The Unspoken Rules of Calling Programs During SOAP Week

The Unspoken Rules of Calling Programs During SOAP Week

It’s Monday of SOAP week. You’ve just opened the List. Your specialty column is full of “0” under “Positions Filled.” Your phone is in your hand. Your dean told you, “You can reach out to programs.” Your group chat is blowing up with rumors: “Call now.” “Don’t call.” “Only email.” “Have your advisor call.”

You stare at the program’s main number, thumb hovering, and you’re thinking:

“What do I say? Who do I even ask for? Am I going to annoy them and kill my chances?”

Let me tell you what actually happens on the other side of that phone line—and how people really get noticed during SOAP.

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What Program Directors Are Doing While You’re Panicking

Before we talk about calling, you need to understand what’s going on inside programs during SOAP. Otherwise you’re playing a game without knowing the rules.

Here’s the reality most people do not tell you.

On Monday morning, when the SOAP-eligible list goes live, program leadership is not sitting around waiting for your call. They’re:

• Pulling reports from ERAS
• Filtering by Step 2 / COMLEX 2 scores, visa status, red flags
• Checking school reputation and prior residents from those schools
• Emailing each other frantic lists like, “Here are 40 we could live with—can you skim?”

In many programs, the PD doesn’t even touch the phone that day. Calls go to:

• The program coordinator
• Some poor chief resident posted at a desk with a half-updated spreadsheet
• A junior faculty member who drew the short straw

And here’s the part you really need burned into your brain:

By the time you are thinking of calling, many programs already know 70–80% of the people they plan to offer SOAP interviews to.

Not always. But often.

Typical SOAP Monday Time Allocation for Programs

Category	Value
Screening Applications	55
Internal Meetings	25
Candidate Outreach	10
Fielding Calls/Emails	10

So if you call with some generic “Hi, I’m very interested in your program,” that doesn’t move the needle. You become background noise.

The unspoken rule: The call is not a primary strategy. It’s an amplifier for an application that’s already in their consideration pile—or a Hail Mary that sometimes works if you play it exactly right.

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Should You Even Call? The Brutal Answer

Let me be direct: not everyone should be calling programs. Some of you will help yourselves. Some of you will quietly bury your chances.

You should strongly consider calling if:

• You’re a borderline candidate who meets their published filters (Step 2, graduation year, visa)
• You have a real, defensible connection to the region/hospital/system
• You already applied to that specialty in ERAS (primary or backup)
• Your advisor or PD is also willing to advocate for you

You probably should not be cold calling every program if:

• You don’t meet their basic requirements
• You’re switching into this specialty during SOAP with zero signal of interest in your original ERAS application
• You have a major red flag you can’t explain in 1–2 clean sentences
• You’re so emotionally flooded that you’re going to sound desperate or disorganized on the phone

Here’s what many faculty will never say out loud:

A disorganized, rambling SOAP call can poison a decent paper application. I’ve watched it happen. Candidate looked okay in ERAS. Then they called three times, left messy voicemails, had no idea what they wanted to say when the coordinator finally picked up. They got moved from “maybe” to “absolutely not” in 10 seconds.

The unspoken rule: If you’re going to call, you must sound like someone they could dump on a night float shift tomorrow and not worry about.

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Who To Call, When To Call, and Who Should Call For You

Let’s go inside the building for a second.

When that main program number rings during SOAP, here’s what happens:

Sometimes:
The coordinator answers, half buried in spreadsheets, and thinks, “Please don’t be another student asking if we got their application.”

Sometimes:
The call dumps to a hospital operator who has absolutely no idea what SOAP is and transfers you to GME, who then forwards you to a generic voicemail.

Very rarely:
You magically catch the PD or APD at their desk. Do not count on this.

So, what’s your target?

• First choice: Program coordinator (PC)
• Second choice: Program director (PD) or associate PD
• Third choice: Chief resident, if they’re explicitly listed as a contact

The coordinator is the gatekeeper. I’ve seen PCs single-handedly push someone into the “invite” column because the candidate sounded composed, polite, and actually knew something about the program.

Timing: When your call doesn’t get you blacklisted

On SOAP Monday:

• Early morning (right after lists drop): chaos
• Late morning: still chaos, but more structured
• Early afternoon: many programs have initial shortlists
• Late afternoon: some have already sent out all their interview invitations

The sweet spot, if you’re going to call on Monday, is usually late morning to early afternoon. Early enough that they might still be building their list, late enough that they’ve looked at applications and can actually find you in the system.

