Match Week Game Plan: What to Do Monday Through Friday of Results

The biggest mistakes of Match Week don’t happen on Friday. They happen Monday–Thursday when people freeze, deny, or improvise.

You need a game plan. Day by day. Hour by hour.

Below is exactly what you should be doing from Monday morning through Friday of Match Week, including specific timelines, decision points, and what to prep before you’re too emotional to think straight.

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Overview: Your Match Week At a Glance

Before we go day-by-day, zoom out. Here’s the structure you’re about to live through:

NRMP Match Week Timeline

Period	Event
Monday - 10	00 ET
Monday - 11	00-15
Tuesday - 08	00 ET
Tuesday - 15	00 ET
Wednesday - 12	00 ET
Wednesday - 15	00 ET
Thursday - 12	00 ET
Thursday - Evening	Finalize plans, travel, housing prep
Friday - 12	00 local

And the reality:

• Monday: “Matched or not” + first SOAP scramble
• Tuesday–Thursday: SOAP chaos (if you’re in it) or quiet anxiety (if you’re not)
• Friday: Public reveal, emotions, logistics

Everything below assumes NRMP Main Residency Match with SOAP access. If your school tweaks exact times, follow them, but the sequence is the same.

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Monday: Match Status Day (The Fork in the Road)

Monday is the most important decision day. What you do this day determines how miserable or manageable the rest of the week becomes.

Typical Emotional Intensity by Match Week Day

Category	Value
Monday	95
Tuesday	90
Wednesday	80
Thursday	60
Friday	85

Monday 8:00–9:59 AM (Local Time) – Pre-Email Setup

At this point you should:

• Be somewhere private or semi-private. Not the middle of a loud cafeteria.
• Have:
  • Laptop with stable internet
  • Phone + charger
  • Your ERAS application PDF
  • Updated CV and personal statement (Word + PDF)
  • List of programs you applied to with brief notes
• Log in to:
  • NRMP
  • ERAS
  • Email (personal + school)
  • Your phone’s Notes or a doc for real-time planning

If you’re potentially SOAP-eligible (or even slightly nervous), you should also:

• Have a SOAP version of your personal statement ready:
  • Shorter
  • Flexible on specialty (if needed)
• Have 3–5 faculty contacts you can email/call immediately:
  • Home PD in your specialty
  • Advisor/Dean
  • Someone who knows your story and can be blunt

Do not surround yourself with 50 classmates staring at a projector screen. I’ve seen people find out they didn’t match in front of a cheering crowd. Brutal and avoidable.

Monday 10:00 AM ET – The Email

You get one of three outcomes:

1. “You have matched.”
2. “You partially matched” (for couples in some scenarios, not typical wording for main match)
3. “You did not match to any position.”

At this point:

• If you matched:

  • Breathe. Don’t try to guess the program; you can’t.
  • Take 10–15 minutes alone. Let your nervous system calm down.
  • Then:
    • Tell your core people (family, partner, maybe 1–2 close classmates).
    • Check for SOAP information anyway; be a good friend/resource.
  • You now shift into support + logistics mode for others and for Friday.

• If you did not match:

  • Step 1: Walk away from everyone for 5 minutes.
  • Step 2: Text someone you trust: “Did not match. I’ll call you in 30. Need to handle SOAP first.”
  • Step 3: Switch into problem-solving mode. Feelings later, strategy now.

Monday 10:00–11:00 AM – Immediate Post-Email Actions

If you didn’t match, your priorities for this first hour are:

1. Confirm SOAP eligibility
   Log into NRMP → Check SOAP status. If you’re not SOAP-eligible, your strategy is different (off-cycle positions, prelim/transitional, next cycle). But most unmatched US seniors will be SOAP-eligible.

2. Contact your advisor/Dean’s office

   • Send a short, focused email:
     • Subject: “Unmatched – Need SOAP Strategy Today”
     • Body: 3–4 lines with:
       • Your original specialty and backup, if any
       • Step scores, class standing, red flags (brief)
       • Request for same-day meeting
   • If your school has a Match/SOAP task force, they often already have a schedule. Get on it.

3. Find the SOAP List

   • Go into NRMP → “List of Unfilled Programs” (usually released Monday at 10:00 AM ET but accessible only to eligible applicants and schools).
   • Your Dean’s office often sends a filtered or annotated version by specialty.

At this point you should not be:

• Posting on social media.
• Telling everyone all the details of your situation.
• Randomly calling programs. (Forbidden during SOAP.)

Monday 11:00 AM–3:00 PM – SOAP Applications Open

This is the nasty, high-pressure block.

At this point you should:

1. Finalize your SOAP specialty strategy (within ~1 hour) This is where people lose the week. You can’t spend 6 hours “thinking about” switching specialties.

Talk with:

• Home PD or faculty in your chosen specialty
• An honest advisor who will tell you if your original specialty is dead for this year

Common realistic SOAP paths:

• Original specialty, but broaden geography and prestige expectations
• Switch to:
  • IM, peds, FM, psych, prelim medicine, prelim surgery, or TY
  • Occasionally OB/GYN, neuro, path, etc., if spots exist and you have some link

Bad idea: Holding out for one ultra-competitive specialty in SOAP when your numbers/red flags never supported it. Monday is when you let that go.

