Jess Lagaluga Hutchings, PhD(c)
The University of Auckland (New Zealand)
Fakaalofa lahi atu, I am from a tiny island in the Pacific called Niue, which translates to “behold the coconut” and is the largest raised atoll in the world. I am also from Aotearoa, meaning “land of the long white cloud”. I studied pharmacy before completing a clinical internship to become a pharmacist. I started my PhD in 2022 on the role of community pharmacists in contributing to Pacific heart health equity in NZ. As someone from the Pacific, I have always been interested in Pacific health and equity in healthcare delivery. Upon entering the healthcare workforce, I realised quickly that this is an area not notably recognised, and the poor Pacific representation in pharmacy and other professions. As such, it ultimately led to me pursuing a PhD in Pacific health, in which I wanted to ensure I still had a pharmacy lens.
