An overview of how Thalamus supports residency programs during the NRMP's Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) week, including which features are available and key timing considerations.
Roles: Program Director, Program Coordinator, Program Administrator
Prerequisites: An active Thalamus Residency season for your program.
SOAP Mode Access
All ERAS and non-ERAS residency programs with an active Thalamus season automatically receive SOAP Mode access. No opt-in or additional action is required. Programs not participating in SOAP can ignore any SOAP features within Cortex and Thalamus Core.
With SOAP Mode, you can manage your SOAP applicants within your main recruitment season environment-everything stays in one place.
SOAP Mode Specific Features
All features that were active for your program during the main recruitment season remain enabled for SOAP:
| Feature | Available During SOAP? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thalamus Core | 🟢 Yes |
|
| Itinerary Wizard | 🟢 Yes |
|
| Cortex | 🟢 Yes |
|
| Thalamus Video | 🟢 Yes (subscribers only) |
|
| Cerebellum | 🟡 Yes (excludes SOAP recruitment data) |
|
Program primary workflow specific features available during SOAP week include:
- SOAP Calendar events
- SOAP Scorecards
- SOAP Rank List (no action can be taken until soap week)
- Cortex SOAP View toggle
- Surveys
- Faculty availability
- Itinerary Builder
- Social Events
Important Timing Notes
SOAP Import Cutoff
SOAP Applicants can no longer be imported or authorized in the SOAP Interview tab after the conclusion of SOAP. Other actions; such as scoring, sending emails, and marking applicants as Matched-can still be completed in the SOAP tab after SOAP ends.
ERAS Applicant Authorization
Programs can authorize their SOAP applicants from the Program Director's WorkStation (PDWS) to Thalamus Core or Cortex — identical to the regular recruitment season process.
- ERAS programs importing to Thalamus Core > Importing SOAP Applicants in Thalamus Core and Cortex (ERAS Programs)
- ERAS programs importing to Cortex > Using Cortex During SOAP Week
Training Video
Watch the recorded training session for a full walkthrough of Cortex and Thalamus Core during SOAP week:
Utilizing Cortex & Thalamus During SOAP Week
SOAP Week Article Index
Use the guides below to complete each step of your SOAP week workflow:
- SOAP Week FAQs
- SOAP Email Templates
- SOAP Calendar Events
- Importing SOAP Applicants in Thalamus Core and Cortex (ERAS Programs)
- Using Cortex During SOAP Week
- Inviting SOAP Applicants
- Building Itineraries & Interviewing During SOAP
- SOAP Scoring & Scorecards
- SOAP Rank List & NRMP Export
If you need additional assistance, click the help icon at the bottom right of any Thalamus page or submit a support request.