORs?
Is it the Med school?

Thanks for those who can answer.
 
Anatom said:
Hello
As you know, in the SOAP process the P.Ds have only limited time to evaluate plenty (I guess) of applicants and to choose their ONE only by digging in the application package....
Does someone know (preferably P.D by himself or another faculty) what is THE main important thing in their point of view?
Are those the USMLEs?
Is it the Letter Of Intent?
Are those the LORs?
Is it the Med school?

Thanks for those who can answer.
Click to expand...

I think you may have a difficult time getting an answer to this question, as this is the first year that anyone has used the SOAP system. I would assume that it will play out as a high-speed version of the normal application process. That said, I would expect a stronger emphasis on objective measurements of academic achievement--board scores, clerkship grades, etc. with less emphasis on things like letters and personal statements.
 
so if you signed up for ERAS and NRMP but didn't apply to any programs, can you use SOAP for unfilled positions?
 
umz said:
I thought you had to have a certified ROL, but what do I know...
Click to expand...

No you don't. If you mess up and don't certify by the deadline you are still eligible for SOAP
 
Anatom said:
Hello
As you know, in the SOAP process the P.Ds have only limited time to evaluate plenty (I guess) of applicants and to choose their ONE only by digging in the application package....
Does someone know (preferably P.D by himself or another faculty) what is THE main important thing in their point of view?
Are those the USMLEs?
Is it the Letter Of Intent?
Are those the LORs?
Is it the Med school?

Thanks for those who can answer.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why it would be much different than the way places evaluate folks in the previous scramble, meaning they take a quick look at everything just like they would when giving out interviews, and try to snare those prize gems who slipped through the cracks first, and the ones with the fewest flaws thereafter. So basically screening by USMLE and taking a very rapid glance at everything else. The only real differences, supposedly, are that they try to take away the incentive for rapid dialing and bulk faxing of programs by applicants, eliminating first come first served competitive culture of the prior scramble, and try to ban phone calls from administrators to their buddies on your behalf.basically a more orderly system, that will not work in the favor of folks who previously only had telephone dialing skills working in their favor.
 
Last edited:
Law2Doc said:
I'm not sure why it would be much different than the way places evaluate folks in the previous scramble, meaning they take a quick look at everything just like they would when giving out interviews, and try to snare those prize gems who slipped through the cracks first, and the ones with the fewest flaws thereafter. So basically screening by USMLE and taking a very rapid glance at everything else. The only real differences, supposedly, are that they try to take away the incentive for rapid dialing and bulk faxing of programs by applicants, eliminating first come first served competitive culture of the prior scramble, and try to ban phone calls from administrators to their buddies on your behalf.basically a more orderly system, that will not work in the favor of folks who previously only had telephone dialing skills working in their favor.
Click to expand...

I don't see how SOAP would curtail those calls. Deans and administrators are still going to have students that didn't match and will be working on their behalf to get them placed. I anticipate that success in SOAP will still be aided by networking and that PDs who are looking through applications will be responsive to a heads up from their colleagues. Or am I missing something in the rules that preclude phone calls at the administrative level? SOAP promises to improve the process of Scramble significantly, but it's still overwhelming to receive that many new applications to review in such a short time.
 
Just to make sure I had all my T's crossed I called the placement coordinator at my school and they told me that you are eligible for SOAP if you applied to at least 1 ACGME position. And that the "SOAP ELIGIBLE " status on your NRMP page will come up the friday before match week.
 
DiverDoc said:
Just to make sure I had all my T's crossed I called the placement coordinator at my school and they told me that you are eligible for SOAP if you applied to at least 1 ACGME position. And that the "SOAP ELIGIBLE " status on your NRMP page will come up the friday before match week.
Click to expand...

Ah yes. I was thinking I heard you had to rank at least 1, but it's just apply to at least 1. That way you can't *only* scramble. Although, it wouldn't be hard to get around that requirement.
 
So, to get this straight:

You pay for ERAS.
You pay for NRMP.
You apply to one program.
You do NOT interview at ANY program.
You WILL get a list of unfilled positions.
You MAY participate in the SOAP match?
 
If I only applied one IM program and did not have IV. Will I have chance to apply for unfilled positions other than IM, like Peds?
 
AnnTaylor said:
So, to get this straight:

You pay for ERAS.
You pay for NRMP.
You apply to one program.
You do NOT interview at ANY program.
You WILL get a list of unfilled positions.
You MAY participate in the SOAP match?
Click to expand...
Correct.

I would point out that you pay for ERAS when you actually apply to your first program, hence the need to apply to a program to participate in SOAP. As pointed out, it doesn't matter what program/field you apply to, you can go for anything in SOAP.

SOAP applications are "free", but you get a limited number of them (30 on the first day, and 20 each additional day, I believe)
 
Law2Doc said:
I'm not sure why it would be much different than the way places evaluate folks in the previous scramble, meaning they take a quick look at everything just like they would when giving out interviews, and try to snare those prize gems who slipped through the cracks first, and the ones with the fewest flaws thereafter. So basically screening by USMLE and taking a very rapid glance at everything else. The only real differences, supposedly, are that they try to take away the incentive for rapid dialing and bulk faxing of programs by applicants, eliminating first come first served competitive culture of the prior scramble, and try to ban phone calls from administrators to their buddies on your behalf.basically a more orderly system, that will not work in the favor of folks who previously only had telephone dialing skills working in their favor.
Click to expand...
The SOAP rules state that I can't be contacted by Dean's etc until I've got a SOAP application. Once an applicant has applied via SOAP, then I can contact a Dean (or they can contact me).

The key change, as pointed out, is that it slows things down. You have 48 hours to review all applications. It won't matter whether you're the first one who gets through on the phone any more. This is a good thing for all.
 
Useful. I'd have to be very lucky to 'soap' anywhere but I'm still curious to know what kind of places one may expect listed for 'soap'. I guess we refer in terms of 'tiers' but not knowing enough, I'd really like some 'real' examples (if that's possible/okay), of the kind of places that may be listed. Speaking again in general terms, are these going to be exclusively far-flung non-academically oriented community programs or will there be some/a lot of, univeristy/teaching programs as well? Thanks.
 
derailed said:
Useful. I'd have to be very lucky to 'soap' anywhere but I'm still curious to know what kind of places one may expect listed for 'soap'. I guess we refer in terms of 'tiers' but not knowing enough, I'd really like some 'real' examples (if that's possible/okay), of the kind of places that may be listed. Speaking again in general terms, are these going to be exclusively far-flung non-academically oriented community programs or will there be some/a lot of, univeristy/teaching programs as well? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I happen to have the 2011 list.

There were about 20 anesthesia spots, a couple derm, a couple EM, a bunch of family med, about 20 categorical IM, 10 neuro, 10 OB, 2 ortho, 2 ent, 25 path, fair amount of peds and psych, 25 or so PM&R, 25 rads, 2 gen surg categorical, and a whole lot of prelim surgery and medicine programs

(Disclaimer, I did not go through the list with a fine tooth comb, these are estimates)
 
Dirt said:
I happen to have the 2011 list.

There were about 20 anesthesia spots, a couple derm, a couple EM, a bunch of family med, about 20 categorical IM, 10 neuro, 10 OB, 2 ortho, 2 ent, 25 path, fair amount of peds and psych, 25 or so PM&R, 25 rads, 2 gen surg categorical, and a whole lot of prelim surgery and medicine programs

(Disclaimer, I did not go through the list with a fine tooth comb, these are estimates)
Click to expand...

Thanks. Were any/many of these decent/good (academically oriented) programs?
 
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