On Tuesday:

This is often better for calls. Many programs are confirming interviews, still looking for alternates, or realizing their initial list is weaker than they’d like.

The unspoken rule: Monday morning is for getting on their radar via ERAS and targeted emails. Calls are often more effective Monday afternoon or Tuesday when they have actual time to register who you are.

SOAP Week Candidate Outreach Flow

Step	Description
Step 1	SOAP List Released
Step 2	Submit/Confirm Applications
Step 3	Targeted Emails to Programs
Step 4	Advisor/PD Advocacy
Step 5	Candidate Calls Program
Step 6	No Direct Contact
Step 7	Possible Interview Offer
Step 8	Program Priority?

Who should make the call?

Here’s one of the biggest “nobody tells you this” truths:

A call from you is helpful.
A call from your dean, PD, or a known faculty name is often 10x more powerful.

Programs absolutely track this. I’ve sat in SOAP rooms where someone says, “Hey, Dr. X from Y school called about this student—can we bump them into the interview pool?” It happens constantly.

But. And this is important.

If your only plan is, “My dean will call all 25 unfilled programs,” that’s not advocacy. That’s spam. Programs can smell the mass email / mass phone tree stuff.

Best case: One or two well-targeted advocacy calls from someone who can say something specific about you. “We’d trust them with our own patients.” “They took care of their sick parent while in school and still performed.” That gets attention.

The unspoken rule: Your own call + one strong advocate call beats 10 generic “please consider my student” calls every single time.

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What To Say: The Script That Doesn’t Sound Scripted

You get the coordinator on the phone. This is your 60–90 seconds. If you turn this into a five-minute life story, you’re done.

Think of your call as three clean moves:

1. Who you are
2. Why you’re calling them specifically
3. What you want them to actually do

Here’s the skeleton that works, adapted to sound human:

“Hi, my name is [Name]. I’m a fourth-year at [School], NRMP ID [ID]. I submitted a SOAP application to your [Specialty] program this morning. I was hoping to briefly express my strong interest and see if there’s any additional information I can provide.”

Pause. Let them respond.

If they say, “We’re still reviewing”:
You pivot to your 20–30 second pitch:

“I understand, thank you. I just wanted to mention that I [one or two concrete strengths that matter to their program—extensive community experience, strong Step 2, prior rotation in their hospital system, ties to the area]. I’d be very excited for the chance to interview if you feel I could be a fit.”

If they say, “We’ll be in touch via ERAS if we’re interested”:
You don’t push. You close gracefully:

“Of course, I appreciate your time during a busy week. If you need anything else from me, I’ll respond immediately via ERAS or email. Thank you again.”

What you do not do:

• Beg: “I will do anything for a spot.”
• Over-explain: “I didn’t match because…” (unless directly asked, and even then keep it surgical)
• Argue: “But my scores are actually above your average…”
• Ask them to break rules: “Can you just tell me if I’ll get an interview?”

The unspoken rule: Your goal is not to convince them; it’s to plant a very simple idea—“competent, low-drama, genuinely interested”—in the mind of the one person who might walk into the PD’s office later and say, “Hey, this one sounded good on the phone.”

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Tailoring the Call: Different For Community vs Academic, Categorical vs Prelim

Not all programs view SOAP calls the same way. If you treat Mass General and a 6-person community hospital in the Midwest as identical targets, you’re going to sound clueless.

Program Type	Likely View of Calls	Best Use of Call
Big-name academic	Mildly annoyed if excessive	Only if strong tie or faculty advocate
Mid-size university	Neutral to mildly positive	Brief interest + highlight key strengths
Community categorical	Often positive if respectful	Emphasize reliability and local ties
Prelim medicine/surgery	Mixed; high volume of callers	Very concise, stress work ethic
Newer/unfilled often	Usually receptive	Clear interest, commitment to stay

Academic powerhouses

They’re getting 300+ SOAP applications for a handful of spots. They do not need more noise. Calls here rarely help unless:

• You rotated there
• You have a well-known faculty member calling for you
• You’re correcting something concrete (wrong email, uploaded transcript late, etc.)

If you’re calling these places just because “it’d be nice to be there,” you’re doing it for your anxiety, not your application.