2. Edit your personal statement(s) You might need:
   • One version per specialty
   • A general “I’m committed to clinical training, open to X/Y/Z” version

Aim for:

• 1–1.5 pages
• Concrete, not poetic
• No whining about the match process

3. Select programs from the SOAP list You’re limited to 45 SOAP applications total across all rounds.

Your Monday task:

• Build a prioritized list:
  • Tier 1: Solid fit, realistic, your preferred specialty
  • Tier 2: Still in preferred specialty, but geographically less ideal or less known
  • Tier 3: Backup specialties (IM/FM/psych/prelim etc.)

Make an actual list with reasons:

• Visa-friendly or not
• Geographic restrictions (family, kids, health)
• Any connection (rotations, alumni, home region)

4. Submit SOAP applications (ideally by 2–3 PM ET)
   • Use ERAS like usual but be surgical:
     • Update experiences if needed
     • Make sure any red flags are addressed somewhere (PS or MSPE addendum if allowed)
   • Do not leave most of your 45 un-used “for later.” SOAP moves fast. You want serious, broad coverage early.

After applications are in:

• Tell yourself: “I did the best I could with the time I had.”
• Then eat something. Seriously. People literally forget.

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Tuesday: SOAP Interview and First Offer Day

For unmatched applicants, Tuesday is controlled chaos. For matched applicants, it’s… awkwardly quiet.

If You’re in SOAP

Tuesday 8:00 AM ET – Programs See Your Application

At this point you should:

• Be reachable on:
  • Phone (ringer on, voicemail set up and not full)
  • Email
• Have:
  • Printed or open list of programs you applied to
  • One-page “cheat sheet” per program:
    • Location
    • Size
    • Key features
    • Why you’d be a fit (1–2 bullet points)

From Tuesday morning through Thursday:

• You’re essentially “on call” for quick-turn interviews.
• Many SOAP interviews are very short: 10–20 minutes, often by phone or Zoom.

Prepare two tight scripts:

1. 30–60 second “tell me about yourself” focused on:
   • Your path
   • Clinical strengths
   • Why you’re enthusiastic and ready to work hard
2. 30–60 second “why this specialty / why now” especially if you’re switching

Tuesday 10:00 AM–2:30 PM – Interviews

At this point you should:

• Pick a quiet base (library room, office, your room)
• Keep:
  • Notepad with:
    • Program name
    • Interviewer name
    • Impressions (fit, vibe, red flags)
    • Key phrases they use (“we value teamwork”, “we need people ready to hustle”)
• After each call, rate them quickly:
  • A: Would accept immediately if offered
  • B: Solid, would likely accept
  • C: Only if nothing else

Don’t overcomplicate the note-taking. You will not remember details later.

Tuesday 3:00 PM ET – SOAP Round 1 Offers

This is your first reality check.

At this point you should:

• Be logged into NRMP before 3:00 PM ET.
• When offers appear (if they do):
  • You have a short window (usually 2 hours) to accept or reject.
  • You can receive multiple offers across rounds, but once you accept any position, you’re out of SOAP and committed there.

Strategy:

• If you get an offer from an A- or high B-level program → accept.
• Do not “hold out for something better” when your situation is already precarious.

If you get no offers:

• It hurts. But you immediately move to:
  • Debrief with advisor/Dean:
    • Are your target specialties realistic?
    • Do you need to pivot more strongly (e.g., more FM, psych, prelim)?
  • Adjust your program list for future rounds.

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Wednesday: SOAP Rounds 2 and 3 – Refinement and Reality

Wednesday is where a lot of unmatched students either rescue their year or confirm they’ll need a different path.

SOAP Offer Distribution by Round (Approximate Pattern)

Category	Value
Round 1	50
Round 2	25
Round 3	15
Round 4	10

Wednesday Morning – Recalibrate

At this point you should:

• Update your unmatched program list:
  • NRMP releases updated lists after each round.
  • Some programs disappear as they fill; new programs don’t appear out of nowhere.
• Meet (again) with your advisor or Dean:
  • If you haven’t had any interviews or offers, be blunt:
    • “What am I missing?”
    • “Is my target specialty unrealistic at this point?”
  • Consider:
    • Expanding to prelim/TY spots if you were chasing categorical only
    • Being more flexible geographically
    • Precision-editing your personal statement and application for red flags

Wednesday 12:00 PM ET – Round 2 Offers

Same drill as Tuesday:

• Log in early.
• Evaluate offers quickly using your A/B/C system.
• Accept a solid A or high B.

If you still have no offers:

At this point you should:

• Look hard at prelim medicine/surgery and transitional year positions if you hadn’t already.
• Have a clear-eyed talk with someone who knows the match:
  • If your Step scores, failures, or gaps are major, a prelim year can still be a rock-solid move.
  • If you’re geographically anchored, you might have to loosen that.

