Dr. Ritschel received her B.S., Cum Laude, in Biochemistry from the University of Cincinnati, and her M.D. also from the University of Cincinnati.  She completed her internship and pathology residency at the National Naval Medical Center, in Bethesda Maryland.  She served as Manager of Anatomic Pathology at the National Naval Medical Center, then Department Head of Laboratory Medicine at Naval Hospital Charleston.  In addition, she served as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Medical Staff, Medical Director of the Laboratory for Charleston Air Force Base as well as Naval Hospital Beaufort while stationed in Charleston.  In 2005 she came to Uniformed Services University.

Dr. Knollmann-Ritschel is a leader in pathology education, having served the Chair of the Undergraduate Medical Education Section (UMEDS) of the Association of Pathology Chairs and Deputy Editor of Academic Pathology. She served on the National Board of Medical Examiners for over a decade and currently serves on the College of American Pathology Graduate Medical Education Committee.  At the Uniformed Services University she was a leader of curriculum reform having developed the educational architecture of the modules of the pre-clerkship curriculum, integrating basic sciences and clinical sciences.  She served as the Course Director of the Pathology Curriculum for USU School of Medicine and serves on the Executive Curriculum Committee, Assessment Subcommittee.  She was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Pathology Educators in 2023 and currently serves as the Chair.  Her scientific research focuses on the development of miRNA biomarkers for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), objective pain quantification, and radioprotection.