Community-heavy, frequently unfilled programs

These are the ones where a well-executed call can matter.

Programs that struggle to fill every year are very sensitive to one thing:
Who is actually going to show up in July, work hard, and not bail?

If you are from that region, have family nearby, or can credibly say, “I’m planning to stay in this area long-term,” and you sound grounded on the phone—the coordinator will remember you.

The unspoken rule: SOAP is where programs that usually feel ignored finally get to be choosy. Showing them that you actually see and want them can tip decisions.

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How Calls Interact With Emails and ERAS Filters

Let’s clear something up: if your ERAS application isn’t in their SOAP queue, your call is basically shouting into a void. A few might say, “Okay, we’ll look you up,” but most are sifting within the ERAS pool.

Your sequence should look more like this:

1. Make sure you’ve actually applied to that program via SOAP.
2. Send a short, targeted email to the program’s listed contact or coordinator.
3. Then, if warranted, place a brief, professional call.

Here’s the behind-the-scenes piece: a lot of coordinators manage their mental list around people they’ve seen more than once that day.

Email + call + maybe your dean’s email = “This name looks familiar.”
That familiarity is sometimes enough to bump someone from the 3rd round of review into the 1st or 2nd.

Relative Signal Strength of Different SOAP Contacts

Category	Value
Cold Call by Applicant	30
Applicant Email	40
Advisor/Dean Email	60
Advisor Phone Call	70
Known Faculty Call	85

Also—filters.

Many programs set hard filters in ERAS during SOAP:

• Below X on Step 2: auto-screened out
• Graduation > 3–5 years ago: auto-screened out
• Requires US citizen/GC: auto-screened out

Your call will not magically override these at most places. There are exceptions when a faculty member with real history with the program pushes, but don’t bank on it.

The unspoken rule: Calling doesn’t beat filters. It only helps within the group that already passed them.

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Red Flags, Failures, and “Do I Bring It Up?”

Here’s the quiet fear: “If I call, do I have to explain my failure, my leave, my low score?”

Short answer: No, not unless they ask. And even when they do, keep it sharp and controlled.

If they say, “I see you had a Step failure—what happened?” you don’t give a soap opera. You give three pieces, clean:

1. Brief cause, without drama.
2. Concrete correction.
3. Evidence of performance since.

Example:

“I had a Step 1 failure in my second year during a family health crisis. I adjusted by changing my study approach, working closely with our learning specialist, and when I retook it, I passed comfortably on the first retry. Since then, I’ve passed Step 2 on the first attempt and honored my last two core rotations.”

What you never do is argue with the exam, blame everyone around you, or minimize it. Ownership, correction, move on.

The unspoken rule: Programs are less scared of your failure than of your inability to talk about it like an adult.

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The Quiet Ways You Can Shoot Yourself in the Foot

You want the ugly truths. Here they are.

Things that have gotten students quietly blacklisted during SOAP:

• Calling the same program three times in one day “to check in”
• Having a parent call the program “just to advocate”
• Sending a mass email with all programs CC’d instead of BCC’d
• Arguing with the coordinator when told, “We’re not doing phone updates”
• Crying on the phone in a way that the coordinator felt was manipulative rather than just human

I’m not telling you to be a robot. People cry during SOAP. People are devastated. Some coordinators are kind and will sit with that for a minute.

But remember the thought in the person’s head on the other end:
“Can I see this person as a resident at 2 a.m. in my ICU?”

If the answer starts shifting toward “high maintenance,” your chances plummet.

The unspoken rule: Professionalism under stress is the single strongest non-quantitative signal you’re sending this week. Every interaction either builds or erodes that.

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A Realistic Calling Strategy That Doesn’t Make You Look Desperate

Let me give you a structure that I’ve seen work for students who ended SOAP with positions—sometimes at places that looked unattainable on Monday morning.

Step 1 – Triage your list

Do not shotgun call all 40 programs that have your specialty. Rank them by:

• Fit (scores, graduation year, visa status)
• Genuine interest
• Any connection (school, region, prior contact, rotation)

Your energy is limited. So is the programs’ patience.

Step 2 – Lock your story

Before you touch the phone, write down:

• One sentence on who you are
• One sentence on why you’re a good fit for this program
• One sentence on why you’re interested in this program
• One sentence gracefully closing the call

Rehearse it out loud a couple of times. Not to sound robotic, but to avoid rambling when your adrenaline spikes.

