<p>1 - medical schools don’t care at all about the particular major, even more so with these which are all in the general bio category. What might make a difference, for selecting among candidates who are otherwise about equal in GPA and MCAT stats, is the particular courses each applicant attended, if one took intellectually rigorous classes and the other took classes on the easy end of the spectrum. It does not appear that this is a factor in most decisions, it seems almost totally driven by GPA, MCAT, volunteer and intern record related to medicine, the statements of motivation to enter medicine, and finally the interview. </p>
<p>2 - Yes, GPA + MCAT is the dominant factor, but quality of the school counts for a tiny bit, kind of a nudge to break ties. That is, a 3.2 from Cal won’t do as well as a 3.9 from a midtier school or lower. If you are evaluating the switch now, but haven’t taken most of the med school pre-req courses (in Cal terms, that would be Phys 8A, Phys 8B, Chem 1A, Chem 1AL, Chem 3A, Chem 3AL, Chem 3B, Chem 3BL, Bio 1A, Bio 1AL, Bio 1B, and a final Ochem which is often MCB102), understand that these are the great grade crushers that lead so many pre-meds to change career goals and not both applying to med school, once their GPA is trashed. You should be heading into this new major with a pretty high GPA, probably 3.7 or above, then work very hard in the premed sequences and in your major classes to end up with a GPA that goes no lower than about 3.6 when you graduate, but really should be higher for decent chances. </p>
<p>Cal students tend to do better than average on the MCAT tests, due in part to the rigor of the med school prereq classes you take here, and that is the second key stat for admission. If your GPA is on the lower end, then you would depend more on a very good MCAT to gain admission, but if you can hold a 3.8 and above GPA then solid scores are enough. </p>
<p>The third dimension is experience in medicine to show that you have a feel for what a life in the field is like and have validated that it suits you. Shadowing doctors, volunteering in clinics, or anything else that shows you dipped your toes into the day to day life and realities, yet are still interested in the huge commitment involved in becoming a licensed physician. Those whose interest in medicine extends beyond “its a career with good income potential and some prestige” and into passions for helping people or something else beyond the income thing, are going to be looked at a bit more favorably. </p>
<p>Med school admissions committees are said to disapprove of those who take the med school prereqs at CC or other easier schools, while attending a school like Cal. This is not an outright disqualifier, but more of a nudge again, but this time it would break a tie in favor of the other applicant, not you. </p>
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