Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)

During Match Week for the Main Residency Match, the process through which eligible unmatched applicants apply for and are offered positions by programs participating in SOAP®, that did not fill when the matching algorithm was processed.

HOW SOAP WORKS

During Match Week, unmatched and partially matched applicants registered for the Main Residency Match® with verified credentials may participate in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®) to try to obtain an unfilled residency position.

• • Applicants express preferences by applying to programs using ERAS®.
  • Based upon the ERAS applications they receive, program directors create preference lists of applicants in the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system.
  • The R3 system offers positions to applicants in a series of rounds in order of each program’s preference list and according to the number of unfilled positions remaining in the program during each round
  • Applicants can receive multiple offers in any round and have two hours to accept or reject an offer.
  • SOAP® concludes on Thursday of Match Week.
  • The List of Unfilled Programs, updated to include unfilled programs not participating in SOAP®, is available from R3 system top menu bar to all unmatched and partially matched applicants.  Applicants can begin contacting all remaining unfilled programs.  Programs can update the List as positions are filled. 

Key Policy Reminder: Positions offered and accepted during SOAP establish a binding commitment enforced by the Match Participation Agreement.