Amanda Janes

BSc in Health Sciences

This student athlete and budding orthodontist chose FHS for the possibilities a broad education would provide.

Amanda Janes has a clear vision for her life: she wants to help people. Specifically, she dreams of going to dentistry school to specialize in orthodontics. Although she has a very specific focus, studying at FHS has broadened her horizons.

“I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to take so many different classes and cover so many different areas. I’ve taken courses on mental health, disabilities, environmental impacts, and even classes on the Canadian public health care system. It’s given me a wide perspective on so many different things, and allowed me to explore what I’m most interested in.”

The ability to discover areas of interest at an early stage in an academic career is crucial. The multi-disciplinary approach of FHS allows undergraduates to explore their options, find their passion and focus on a career path after being exposed to a variety of health sciences approaches. She feels it’s an important part of undergraduate life.

As a member of the SFU softball team, Amanda has had to juggle a demanding schedule of training, practices, travel, and competition days on top of attending classes, writing exams, and completing papers and projects. Through being a student athlete, she has learned the importance of time management, stress management and getting ahead whenever possible, which has really helped her with balancing academics and athletics.

“If I could give any advice, it would be to not have a closed mind. Be open-minded, explore your options and take different electives and different health science courses to see what they’re like. You never know what you’ll end up enjoying. You may end up in a course that leads to your new future occupation.”

As for her own future occupation, she plans on applying for dentistry school. “I think a health science degree is a great foundation for dentistry. I do have a plan with what I want to do when I graduate but it’s nice to know that my studies in public health would still offer a rewarding career and a chance to help people.”