Step 3 – Sequence: Email + call + advocate

For your top tier programs:

• Early Monday: ERAS + brief tailored email
• Late Monday/Tuesday: One professional call
• Parallel: Ask your dean/PD to place 1–3 targeted advocacy calls, not 20 generic ones

For your second tier:

• ERAS + brief email, maybe no call unless you have real ties/strength for them

For the rest:

• ERAS only; anything more is stress theater, not strategy

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What Happens If No One Picks Up?

Because this is common: you call, it goes to voicemail, or it’s a generic line.

Leaving a voicemail is fine if, and only if, you can keep it under 30 seconds and not sound frantic.

Something like:

“Hello, this is [Name], a fourth-year at [School], NRMP ID [ID]. I’ve submitted a SOAP application to your [Specialty] program and wanted to briefly express my strong interest. I know you’re extremely busy, so there’s no need to call back—I’ll be watching ERAS and email closely. Thank you for your time.”

Then hang up. No call-back request. No callback number recited three times. They can see your number if they desperately want it.

The unspoken rule: Long voicemails get deleted halfway. Short ones sometimes get scribbled on a notepad and mentioned in passing.

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How Programs Actually Decide After Your Call

Let’s lift the curtain on the final piece.

In many programs, SOAP interview lists are made in a room with:

• PD
• APD(s)
• Coordinator
• Occasionally a chief or senior resident

Somebody runs a list of all SOAP-eligible applicants who passed filters. People skim. Names get thrown into tiers.

Then you’ll hear things like:

• “This one—our coordinator said they called and sounded strong.”
• “Our alumni from X school emailed about this student.”
• “This person has family here and said they’re definitely coming if offered.”
• “Someone from their school called for them; they say this student is one of their best.”

And yes, also:

• “This one called three times; seemed kind of scattered. Let’s skip.”

Your call is a data point. Not the main one, but not irrelevant either. When the stack of “maybes” is 40 deep and they need 10 names, being a calm, professional human voice that someone in the room remembers tips those edges.

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Final Thought

Right now it feels like every word, every email, every phone call could make or break your career. It will not. It might influence where you start. It will not decide who you become.

SOAP exposes something programs care about but rarely say out loud: how you behave when things are not going your way. Calling programs is not about proving you’re desperate. It is about proving you’re steady.

Years from now, you won’t remember the exact wording of that voicemail or whether you called at 10:15 or 2:30. You’ll remember whether, in one of the most stressful weeks of your life, you carried yourself like the doctor you were training to be. That’s what really stays with you—and, quietly, it’s what stays with the people on the other end of the line too.

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FAQ

1. How many programs is it reasonable to call during SOAP?

For most applicants, 5–10 targeted calls is the upper limit before you start slipping into noise and desperation. If you’re trying to call 25–30 programs, your energy is better spent sharpening your story, coordinating advocacy from your school, and making sure your documents in ERAS are airtight.

2. Is it better to call or email first?

Email first, then call for the programs you care about most. The email plants your name in writing and gives them something to search in their inbox. The call then reinforces that name with a voice and a brief, professional impression. Cold calling with no prior email or context can work, but it’s less efficient.

3. What if the coordinator sounds annoyed or rushed when I call?

Accept it as part of their reality this week, not a verdict on you. Keep your tone calm, respectful, and concise. Something like, “I understand this is a very busy time; I’ll keep this brief,” followed by your 20–30 second pitch. Do not mirror their stress. Your job is to be the one grounded person they dealt with that hour.

4. Should I mention that I’m willing to prelim or switch specialties just to get in?

Not on a first call. That makes you sound untethered, not flexible. If you’re applying to prelim spots, your application already shows that. If they directly ask about your long-term plans, you can say you’re open to different paths, but leading with “I’ll take anything” undermines your credibility and makes you look like you have no real direction.

5. My school says not to call programs at all. Are they wrong?

They’re not completely wrong; they’re risk-averse. Many schools have seen students embarrass themselves on calls, so they default to “don’t call” as a blanket policy. The reality is more nuanced. Strategic, well-executed calls can help. Clumsy, emotional ones can hurt. If your school forbids it outright, lean harder on emails and faculty advocacy—but understand that some of your competitors will be calling, and some of them will benefit from it.