Updated: February 2023
During Match Week, unmatched and partially unmatched applicants who are deemed eligible may participate in SOAP® to try to obtain an unfilled residency position.
SOAP® 2023 begins on Monday, March 13 at 10 a.m. ET and ends on Thursday, March 16 at 9 p.m. ET. The MyERAS® application opens on Monday, March 13 at 11 a.m. and programs cannot start to review applications until Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. ET. Please select the links below to navigate to 2023 ERAS® SOAP® information and resources:
- SOAP® 2023 ERAS Schedule
- Pre-SOAP® Tasks
- SOAP® Resources
- ERAS Fees During SOAP®
- ERAS Fees After SOAP®
- Once SOAP® Begins
- After SOAP® Concludes
SOAP® 2023 ERAS Schedule
To familiarize applicants with the SOAP® schedule and process, the AAMC ERAS® program team and the NRMP® hosted a joint webinar, titled SOAP® 101 on Tuesday, March 7 at 1 p.m. ET.
A recording of the webinar is available here. It will also be shared on the AAMC Webinars and Online Courses page. You can also find the recording in your AAMC Dashboard after you've logged in.
During the webinar the ERAS program team and NRMP® representatives provided an overview of the SOAP® process and information on the following:
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NRMP® SOAP® eligibility requirements
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Communication rules during SOAP®
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ERAS preparation for SOAP®
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ERAS SOAP® requirements
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ERAS SOAP® application process
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Match Week timeline and SOAP® offer rounds
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NRMP® SOAP® data
Pre-SOAP® Tasks
To participate in SOAP®, applicants must be:
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Registered for the NRMP® Main Residency Match®.
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Eligible to enter Graduate Medical Education (GME) on July 1, 2023 as verified by your medical school or the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), an Intealth member.
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Unmatched or partially matched on Monday, March 13.
There is no separate registration for SOAP® and applicants do not submit a rank order list.
If you have any additional questions about eligibility, please visit the NRMP® website.
Optional tasks:
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Certify and submit your MyERAS application if you have not done so already during the 2023 ERAS application regular season.
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Keep personal information (e.g., NRMP® ID) updated in the MyERAS system.
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Upload Letters of Recommendation.
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Update or add a new personal statement(s).
SOAP® Resources
ERAS Fees During SOAP®
Applicants who have applied to at least one residency program (for ERAS 2023 program season) by Monday, March 13 at 7:30 a.m. ET will not pay any application fees during SOAP®.
Applicants who have not applied to at least one residency program through the ERAS system by Monday, March 13 at 7:30 a.m. ET and are SOAP®-eligible, will be charged a fee of $99. If you have not sent your USMLE or COMLEX-USA transcripts, a fee of $80 per transcript will apply.
Once SOAP® begins
During SOAP®, you will be able to apply to a total of 45 Match-participating programs between Monday, March 13 at 11 a.m. ET and Thursday, March 16 at 9 p.m. ET. You may reapply to programs you applied to during the ERAS 2023 season as well as apply to new programs. Please note, the program must be participating in SOAP® and have unfilled positions that you're eligible for.
Once you have reached the maximum of 45 applications, you will not be able to apply to additional programs until SOAP® ends on Thursday, March 16, at 9 p.m. ET. You are not required to apply to the full 45 programs allowed during SOAP®. However, any remaining applications will not carry over after SOAP® ends.
ERAS Fees Post SOAP®
The ERAS program will continue to offer the flat fee program when 2023 SOAP® concludes.
This program is for ERAS 2023 residency applicants who were SOAP®-eligible and who applied or reapplied during SOAP® and did not obtain a position. For applicants who meet these requirements, applications will be $10 each regardless of specialties. This flat fee program will conclude at the remainder of the ERAS 2023 season on Tuesday, May 31, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. For all other residency applicants, the regular application fee structure for the ERAS 2023 residency applicants will apply.
ERAS application fees will automatically populate when applicants apply to programs based on the applicant’s payment history and/or SOAP® participation.
After SOAP® concludes
The ERAS application resumes normal operations on Thursday, March 16 at 9 p.m. ET.
At the conclusion of SOAP®, the ERAS program will continue to offer a flat fee for 2023 residency applicants who were SOAP®-eligible, applied, or reapplied during SOAP®, and did not obtain a position. For applicants who meet these requirements, applications will be $10 each regardless of specialties applied. This flat fee program will conclude at the end of the ERAS application 2023 season.
For all other residency applicants, the regular application fee structure for ERAS 2023 residency applicants will apply.