Jackson Griggs, who is double majoring in biological sciences and psychology with a chemistry minor, plans to become a physician in rural Alabama. Jackson Griggs is a student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) who is double majoring in biological sciences and psychology with a chemistry minor. On the pre-health track, Griggs balances a demanding academic schedule with a variety of extracurricular pursuits, including running for UAH’s cross country and track teams and leading worship at his church. Originally from Rainbow City, Alabama, he is shaping his path toward a future in medicine. Griggs’s decision to attend UAH is rooted in both academic opportunity and personal growth. Through the Honors College, SOAR Club (Serving, Organizing, Advocating, and Reflecting), and athletics, he finds ways to develop skills that go far beyond the classroom. “These organizations have been great because they allowed me to meet many new people who are a lot different than me,” he explains. “As someone who wishes to become a doctor, it is incredibly important that I can communicate and work together with others who may look different or hold different values than I do.” He adds that balancing these commitments alongside a rigorous academic schedule has prepared him for the demands of medical school. “These campus organizations have also been a great way for me to learn how to manage my time and efforts wisely while also maintaining a high academic standard. This skill is also incredibly important to have regardless of the career you wish to have but especially going through med school.” Griggs’s motivation to pursue medicine is deeply personal. “I love people, and I love to solve complex problems,” he says. After spending significant time in the hospital as a child, Griggs was struck by the empathy and knowledge his doctors demonstrated. “Seeing the way the doctors showed empathy towards me while utilizing their vast knowledge of medicine to diagnose and treat my illness made me realize later in my life that I wanted to do the same thing.” While he hasn’t chosen a specialty yet, Griggs knows he wants to serve where he’s needed most. “I do know that I want to address the shortage of physicians practicing in rural communities by working in a rural area of Alabama,” he says. That mission led him to apply for the Huntsville Rural Premedical Internship (HRPI), a summer program offered through UAB. The program allows students from rural Alabama communities to shadow physicians in Huntsville and their home regions, attend medical lectures, and receive direct mentorship. “This program really inspired me because of my goal of practicing medicine in a rural community where there is a great need,” Griggs says. “During my internship I gained so much knowledge about practicing medicine, communicating with patients, and making myself a great applicant for med school. I also was exposed to so many doctors that I wouldn’t have ever had the chance to meet otherwise. The HRPI program definitely confirmed that rural medicine is the direction I want to take my life when I graduate.” Griggs credits UAH’s Office of Pre-Health Professions Advising with supporting his goals from the beginning. “The UAH Pre-Health Advisors have been crucial in my journey through my undergraduate,” he says. “They helped me create a four-year plan of which classes to take and when in order to be best prepared for the MCAT and even offered multiple free MCAT mock exams on campus. They are the reason I took part in my summer internship because they announced it to every pre-health student as a great program to apply to.” Though his high school didn’t offer a pre-health club or program, Griggs found early inspiration in his science courses. “My incredible high school chemistry and biology teachers Mr. Patton and Mr. Russell did greatly influence my love for science and provide me a solid foundation of understanding that has allowed me to perform well in my college chemistry and biology classes,” he says. At UAH, one class in particular stands out: Cell and Developmental Biology with Dr. Bradley Kraemer, an Associate Professor in the Biological Sciences Department. “The way he lectures lets you truly see how passionate he is about his field, and when a professor is that passionate about science it is hard not to grow to be just as excited as well to learn,” Griggs explains. “These parts of his lectures were my favorite because it really bridged the gap between learning lots of information about seemingly small parts of your body and then applying that knowledge in a way that heals people.” For prospective students considering UAH’s pre-health track, Griggs offers clear advice: “Don’t just declare your interest in healthcare. Demonstrate it by shadowing and volunteering with physicians and healthcare workers. Meet patients where they are in the places they are being treated, and learn how to have empathy and compassion towards them. Participate in research in a field you are passionate about.” He adds that UAH and Huntsville together offer unique advantages. “If your goal is to demonstrate a love and passion for healthcare through observing, volunteering, and researching there is no better city than Huntsville and no better college than the University of Alabama in Huntsville to meet these goals,” Griggs says. “UAH has all the resources you could wish for and a group of advisors and administrators who will do whatever it takes to see you take advantage of these opportunities and succeed in whichever healthcare path you wish to take.”