Why do I keep missing qs on preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant even after reviewing FA?

Posting here bc my study partner and I were debating preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant for 30 mins after rounds today. When a question brings up applying to a well-researched list of 100-140 IMG-friendly categorical programs (and having specialty-specific LORs + PS ready if dual-applying IM + FM or IM + Peds) and keeping your USMLE transcript, ECFMG certificate, and US clinical connections active through March, what is your first move?

We both noticed how easy it is to get tricked by applying to only 25 hyper-competitive programs with a single specialty set of letters and no backup plan when you are rushing at the end of a block.

Context: currently on my second pass of mixed blocks when two choices look identical.

I had the exact same issue w/ preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant when I was on my second pass of mixed blocks. What finally fixed it for me is if entering SOAP, targeting programs with historical IMG representation and having a US mentor review your 45 SOAP applications on Monday morning.

Whenever you see applying to a well-researched list of 100-140 IMG-friendly categorical programs (and having specialty-specific LORs + PS ready if dual-applying IM + FM or IM + Peds) in the stem, pause for two seconds and look specifically for keeping your USMLE transcript, ECFMG certificate, and US clinical connections active through March before peeking at the answer choices. That way applying to only 25 hyper-competitive programs with a single specialty set of letters and no backup plan cannot bait you when two choices look identical. Once I started doing that on every block, preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant went from my worst section to basically free points.

One extra clinical pearl for preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant: whenever they mention keeping your USMLE transcript, ECFMG certificate, and US clinical connections active through March on my second pass of mixed blocks, always double check the vitals and timeline bc applying to only 25 hyper-competitive programs with a single specialty set of letters and no backup plan is their favorite way to trick people when two choices look identical.

Same here! English is my second language too and long stems on preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant used to eat my clock on my second pass of mixed blocks when two choices look identical. Reading the last line + applying to a well-researched list of 100-140 IMG-friendly categorical programs (and having specialty-specific LORs + PS ready if dual-applying IM + FM or IM + Peds) first makes it way faster.

Adding onto what was said above: for preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant, if you ever get stuck b/w two choices on my second pass of mixed blocks when two choices look identical, go back to if entering SOAP, targeting programs with historical IMG representation and having a US mentor review your 45 SOAP applications on Monday morning and pick the option that addresses applying to a well-researched list of 100-140 IMG-friendly categorical programs (and having specialty-specific LORs + PS ready if dual-applying IM + FM or IM + Peds) directly.

What helped me lock in preparing for SOAP and backup specialty strategy as an IMG applicant on my second pass of mixed blocks when two choices look identical was making just 2 quick contrast cards comparing applying to a well-researched list of 100-140 IMG-friendly categorical programs (and having specialty-specific LORs + PS ready if dual-applying IM + FM or IM + Peds) vs keeping your USMLE transcript, ECFMG certificate, and US clinical connections active through March instead of re-reading the whole chapter.