Meet Anja: Nutrition and dietetics (B.S.'15)

I am a pediatric clinical dietitian at Bronson Pediatric Subspecialties. My office encompasses many specialties like Pediatric Gastroenterology, Surgery, Cardiology, and Neonatology clinics.

My day may begin with a team huddle followed screening the clinic schedules. I review the patients we have coming in that day and prepare to see them as warranted. I see diagnoses ranging from infant malnutrition, pediatric obesity, food allergies, inflammatory GI conditions, and beyond. My nutrition interventions may include nutrition support (tube feeding), nutrition education, and prescribing therapeutic diets.

WMU provided an atmosphere for learning and growth that allowed me to become a well-rounded student. This laid the foundation to adapt to my current role. Over my time at WMU, I developed good relationships with my professors who later recommended me when I first started at Bronson.

As a Lee Honors College student, I was required to complete a capstone thesis to round out my undergraduate degree. I came at it from a food science perspective, utilizing skill from my Advanced and Experimental Foods course to create a functional food product by adding varying amounts of resistant starch to homemade pasta. I spent a lot of time fine-tuning my pasta-making skills in the food lab during my senior year, which was a ton of fun.  

I really enjoyed getting to know Arezoo Rojhani and Caroline Webber over the years. They served as wonderful mentors post-graduation and provided me with many opportunities. I have a lot of gratitude for those two. 

Absolutely! My cohort was on the smaller side. The small group atmosphere was very conducive for learning.  We kept each other on top of deadlines, helped each other with assignment questions, and sometimes studied together.

As a peds RD my mind automatically goes to the population I work with—kids. After all, they are our future. There are many nutrition milestones throughout the pediatric (and adult) lifespans that warrant special nutrient attention (i.e. focusing on iron-rich complementary foods during infancy).

I also like to take a step back and think about the big picture. Balancing our diet by eating from all of the food groups is ideal when fueling for the future. On that note, I am a big advocate of plant-based eating patterns. Choosing nutritious meatless meals is not only great fuel for the future, but can be a sustainable choice for the environment. 

During my internship, we had a full rotation devoted to sustainability. We spent time in the community and at local farms learning about sustainable food practices. The concept of sustainability was also woven throughout the curriculum of both the undergrad and graduate programs.

Definitely! I found WMU to be a great place to grow and learn. It provides a strong foundation, but allows for personalization along the way.