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Q&A: Dockery Appreciates Atmosphere Found at Fisch College

P4 student Hunter Dockery of Tyler currently works as a pharmacy intern for Walgreens and will graduate from the Fisch College of Pharmacy in spring 2021. In the following question and answer segment, learn more about Dockery, how he chose the pharmacy profession and what he likes best about the college.

Can you share a little bit about yourself?

I was born in Odessa, Texas, but moved to Tyler at a young age. I graduated from high school in 2015 and shortly after received a job at a Walgreens drug store as a pharmacy technician. I have been employed at Walgreens for five years and am currently a pharmacy intern.

Why did you choose the pharmacy profession?

Having a scientist and eventual UT Tyler professor for a mother, I was naturally inclined towards science. By the age of 5, I had a digital microscope and we were looking at the effects of caffeine on Daphnia magna, which is a type of small planktonic crustacean. I did well in math and science throughout grade school and was given the opportunity to participate in the pharmacy program in high school. That spurred my interest in applying to the pharmacy program on campus. I was certified as a pharmacy technician when I graduated high school, and that certification helped me to step into the pharmacy world.

Having lived in Tyler for many years, the University provided the most direct path for achieving my educational dreams of attending a pharmacy school as the Fisch College of Pharmacy had just been built.

What do you like best about UT Tyler and the Fisch College of Pharmacy?

I love UT Tyler for the nature and openness that is embedded within the school. When it comes to the Fisch College of Pharmacy, I am a big believer in the team-based learning that they strive to embody. The interprofessional collaboration that they are currently pushing for inside of team-based learning really adds to the diversity of learning you can achieve while in class.

What extracurricular activities are you involved with?

In the past, I participated in the Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) as a college small group leader and taught a class each Thursday night. I am currently a part of the APhA and SNPhA pharmacy organizations.

I am also working as the student adviser on the E-sports research with a collaborative team of UT Tyler faculty including Dr. Julie Delello, Dr. Rochell McWhorter, Dr. Paul Roberts and Dr. David Alger. With a research grant, we hope to start work in the spring.

This research is important because E-sports is a growing field of interest for a lot of people worldwide. Video games, streaming and competitive play are a broad area that is relatively new and not studied. There is a lot of information that can be gained from research in this field.

Bringing E-sports to UT Tyler would allow new positions for people intrigued by a career in the field of technology and potential semipro teams in respected games. In terms of health, we can look further into how gaming affects posture, sleep and dietary habits of players. Do players multitask more? How does gaming effect their coursework and grades? And, how does gaming influence the choice of major? These topics are just now being investigated as there is a dearth of research in this area.

Through the BSM, I was able to get my first real experience as a leader in the community, and that helped to prepare me for the team-based learning program within the FCOP. I am always looking for more opportunities to further my leadership experience so that I may use it one day in my profession.

How has UT Tyler prepared you for a successful career?

UT Tyler, and more specifically the Fisch College of Pharmacy, has prepared me for a successful career by giving me the knowledge of my profession throughout the program. The wonderful faculty have been willing to help all of the students look for opportunities to fulfill each step of their journey.

Who is your favorite professor, and why?

My favorite professor is Dr. Vega, hands-down, a professor at the Fisch College of Pharmacy who teaches sterile compounding. Dr. Vega is the embodiment of who I strive to be in my professional and personal career. I had the pleasure to be in multiple classes with him and even finished a six-week Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) with him while working 40 hours a week. Not only is he an amazing professor who understands all his student’s abilities, he is also an amazing person who teaches life skills through conversations that can be used for the rest of your life.

What are your ultimate career goals?

I would like to continue to pursue my education after obtaining my PharmD. I don’t know what my final goal is going to be, but I know I will continue working and educating myself until I fall in love with one specific outlook of pharmacy. I plan to apply for a postgraduate pharmacy residency this fall.

What are your hobbies/interests?

Outside of school, I love playing video games and any sport, especially tennis and disc golf.

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