Pre-med student builds unique Auburn experience

Jalen Boynton’s persistent work ethic, strong faith and generous love of people are guiding his unique Auburn experience. But it’s his curious mind — and the guidance of a middle school teacher — that have placed the senior biomedical sciences major and public health minor on the path to medical school.

“I decided to take a health science course as an elective when I was in middle school, and I found myself really enjoying the study of anatomy and diseases,” he said. “My teacher was also the athletic trainer for the football team, and she inspired me to think more broadly about things in the health field. And that started my love of health care.”

The first-generation student from Columbus, Georgia, chose Auburn to help him realize his dreams. He has received 11 scholarships and, thanks to the Auburn Family’s generosity, he has created his own distinct student experience.

“Donors have made it possible for me to be a student here and to fall in love with Auburn,” Boynton said. “And that gift has opened so many doors for me to pour into others.”

Pre-Med Path at Auburn

Attending Auburn wasn’t enough for Boynton. He was determined to use his student experience to grow and to impact as many students as possible. He found strong partners for these goals in Auburn’s College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM).

“COSAM has equipped me to be successful in so many ways,” Boynton said. “Truth be told, I can credit someone in COSAM with everything I’m involved in that is shaping my student experience.”

Boynton is busy. In addition to taking a full academic load, he works as a medical assistant at a community clinic. He serves in leadership roles in several student organizations, like the Campus Kitchen at Auburn University, where he has volunteered since his freshman year and currently serves on the executive leadership board. He participated in a donor-funded study abroad experience. He also runs the COSAM podcast and is one of the iconic university ambassadors in the War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen (WEGP).

And thanks to a pivotal meeting with the parent of a fellow student, he also participated in undergraduate research that helped him discover his preferred career path — ophthalmology.

During an Auburn Family Day tailgate his freshman year, Boynton and his mother sat with another family and struck up a conversation.

“The father asked me what I was pursuing, so I told him I want to go to medical school and I’m interested in ophthalmology,” Boynton explained. “He looked at me and said, ‘Well, interestingly enough, I’m actually one of the lead researchers in ophthalmology at UAB.’”

That encounter led to a shadowing opportunity with ophthalmologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and then, in the summer of his junior year, an invitation to join the lab for an extraordinary undergraduate research experience.

As an engaged pre-med student, Boynton saw a need for others like him to gain access to practitioners in health care fields.

“One thing a lot of pre-health and pre-med clubs aim to do is to connect medical schools to students, which is amazing and I love that,” he said. “But I wanted to take a different approach and connect physicians and providers with students because although getting into medical school is definitely important, the real-world life and career experience you’ll have is just as important. They’re the ones who can share those experiences with us.”

Boynton created the Pre-Medical Association at Auburn that currently boasts 300 members. The student organization is open to all students and focuses on meeting practical needs and answering specific questions for pre-med students.

“We bring in local physicians from all different types of specialties to talk about a typical day in their lives — what brought them to medicine and the challenges they face,” he said. “I think it’s important for students to hear from people with different perspectives on medical school and health careers.”

Foundation for the Journey Ahead

As Boynton winds down his time on the Plains, his eyes are firmly fixed on finishing well and remaining grateful for the opportunities he’s had at Auburn.

“I’ve been fortunate to meet students from all over campus who come from different walks of life,” he said. “From international students who moved across the globe to give Auburn a shot to those from close by, we’re all finding the same love and family here. That’s one of the reasons I love Auburn so much, it’s because we are family — the Auburn Family.”

Exceptional students like Boynton find a challenging, rewarding and engaging home on the Plains. They are shaped by Auburn — and Auburn is shaped by them. The Auburn Family’s generosity makes these experiences possible.

“I’m blessed to have received such tremendous support from donors,” he said. “Scholarships have given me more than financial assistance; they’ve given me the gift of time at Auburn. My experience at Auburn has created memories I’ll cherish forever.”