Take heart.
Congratulations to those who got good news this week. And to those who didn't, I'm truly sorry. I was in your position before, so I know the emotional kick-in-the-nuts that not matching is. Keep in mind that there is a much higher number of qualified applicants than there are residency positions, so it is bound to happen to a lot of strong applicants. I'm sorry that you're one of them. It sucks, but from someone who was in your shoes not so long ago, here's my advice.
1. Celebrate with your friends. This week sucks for you, but on Match day be there for everyone you know. Its awkward and depressing, but saying "I didn't match" to a hundred people that you're close with will make it a lot easier to say the rest of the year, and believe me, you'll need to be comfortable with it. This year will be hard, and you have to swallow your pride and face facts if you're going to get in next time.
2. Nothing is going to stop you from feeling shitty right now, and I can't blame you. But today you have some decisions to make. First decision is 'Do I still pursue Ortho'? If you are a qualified applicant and your answer is "yes", then the next question is 'Prelim year versus Research year'. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages, and really it comes down to which will help improve your application for next year.
3. Assess your application. Scrutinize it as closely as you can and determine what aspect wasn't perfect. If its something you can fix, DO IT! If not (Step 1, Grades) find a proxy that can demonstrate that your deficit was the exception, not the rule.
4. Recruit. Get some people on board who could go to bat for you this coming year. You'll need advocates. Keep in mind that one strong advocate probably goes a lot farther than a lot of mediocre ones.
5. Don't get too down. If you really are a strong, committed applicant, then your chances of matching are better than not. Nothing is guaranteed, but at this point nothing is final.
Again, I'm sorry. If I can be of any help or support, please PM me and we'll find a time to talk.
