Source: AAFP News

If you’re one of the hundreds of applicants who find themselves unmatched after the National Resident Matching Program’s Main Residency Match results are announced on Match Day, take reassuring advice from an expert.

“You are not alone,” said Karen Mitchell, MD, FAAFP, American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) vice president for national residency and academic partnerships. “There are many reasons that applicants don’t match and programs don’t fill. It does not mean you are a poor applicant, nor that the program is a bad program. Many people have found outstanding opportunities through the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).”

Dr. Mitchell, a former program director and past president of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, said any stigma once associated with the SOAP is diminishing because the number of applicants and programs participating is increasing. In fact, studies show that the vast majority of residents who match through the SOAP “are well prepared for training, contribute to their programs, and perform as well as other residents.”

Dr. Mitchell offered applicants more advice as they wait to hear what Match Week brings in AAFP News.