“I chose a surgical specialty because
I really enjoy doing procedures and
having one-on-one contact with patients.”
Penny Vinnedge initially planned on a
nursing career in high school. But then
she read about physician assistants and
pursued that as a career because physician
assistants are allowed more responsibilities,
such as making a diagnosis and treatment
plan, and prescribing medications.
“We are more involved in decision-making
and still remain hands-on with patients,”
she explained. Her time at Marshfield
Clinic Health System is split between
assisting with surgeries, performing her
own procedures such as sclerotherapy
injections to treat varicose veins, and
meeting with patients before and after
their surgeries.
Vinnedge grew up near Medford,
Wisconsin, and earned her bachelor’s
and master’s degrees at Augsburg
College in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
During her training, she had a large
number of clinical rotations at Health
System locations in central and western
Wisconsin, which drew her back here.
She and her husband, Tom, a real estate
agent in Marshfield, have two children.
She enjoys camping, fishing, kayaking
and cake decorating.