Match Week & SOAP Guide: What Happens During Residency Match Week?

After months of applications, interviews, second-guessing your rank list, and counting down the days until Match results, residency applicants finally arrive at the moment they’ve been waiting for: Match Week.

For many medical students, Match Week is equal parts excitement, anticipation, and anxiety. It’s the culmination of years of hard work, and in just a few short days, you’ll learn where you’ll spend the next several years of your training, which will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of your career.

At the same time, Match Week can feel confusing. What happens on Monday? What if you don’t match? How does SOAP work? When do you find out your actual residency program? This guide walks through the entire week so you’ll know exactly what to expect.

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What Is Match Week?

Match Week is the final stage of the residency application process. After all the applicants and programs submit their rank lists, the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) then uses its matching algorithm to pair applicants and programs based on those rankings.

Match Week is the week that those results are shared. Importantly, applicants do not learn where they matched initially. Instead, they first learn whether they matched at all.

The specific program is revealed later in the week on Match Day.

March 15, 2027: Match Status Day

The first major event of Match Week occurs on Monday, March 15, 2027. At approximately 10:00 AM Eastern Time, applicants receive an email informing them whether they matched.

The email is intentionally brief. It does not tell you the program where you matched. Instead, it simply answers one question:

Did you match?

For applicants who receive a “Congratulations, you matched” message, the biggest uncertainty of the application season is over. While there is still curiosity about where they matched, they can spend the rest of the week celebrating and preparing for Friday’s reveal.

For applicants who learn that they did not match, or matched only partially in specialties that include preliminary and advanced positions, the week takes a different path.

That’s where SOAP begins.

March 15, 2027: SOAP Applications Open

SOAP stands for the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program. SOAP exists to help eligible unmatched applicants obtain positions in residency programs that still have unfilled spots after the Match algorithm is completed.

Although many students fear SOAP throughout the application cycle, it’s important to remember that every year thousands of residency positions are successfully filled through the process. Programs want to fill all of their available positions with qualified applicants just as much as applicants want to match!

SOAP begins immediately after unmatched applicants receive their Match status notifications. During this phase, applicants gain access to a list of programs with available positions and can begin submitting applications through ERAS.

The process moves much faster than the regular residency application cycle. Decisions that previously took weeks or months may now happen over the course of hours. As a result, preparation and flexibility become extremely important.

If You Learn You Didn’t Match

Finding out that you did not match can feel devastating. Most students spend years imagining Match Week ending one specific way, so receiving an unmatched notification can be emotionally overwhelming.

If this happens, the most important thing to remember is that your next steps matter more than your initial reaction. Many successful physicians have gone through SOAP and ultimately built outstanding careers.

Rather than focusing on what didn’t happen, your energy should shift toward understanding the available opportunities and creating the strongest possible SOAP strategy.

Reach out to your advisors, student affairs office, mentors, and specialty leadership immediately. Most medical schools have dedicated teams ready to help students navigate SOAP.

You do not need to figure everything out alone. Lean on your support network.

March 16–18, 2027: SOAP Interviews and Selection Process

The middle portion of Match Week is where SOAP becomes especially fast-paced. From March 16 through March 18, programs review applications and contact candidates for interviews.

Unlike traditional residency interviews, SOAP interviews are often shorter and more focused. Some may be conducted virtually, while others may be brief phone conversations. Programs are trying to identify candidates who are genuinely interested, flexible, and likely to succeed within their training environment.

Applicants should be prepared to discuss:

• Why they are interested in the program
• Their career goals
• Their application strengths
• Any concerns or obstacles in their application
• Why they are a good fit for the specialty

One of the most challenging aspects of SOAP is the uncertainty. Communication can happen quickly. Offers may be extended in multiple rounds. Applicants often spend much of the week waiting for updates while simultaneously preparing for potential interviews.

The process can feel exhausting, but every round creates new opportunities.

What Should You Do If You Already Matched?

Ironically, students who successfully matched on Monday often spend the rest of the week wondering how to stay busy. After the stress of interview season and rank list decisions, there is finally very little left to do.

Many students use the week to:

• Celebrate with classmates and family
• Relax and breathe a sigh of relief
• Attend Match Week events
• Reflect on how far they’ve come

If you’ve matched, give yourself permission to enjoy the moment. Medical school often trains students to immediately move on to the next goal. Match Week is one of the rare opportunities to pause and appreciate a major accomplishment. Live in the moment and commend yourself on how far you’ve come and what you’ve accomplished.

March 19, 2027: Match Day

Finally, the day arrives. On Friday, March 19, 2027, applicants learn where they matched.

For most students, Match Day is one of the most memorable days of medical school. Schools celebrate in different ways. Some host large ceremonies, while others hold smaller gatherings. Family members, friends, faculty, and classmates often attend to share the experience.

The moment itself is surprisingly simple. You open an envelope, or receive your result electronically, and discover the residency program where you will train.

After years of exams, clinical rotations, applications, interviews, and uncertainty, you finally have your answer. For many students, it feels surreal. One moment you’re a fourth-year medical student. The next, you’re preparing to become a resident physician.

What If Match Day Doesn’t Go as Planned?

It’s easy to think of Match Day as a single success-or-failure event, but reality is often more complicated. Some students match at their first-choice program. Others match lower on their rank list. Some find themselves training in cities they never expected to call home. And some begin residency through SOAP placements rather than the traditional Match process.

The important thing to remember is that where you match is only the beginning of your career story. Years from now, your growth as a physician will be shaped far more by your work ethic, relationships, mentorship, and dedication to patient care than by the exact position of a program on your rank list. Somehow, no matter how you feel on Match Day, you’ll find that you ended up where you were meant to be. 

Match Day is a major milestone, but it is not the final destination. It’s the starting line.

Final Thoughts

Match Week is one of the most emotional experiences in medical education. For some students, it brings immediate relief. For others, it presents unexpected challenges and difficult decisions. Regardless of the path, every applicant enters the week carrying years of hard work, sacrifice, and determination.

If you’re approaching Match Week, remember that uncertainty is normal. Trust the effort you’ve already invested. Lean on your support system. Celebrate your accomplishments. And know that whether your path includes a straightforward Match result or a SOAP journey, there are many ways to build a successful and fulfilling medical career. The finish line of medical school is finally in sight.

Quick Match Week Timeline (2027)

March 15, 2027
NRMP Applicant Match Status Announced

March 15, 2027
SOAP Applications Begin

March 16–18, 2027
SOAP Interviews & Selection Process

March 19, 2027
Match Day – Applicants Learn Their Residency Program

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