Once SOAP applicants are invited and begin scheduling, build your interview itinerary and conduct SOAP interviews using the same tools available during your regular recruitment season.
Roles: Program Director, Program Coordinator, Program Administrator
Prerequisites:
- SOAP applicants invited to interview (see Inviting SOAP Applicants)
- At least one SOAP calendar event with applicants scheduled (see SOAP Calendar Events)
How Scheduling Works in SOAP Mode
After being invited, SOAP applicants begin scheduling into your SOAP calendar events. The scheduling process is the same as the regular recruitment season — applicants select available time slots through the Thalamus Smart Calendar.
Building Your SOAP Itinerary
During SOAP, programs have access to both the Itinerary Builder and the Itinerary Wizard to create interview day schedules.
- Navigate to the Schedule tab or access the itinerary from your SOAP calendar event.
- Create itinerary sessions for your SOAP interview day.
- For each session, select your video interview method:
- Thalamus Video — if your program has an active Thalamus Video subscription
- 3rd-party video (API) — if your program has an API connection enabled (e.g., integrated Zoom)
- "Virtual Interview Manual" — to insert a third-party meeting link manually (Zoom, WebEx, Teams, etc.)
- Publish your itinerary to make it visible to applicants and interviewers.
Using Thalamus Video During SOAP
Thalamus Video is used in the exact same way during SOAP as it is during the regular interview season. Programs can continue to host and manage virtual interviews directly within Thalamus using the same familiar workflow.
To launch or join a virtual interview, simply use the Thalamus Video link associated with the scheduled interview, just as you would during the regular season.
For step-by-step instructions and additional details, please refer to the Thalamus Video Guide:
Things to Know
All regular season itinerary features are available. Session types, interviewer assignments, room assignments, breaks, and all other Itinerary Builder/Wizard features work the same way in SOAP Mode.
SOAP interviews move fast. Consider publishing your itinerary as soon as you have the basic session structure ready, and refine details (interviewer assignments, room links) as they are confirmed. Applicants and interviewers can see updates in real time once the itinerary is published.
For detailed instructions on building itineraries, see the existing guides:
What's Next
Success: Your SOAP itinerary is published, interview sessions are configured with video links, and applicants/interviewers can view their schedules.
Next steps:
- SOAP Scoring & Scorecards — score applicants during or after their SOAP interviews
- SOAP Rank List & NRMP Export — build and export your SOAP rank list
If you need additional assistance, click the help icon at the bottom right of any Thalamus page or submit a support request.