Match Week Timeline

Source: AAMC’s Careers in Medicine, NRMP website, ISMMS Office of Medical Student Affairs

Monday of Match Week

10:00 AM ET

Match Status Notification

You will get an email from the NRMP informing you of your Match Status. This email will tell you if you matched or not. If you get the email that you matched, congratulations! You can rest easy until Friday.

If you get an email informing you that you have not matched, or are partially matched (meaning either a prelim or advanced residency was unmatched), your Career Advisor or a member of Student Affairs will contact you. They will help you start with the SOAP Process, which is outlined below.

SOAP Eligibility Notification

After that email, ALL STUDENTS will get an email from the NRMP informing you of your SOAP Eligibility. This notification is NOT an indication of whether applicants are matched or unmatched but rather an indication of their ability to participate in SOAP. Everyone gets this email, so don’t freak out!!

SOAP Begins

SOAP-eligible applicants can access the List of Unfilled Programs in the R3 system. SOAP applicants are encouraged to consult with their medical school advisors and the Dean of Student Affairs.

11:00 AM ET

SOAP applicants can prepare and send up to 45 applications

Tuesday

8:00 AM ET

Programs can begin viewing SOAP applications

• Programs contact applicants in whom they are interested. Programs vary in how they manage the SOAP process: brief telephone or virtual interviews are common.

• Program directors cannot ask applicants to indicate whether they will accept an offer if one is extended through SOAP.

• Interviews begin on Tuesday and continue through Wednesday.

Wednesday

All Day

Programs continue reviewing applications, contacting students and conducting interviews

Students may or may not have more interviews depending on program outreach

Thursday

SOAP includes four Offer Rounds on Thursday. For each Offer Round, applicants have two hours to accept or reject offers in the R3 system. Accepted offers are binding. Offers not accepted or rejected expire automatically.

SOAP Round 1

9:00 AM ET

Applicants receive Round 1 offers by logging in to R3 system.

11:00 AM. ET

Applicant deadline to accept/reject Round 1 offers

SOAP Round 2

12:00 PM

Applicants receive Round 2 offers by logging in to R3 system.

2:00 PM ET

Applicant deadline to accept/reject Round 2 offers

SOAP Round 3

3:00 PM ET

Applicants receive Round 3 offers by logging in to R3 system.

5:00 PM ET

Applicant deadline to accept/reject Round 3 offers

SOAP Round 4

6:00 PM ET

Applicants receive Round 3 offers by logging in to R3 system.

8:00 PM ET

Applicant deadline to accept/reject Round 3 offers

9:00 PM ET

SOAP concludes

Friday of Match Week a.k.a Match Day!!!

ISMMS has a Match Day Celebration for all students in the Match. Details are sent out through the listservs. You are welcome to open your letter wherever you’d like. Most students open them at the celebration, while some take the letters home and open them later.

At 12 PM ET, you will be given an envelope at the Match Celebration. If you are not present, an email will be sent through the R3 system at 12PM ET.