Late to the party and probably beating a dead horse at this point, but some thoughts:
-OP, I think what has caused a lot of people to become frustrated with you is the feeling that if they were in your shoes right now, they'd be doing things very differently - banging down the doors of everyone who might be able to help; trying to network with new people; trying to maximize your opportunities while you are still in med school. For whatever reasons, you aren't really doing that, and I think that has thrown a lot of people for a loop.
-You've gotten some very good advice here. If you really think there is a chance of trying to match in a different field, do everything you can to rotate through that field before graduating. I know it's late in the year; I know it's not what you want to do right now; but you have so much more available opportunity IN med school than you will afterwards.
-At some point, if you want people to be sympathetic to your situation, you have to own up. You say your step I is low (for derm), but you didn't take step II because people at your school typically take it late...I say so what? You should have taken it earlier to maximize the strength of your application. You say you talked to the NRMP folks...I say so what? You needed to meticulously ensure that every detail of your rank list was done correctly. And don't even get me started on your IMG sidetrack. You have to take some responsibility for what happened if you want people to care about your plight.
Some people have been sympathetic and understanding and have been able to truly understand me from a more human perspective.
There are alot of people on a high horse here, and like some other poster said, if these same people were in my shoes, they would likely act the same.
I have done everything in my power to change my situation. I have talked to and come up with multiple ideas for my own PD in Im, other PD's in IM, I have called programs, etc etc etc.
You say the following, about people here would *have done* "- banging down the doors of everyone who might be able to help; trying to network with new people; trying to maximize your opportunities while you are still in med school." What of this have I not done?
I doubt it that people in my situation would be able to do things that I havent. I can't force my PD or any other PD to give me a spot. I can't force the admins to give me a spot or to listen to me. I call and email and request until I'm blue in the face.
What would these other posters really be able to do? If they didn't do the scramble, they wouldn't know what a nightmare it was. they wouldn't know how difficult it has been to find a prelim spot, and how many excellent people went unmatched.
Alot of what people "would do" is in theory, and if you notice, the posters that have been the most sympathetic overall are those who are or have been in my same shoes. It's easy to speak of what we could do, but when you are in the situation, it's not as easy, is it?
As far as doing other things in med school, I am trying to study for step 2 at this point, which is essential and I'm trying to do as well as I possibly can, trying to have a research project completed, and trying to study for exams in my MPH. so i'm doing plenty, i'm not sitting on my butt all day doing nothing. At the same time, I'm looking into opportunities to do additional research in June when I'll likely be finished if an opportunity doesn't come up in a prelim position, and I'm working with one of the PD's who interviewed me who liked me sufficiently to try to even create a spot for me in his program.
So as you can see, I think you are incorrect, as are others, in the perception that i'm not doing much. quite the contrary. And again, if otheres were in my same position, I don't think they would be so wonderful and perfect that they would solve everything in a matter of seconds. This is something highly unexpected and that is hurtful and sad, as I'm sure it was for all those other people who did not match. For those who have not experienced not being able to match, I think it's difficult for them to understand, and I'd hope they'd be a bit more sympathetic.
What specialty were you going for, and what are your plans until next match?
