Working her way to becoming a PA
Allison Janedis is a registered dietician (RD) and on her way to becoming a physician’s assistant (PA). Her journey began while running for the cross-country team at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS).
She explained, “In cross country and track, nutrition was crucial to athletic success.” An RD is someone who specializes in medical nutrition therapy and designs nutrition programs for a patients’ specific health conditions and needs. But doing clinical work at Rose Medical Center, Allison realized she wanted to take her career one step further.
“I worked with amazing PAs who were role models for care in the ICU,” stated Allison. “I want to use my background to further help patients with their medical care and do more for my patients than addressing just their nutritional concerns.”
Allison grew up in the Hidden Pointe neighborhood, daughter of Tami and Steve, with her younger brother Nick. She attended Timber Trail Elementary and Rocky Heights Middle School. A lifelong soccer player, she switched to running cross country her freshman year at RCHS and stayed with the team until her 2016 graduation. During Allison’s sophomore year, the cross-country team won the league championship.
Allison attended Hastings College in Nebraska, continuing to run cross country. After a semester, she headed back to Colorado, completing her undergraduate degree in nutrition and food science, with a minor in business administration at Colorado State University. Allison took her degree and jumped right into an internship at Metropolitan State University, where she officially became an RD.
Today, Allison is working on her master’s degree in PA studies at Rocky Vista University. Being a PA will mean being able to work in critical care, surgery or in the ER, assessing, diagnosing, treating and prescribing medications. At first, the position will not dovetail with nutrition but Allison hopes that her degrees will come together in the future. Her desire would be to combine her licenses in a gastrointestinal clinic.
Allison spends her time outside of school and work having fun with friends in Denver, finding new coffee shops, traveling and continuing to run. She also loves to read.
“Castle Pines gave me community, neighborhoods and schools for me to develop into the person I am today,” Allison concluded. “Probably the biggest help was when Castle Pines got a library! Better access to books was huge for me growing up.”
Allison Janedis moved to Hidden Pointe in 2005 with her brother Nick, and parents, Tami and Steve.
Allison Janedis spends her time outside of school traveling and exploring Colorado with her friends.
By Marly Holsman; photos courtesy of Allison Janedis
