Memoirs of a Cardiothoracic Surgeon: This Week on AOL Health

Heart disease is the number one killer of women, and no one knows this better than Dr. Kathy E. Magliato -- one of only a handful of female cardiothoracic surgeons in the world.

Beyond saving lives, grappling with a notoriously male-dominated profession and managing an already hectic work schedule, Magliato is the wife of a liver transplant surgeon and mother to their two young boys. Her message to women is that you really can have it all. "You have to prioritize and be flexible. For me, it's all about [living in] the moment," she told AOL Health.

Magliato took time out of her busy schedule to speak to AOL Health about the importance of women knowing their risk for heart disease, why she chose to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, and how she balances a full work-schedule and being a wife and mother.

If you have a family history of heart disease, here are three exams you can't afford to pass up.