Wednesday Afternoon – Round 3 (Usually 3:00 PM ET)

By Round 3:

• Many categorical spots are gone.
• A lot of what remains is prelim/TY and some FM/IM/psych in less popular locations.

At this point you should:

• Decide what matters more: training this year vs exact specialty/location.
• If you get an offer from:
  • A reasonable prelim/TY program
  • Or a solid but less-desired specialty in a less-desired location
    Strongly consider accepting. An actual PGY-1 year >>> reapplying from zero with no US training.

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Thursday: Final SOAP Round + Transition to Match Day

Thursday is split-brain day: still fighting for SOAP spots and starting to think about what Friday will look like.

Thursday 12:00 PM ET – Round 4 Offers

Round 4 is often smaller, but people absolutely secure decent prelim and even categorical spots here.

At this point you should:

• Again, be logged in early.
• If you have an offer from any program you could realistically see yourself working at:
  • Accept it.
  • You’re done with SOAP and committed.

If you go through all 4 rounds with no offer:

• That’s brutal. But Thursday afternoon is where you shift from “this week” to “this year”.

At this point you should:

• Meet with your Dean/advisor to map:
  • Gap year plan:
    • Research, MPH, hospitalist scribe, clinical instructor, etc.
  • Reapplication strategy:
    • Fixing Step/COMLEX deficits
    • Getting US clinical experience
    • Strengthening letters
• Ask specifically:
  • “Who matched after a SOAP failure from our school, and what did they do this year?”

Thursday Afternoon/Evening – For Everyone With a Position

Whether you matched on Monday or SOAPed into a spot by Thursday, this is your logistics and emotional reset window.

At this point you should:

1. Confirm basics about your program

   • Program name and ACGME ID
   • Training length and type (categorical, prelim, TY)
   • Start date
   • Orientation timing

2. Start a residency logistics checklist You don’t need every detail, but begin a running list:

   • Licensing and paperwork:
     • State licensure or training license
     • Background checks
     • Visa (if relevant)
   • Housing:
     • Rough cost in your city
     • Commute options (car/bus/walk)
   • Finances:
     • Estimate of salary, local taxes
     • Loan payment timelines

3. Prepare for Friday’s Ceremony (if your school has one)

   • Decide:
     • Who you’ll invite (family, partner, none)
     • What you’re comfortable sharing
   • If you’re SOAPed into a prelim or non-ideal location:
     • Practice your one-liner:
       • “I’ll be doing a prelim year in internal medicine at X, planning to apply to Y next.”
     • You don’t owe anyone a full post-mortem.

If you did not obtain a position at all:

• Decide with your school if you want to attend Friday events.
• There’s no right answer. Some prefer to be there for closure; others skip to protect their mental health.
• Either way, by Thursday evening, have a plan so you’re not deciding in a panic Friday morning.

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Friday: Match Day – Public Reveal and Aftermath

Friday isn’t for strategy. It’s mostly for containment: of your face, your reactions, your energy.

Friday Morning – Before the Ceremony

At this point you should:

• Have eaten something. Your adrenaline will lie to you about hunger.
• Have your phone charged and silenced or on vibrate (up to you).
• Decide in advance:
  • How you’ll share the news:
    • Group text to family
    • Simple social media post (if you want)
  • What you’ll not do:
    • Livestream your face before you even know where you matched
    • Compare immediately with everyone else

If you already know your SOAP outcome and your school isn’t doing envelopes for SOAP folks:

• Still mark the day. It’s the start of your next phase, even if it didn’t go how you planned.

Friday Noon (Typical) – Opening Envelopes

When the clock hits and envelopes are opened:

• Open yours. Take 5–10 seconds to just process.
• Look at the name, let your brain register:
  • City
  • Program type
  • What this means for your next 3–7 years

At this point you should:

• Decide quickly:
  • Who you hug first
  • Who you text first
• When asked “Where did you match?”:
  • Have a clean one-sentence script ready:
    • “I matched into pediatrics at [Program] in [City].”
    • “I’ll be doing a transitional year at [Hospital] in [City].”

If you’re unhappy with the result:

• You’re allowed to have mixed feelings.
• But Match Day is public. Do your venting later with trusted people, not into a mic or Instagram Live.

Friday Afternoon/Evening – Decompression and First Planning

At this point you should:

1. Share with your core support circle

   • Family calls
   • Faculty who helped you
   • Mentors from away rotations

2. Start a “Residency Prep” note or doc Brain dump:

   • What excites you about this program/city
   • What worries you
   • Immediate to-dos:
     • Join program WhatsApp/GroupMe if they send links
     • Save onboarding emails
     • Flag deadlines

3. Protect your energy

   • If you’re exhausted, you’re normal.
   • Leave the party early if you need to. This week took a lot out of you.

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The Core Takeaways

• Monday decides the week. Have your SOAP materials, contacts, and specialty strategy ready before that 10 AM email hits.
• During SOAP (Tuesday–Thursday), speed and realism beat perfection. Answer calls, be flexible on specialty/location, and accept a solid offer rather than gambling on an imaginary better one.
• By Friday, your job is to show up, accept the outcome with as much grace as you can muster, and quietly start building the next phase of your life from wherever you landed.