Dakota Sicignano is an accomplished student in the College of Pharmacy and will graduate from its six-year Pharm.D. program. He was involved in research for all six of his years at UConn and earned an American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists Foundation Student Literature Award. Sicignano will become a resident at Yale New Haven Hospital following graduation. In addition to his studies, Sicignano loved going to UConn basketball games and is proud of the three national championships won during his time as a student.
Why did you choose UConn?
I chose UConn for a few reasons. First, it is a top school in the country with a great reputation for both education and specifically its pharmacy program, both being ranked highly in the country. I also was excited to be able to partake in the culture surrounding the athletics and the sense of school pride everyone has. Finally, it was close enough to home that I could easily go back for a home-cooked meal.
What’s your major or field of study, and what drew you to it?
My major was pharmacy. I always knew I wanted to do something in the health care field and pharmacy stood out to me because the profession provides the most optimal combination of my interests. It offers me the ability to work at the interface of patients and the health care team combined with the science behind how drugs work and their impact on the body.
Did you have a favorite professor or class?
My favorite professor is my research mentor Dr. C. Michael White. I started working with Dr. White my sophomore year at UConn when I reached out to get involved with research. Dr. White gave me endless opportunities to gain research experience and work on projects that would have a major impact on the pharmacy profession.
What activities were you involved in as a student?
I was heavily involved in research throughout my six years at UConn. It started as a pre-professional student working under Dr. White and a research fellow, but eventually grew into a line of research that I ran and could call my own. I led a number of teams that investigated the use of psychedelics as treatment for mental health disorders and published numerous, impactful papers on the matter. It concluded with my paper, titled “Impact of Psilocybin on Anxiety and Depression Associated with Life-Threatening Cancer: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis,” being awarded the 2024 ASHP Literature Award for Student Research.
What are your plans after graduation/receiving your degree?
After graduation in May, I will be continuing my pharmacy career as a PGY-1 resident in at Yale New Haven Hospital. I hope to continue my pharmacy career in emergency medicine once my residency training is over.
How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in life?
UConn has prepared me extremely well for my next chapter. I got a world-class education and amazing research opportunities that I can use to impact people’s lives in my pharmacy career. I also was taught key skills like time management and how to handle stress through the rigorous education which will be invaluable during my residency training.
What’s one thing everyone should do during their time at UConn?
Everyone should go to the basketball games. The atmosphere is unmatched and the experience of going to Gampel is amazing. I went to countless numbers of games over my six years, and it is one of the things that I will miss the most about UConn once I graduate. It also helps when you win three straight national championships between the men and women!
What will always make you think of UConn?
I will remember UConn as the Basketball Capital of the World!
