What is the Difference Between the Match and SOAP?

If you’re preparing to enter a medical residency in the U.S., you’re likely familiar with two key components of the residency application process: The Match and SOAP.

Although they both serve as methods to secure a residency position, their purpose and processes differ significantly. Understanding the Match and Soap can help you navigate your journey with more confidence.

What is The Match?

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match, often referred to as “The Match,” is a process that pairs residency applicants with available training positions at U.S. hospitals. 

It is a centralized, algorithm-driven process that matches applicants’ preferences for residency programs with programs’ preferences for applicants.

Here’s how it works:

1. 1. Application Process: Applicants submit their residency applications through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) to the programs of their choice.
   2. Interviews: After reviewing applications, residency programs invite selected candidates for interviews.
   3. Rank Order List: After interviews, both the applicants and the programs submit a ranked list of their preferred programs or candidates.
   4. Match Day: Based on these preferences, an algorithm matches candidates with programs, and the results are announced on Match Day, typically in mid-March.

Key Points About the Match:

• • Main Pathway: The Match is the primary route through which most medical graduates secure residency positions.

• • Binding Agreement: Once matched, the applicant is contractually obligated to join the program.

• • Single Attempt per Year: The Match process occurs only once per year, and results are final unless extreme circumstances warrant a change.

What is SOAP?

The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) is a secondary process for applicants who either didn’t match to any residency programs or withdrew from the Match due to various reasons.

It takes place during Match Week, immediately after the main Match results are announced.

Here’s how SOAP works:

1. 1. Unfilled Programs Released: After the Match, programs with unfilled positions are released, and applicants who are unmatched are given the opportunity to apply.
   2. Applications in Rounds: Applicants can submit applications to these unfilled programs. Programs then make offers to applicants over a series of rounds during Match Week.
   3. Acceptance of Offers: Applicants who receive offers must quickly decide whether to accept or decline, and once accepted, the applicant is bound to that program.

Key Points About SOAP:

• • Backup Process: SOAP is a last-minute opportunity for unmatched applicants to secure a residency spot.

• • Limited Timeframe: The process unfolds over a few intense days during Match Week.

• • No Interviews: Unlike the main Match, SOAP does not include new interviews. Programs base their offers on the applicants’ ERAS submissions.

• • Not a Guarantee: Even in SOAP, securing a residency spot isn’t guaranteed—many applicants go unmatched if positions run out.

Key Differences Between Match and SOAP

Conclusion

Both the Match and SOAP are critical parts of the residency placement process, but they cater to different circumstances. The Match is the primary pathway, a planned and structured process, while SOAP serves as a safety net for those who didn’t initially secure a spot. 

Knowing the difference between the two, and understanding how they work, will help you stay prepared and optimize your chances of landing your ideal residency.

Whether you’re participating in the Match or preparing for the possibility of SOAP, ensuring your application is as strong as possible is key.

Be thorough with your ERAS application, and approach interviews with confidence—your future in residency is just around the corner!