Rachael Rooks is a Physician Assistant and our Lead Advanced Practice Provider. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science from the University of Florida. While attending UF she participated in research focused on the role of cell autophagy in cancer as well as the events of bacterial invasion of endothelial cells. In addition, she also volunteered for multiple organizations at UF including School Health Interdisciplinary Program (SHIP) where she spent her Wednesdays at an elementary school motivating students to engage in health promoting behaviors while motivating academic success. She then went on to earn her Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistance Studies from Nova Southeastern University. During her training she gained a vast amount of experience spanning from Interventional and General Cardiology to Cardiac, Lung, and Solid Organ Transplant at Mayo.
She has a passion for teaching and lives out this passion by partnering alongside her patients as she teaches them about both their condition(s) and their treatment plan(s) as she believes this is key in providing quality care. While she does provide care for all cardiovascular conditions, she takes special interest in Heart Failure, Dyslipidemia, and Lymphedema. In her spare time she enjoys hunting, fishing and staying busy with a DIY project