Rita McKinley was a surgical technologist for 21 years before going back to school to be a physician assistant. She enjoyed working in cardiothoracic surgery as a surgical technologist and wanted to return to it.

"I just really enjoy assisting in surgery because it has great appeal for me, especially with heart disease so prevalent now," Rita said.

Rita likes the diversity of assisting with surgeries for a structural problem like valve surgery or bypass surgery to treat coronary artery disease. She also does post-surgery visits with patients.

Rita earned her physician assistant degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison.

She and her husband, Mark, have two daughters. They enjoy biking, hiking and getting away to their cottage in northern Wisconsin. In the winter, they snowshoe, ski and ride snowmobiles.