Barone's Advice for UnMatched Applicants
Here's some advice and support for my friends who recieved this horrible message...
"We are sorry, you did not match to any position!"
Devastating... the worst moment of your life. You've put all this effort into doing your step exams, making a personal statement, submitting your application, doing interviews only to see the message from the NRMP that you didn't match!! Ugh! It must be a mistake. My life is over! 
It's natural to go thru all the emotions. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. You must grieve. Most of us have never missed on such a big thing as this. Let it out. Take a deep breath....
But the Match game is never over. There is always a way to turn things around. There are many students who have been in your position and have gone on to be successful and you can too. You are not alone. To quote Dory "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"... you will find your way!
First of all, you have a second chance in the SOAP. Although the odds are slim, it's worth it to get ready for any opportunities that present themselves. Make sure to check out the this video about "How the SOAP Works" and read the SOAP success stories to get prepared for the opportunity. The first round will be your best chance so research the available programs and apply broadly. Most importantly be ready to interview as a good interview will get you that spot. You have to get your mojo back and be positive! Let the bitterness and negativity go.
We have to address these to be successful.
Your Job Now is to Become a Better Applicant
Become the Best Candidate: If the SOAP is unsuccessful then your next goal is to continue to build your application and become the best applicant that you can be for the next opportunity. This is the time to address your deficiencies where ever possible. Check out my article "Be the Best Candidate!" for more tips. Here are some important steps to take:
Get Step 3 Done: Your step 1 and Step 2 exams are already in the books so there is nothing we can do about them. If you haven't done your Step 3 exam, you can improve your chances by getting it done with an above-average score. USMLE Scores matter.... this give you another opportunity to improve your scores. So give it your all. There are programs that want IMGs to have all three steps done before they seriously consider the applicant.
Get more US Clinical Experience: One of the most important things that you can possible do to increase your chances is to get more US clinical experience. It's often who you know and impress that makes all the difference. You want to get experience at programs that have taken IMG's in the past and impress the heck out of them. This is your "audition"! Show them that you will be a great resident. This can also help you improve the number and quality of your letters of recommendation. Also being in the right place at the right time can also occur... meaning if your there when a residency position opens up they might ask you to sign a contract and start working. For IMGs this happens more then you might think.
Do Research or Volunteer Work: You want to look for any opportunity to get on the wards and meet docs in a residency program. It's another way to get strong US LOR. And it can lead to abstracts, presentations, and publications which some of the specialties really want. But Dr. Barone, I have bills to pay... what else can I do to get paid and get experience? Here are some other jobs that students have done while waiting for the match: Non-Clinical Jobs for Physicians-in-Training
Learn from Others: Success leaves clues. Learn from other students who have had the same difficulties as you. By reading their stories not only do you get hope and motivation but you can learn what they did to be successful and follow in their footsteps. You can read their stories here: Success Stories
Improve your Personal Statement: Unfortunately, I have seen students shoot themselves in the foot, without knowing it, with their personal statement. In my experience Program Directors often use the personal statement to throw out applications. So I implore you to have as many people that you trust read over your personal statement and make sure to remove anything that would be a red flag. It's often difficult for students to see the red flags until they are pointed out to them. Read my article: Barone's Tips for Rocking your Personal Statement
Visa Status: In most cases, there is not much that can be done about changing your Visa status. So you want to research and focus on the programs that offer the H1 Visa. These are often very competitive programs so you want to do rotations or research there so they can see your skills.
Broaden Your Scope: According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) one of the reasons students don't match is not ranking enough programs. Another reason is that they are not competitive enough for the specialty or programs they are applying too. Everyone wants the the most prestigious and best program that they can possibly get into. So you should definitely rank your dream programs but you also have to rank intermediate and weaker programs too. As long as you would be willing to do a residency there you should consider it. So on the next go round, you want to broaden your scope and apply to more programs. I also have seen students only apply to a very competitive specialty like Dermatology without having a fallback specialty that is less competitive. We want to go for our dream specialty but we always want to have a backup plan!
Apply Early: It's very important to have your application complete and ready to submit at the opening of the match. The later you apply the less interview spots are available. The early bird truly gets the worm.
Improve your Interview Skills: A great application gets you an interview.... a great interview gets you a match!!! Remember if a program is interviewing you, they are willing to take you.... So you must have the best interview you can. It is so critical. There are many things you can do to become a better interviewee. Most importantly you want to get prepared with examples and stories from your life that will demonstrate the qualities and skills that will make you a great resident. So get practice questions, prepare, practice with a friend, and maybe consider getting profession coaching if necessary. Here's more info: Rock the Interview
Go to conferences: Try to go to conferences in the specialty that you want and network. It's surprising what kind of connections you can make at these meetings. These experiences can lead to research or observerships!
Watch for opportunities: There is always resident turnover during the year. You should be looking for these openings and be ready to strike!
Finally, Never give up hope. There is always a way if you are committed. There is a niche for you where you will do the greatest good for the world. Your job is to find it. I will be rooting for your success!
Warmest Wishes,
Dr. Barone
