Alanna Janssen, DO

Sioux Center Health Welcomes New Family Medicine Physician/Obstetrics

Dr. Alanna Janssen will begin her family medicine with obstetrics practice at Sioux Center Health Medical Clinic on Monday, September 17, 2018.

Dr. Alanna Janssen, 30, is specifically a doctor of osteopathic medicine.“We do some training that’s similar to what chiropractors would do, learning things like skeletal adjustments or ‘back cracking.’” Her education also included an analysis of muscles and learning treatments similar to physical therapy. “I chose that type of degree over becoming an M.D. specifically because I knew I wanted to do family medicine and I knew I wanted to be in a small town,” she said. “Small towns don’t always have those resources around.”

Janssen earned a biochemistry degree at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and earned her D.O. at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, Missouri. She completed her Family Medicine Residency with the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation in Sioux City.

Her interest in medicine stems back to high school. “I really liked math and science when I was little,” Janssen said. “I wanted to be an astronaut for a long time, but I hated roller coasters so I realized that probably wasn’t a good goal in life. When I looked to other things, early in high school I thought about being a doctor, did some shadowing and found I really liked it, especially the idea of being a family practice doctor.” Being a family practice doctor, one who could treat the whole family, appealed to Janssen.

“I always knew I wanted to go back to a small town, because I like knowing my patients, their
children and grandchildren,” she said. Coming to Sioux Center feels a little like coming home to Janssen, who was raised in Plattsmouth, Nebraska — a community of 7,000. “When we came up for an interview, I fell in love with the community,” she said. “I interviewed a couple other places and it didn’t feel right. I think, in part, it feels like my home in size but for a town this size to be growing, that’s not that common. We thought that was a great sign.”

The cleanliness of the town and the newer hospital campus also appealed to Janssen. “The clinic, too, has a variety of practitioners — some at end of their practice and some just starting,” she said. “I think that’s beneficial to gain different perspectives. And a job opportunity for my husband opened up too. We just fell in love with the community.”

Janssen’s husband Alex is a teaching professional at The Ridge Golf Course. The couple have
a 7-month-old daughter Kennedy. Besides spending time with her family, Janssen enjoys running, reading and going to the movies. “My family and myself are very excited, happy and thankful to be here,” she said. “I’m looking forward to meeting patients and becoming a part of the community.”