SOAP Offer Rounds Understanding the process.

SOAP Offer Rounds: Daniel’s Moment of Truth

After days of uncertainty, Daniel has reached Thursday of Match Week—the day that will determine his next steps. His applications are in, programs have reviewed them, and now it’s time for SOAP offer rounds.

Daniel is both anxious and hopeful. He wonders:

• How do SOAP offer rounds actually work?
• What if I get multiple offers?
• What if I get no offers?
• Can I decline an offer and wait for another one?
• What happens after SOAP ends?

This article will break down the SOAP offer process, helping Daniel (and every unmatched applicant) understand what happens next.

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How SOAP Offer Rounds Work

SOAP does not function like a traditional residency Match. Instead, programs review submitted applications and send direct offers to applicants through the NRMP R3 system. If Daniel is selected, he will receive an offer notification.

🔹 Offers are made in four rounds, all on Thursday.
🔹 Each round lasts exactly two hours.
🔹 Applicants must accept or reject an offer before the round ends.
🔹 If an offer is rejected, the applicant cannot apply to that program again in SOAP.
🔹 If an applicant does not receive an offer in one round, they may still receive one in a later round.

Key Takeaway: Offers come only from programs that have reviewed an applicant’s SOAP application—no new applications are submitted during this phase.

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The SOAP Offer Round Schedule

Time (ET)	What Happens
9:00 AM	SOAP Offer Round 1 – First wave of residency offers sent. Applicants have two hours to accept or decline.
12:00 PM	SOAP Offer Round 2 – Programs extend new offers to applicants still available.
3:00 PM	SOAP Offer Round 3 – More offers are sent to remaining unmatched applicants.
5:00 PM	Final SOAP Offer Round – Last opportunity to receive a SOAP offer.
9:00 PM	SOAP Ends – Any remaining unfilled positions are made publicly available, and unmatched applicants can now contact programs directly.

Important: If Daniel accepts an offer, he is immediately removed from SOAP and cannot participate in later rounds.

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What Happens If Daniel Gets an Offer?

If Daniel receives an offer in any round, he has exactly two hours to accept or reject it.

✅ If he accepts the offer:

• He is now matched to that program and cannot participate in further SOAP rounds.
• His SOAP journey ends successfully with a residency spot secured.

❌ If he rejects the offer:

• He remains in SOAP and can receive offers in later rounds.

🤔 What if he gets multiple offers?

• Daniel can only accept one offer—accepting an offer automatically declines all others.

Key Decision: If Daniel gets an offer, he must decide quickly—there is no guarantee he will receive another offer in a later round.

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What If Daniel Doesn’t Get an Offer?

If Daniel does not receive an offer in Round 1, he still has three more chances.

🔹 Not all programs send offers in Round 1—some wait until later rounds to select candidates.
🔹 If Daniel remains unmatched after Round 4, he can still apply for unfilled positions after SOAP ends.

At 9:00 PM ET on Thursday, NRMP releases the final List of Unfilled Programs, which includes all remaining residency positions (not just those that participated in SOAP). At this point, Daniel can directly contact programs and apply independently.

Lesson: SOAP is competitive, but it is not the only opportunity—unfilled positions still exist after SOAP concludes.

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Final Thoughts: What’s Next for Daniel?

As the offer rounds progress, Daniel must be prepared to:

✅ Interview Well

✅ Make quick decisions when offers arrive.
✅ Be strategic if he rejects an offer, knowing he may not get another one.
✅ Prepare for next steps if he remains unmatched after SOAP and how to avoid mistakes that could disqualify an applicant. 🚀 SOAP DO’S and DONT’S

IMGPrep Match Smarter Not Harder!!

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