Hey there — first off, I really appreciate the vulnerability in your post. That kind of honesty takes guts, and that’s a trait that actually serves people really well in surgery and in life.
So, straight talk: one C in your first year at a DO school is not a death sentence for general surgery. Not even close. You’re still in the early game. And I say that as someone who's watched a number of people climb back from early stumbles to match into some tough residencies.
Here’s the thing — general surgery is competitive, but it’s also holistic. Programs are looking for people who’ve shown grit, improvement, and a pattern of upward momentum. So instead of asking, “Is gen surg out of reach?” a more empowering (and practical) question might be:
“What story am I writing from this point on?”
A few things to reflect on:
- What led to the C? Burnout? Study strategy mismatch? Something external?
- How can you course correct and demonstrate to future programs that this was a bump, not a trend?
- What are you doing to build your clinical muscles outside the classroom — shadowing, research, service, leadership?
If you’re mostly getting A’s and B’s otherwise, that’s a strong foundation. Class rank matters, yes, but so does trajectory. A lot of students who end up matching in general surgery (or even more competitive specialties) have at least one academic hiccup. It’s how they responded that ended up setting them apart.
So don’t write your ending yet — you’re literally in Chapter 1.
Rooting for you as you keep moving forward.