So you saw this thread or some similar? http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/vanderbilt-university/1484665-pre-med-grade-deflation.html
Vanderbilt is not unusual in their use of ‘weed out’ classes to cut down on the pre-meds in freshman year. Many top schools (and not so top schools) do this. If you are truly concerned (and you probably should be if you are convinced that medicine is the career for you), take a look at some LACs. The atmosphere at even the top LACs is less ‘weed out’ oriented, less competitive, more supportive. You will definitely know the faculty when the time comes to get your committee letter. If you like Vandy, then Davidson might be a better alternative. Look at Rhodes, Eckard and Hendrix too if you are partial to the south. The midwestern LACs are good choices. Grinnell’s sciences are especially strong, but Macalester, Oberlin, Kenyon and Carleton are all excellent choices.
Here’s what AAMC has to say about admissions based on GPA and Test Score (and no, you don’t get a significant ‘boost’ by going to a brand name place like Vandy over your state school):