Women at the Table

September 2026 Issue

By E.J. Goodwin
Photography (top) by Charlotte Berkeley

Pictured Above (L to R): Drs. Taylor Turnbull, Deanna Mansker, Aubrey Place

 

The operating room at Beaufort Memorial looks very different today than it did when general surgeon
Dr. Deanna Mansker joined the hospital in 2011. At the time, she was the only woman on the surgical team. Today, that team is majority women, reflecting a broader shift in a field that has long been dominated by men.
Dr. Mansker is now joined by Drs. Aubrey Place and Taylor Turnbull. These surgeons bring a passion for innovation, technical expertise, and hands-on patient care to the operating room every day.

While the team at Beaufort Memorial reflects changing demographics in medicine, the surgeons themselves are focused on something far more important: delivering exceptional care and making a meaningful difference in their patients’ lives.

“We see a problem; we fix a problem”
Dr. Turnbull, who, along with Dr. Place, joined Beaufort Memorial Surgical Specialists in 2024, said the hands-on, solution-centered nature of general surgery drew her to the field.

“Surgery isn’t one-size-fits-all,” she said. “Part of the beauty of being a surgeon is implementing technical knowledge and finely tuned skills to become a key part of a patient’s healing journey.”

It’s a sentiment she shares with her colleagues.

“I love surgery because I enjoy the instant gratification of helping patients,” Dr. Mansker said. “I love the fact that a patient comes to me with a problem that I often am able to fix, making them better and helping them move on with their lives.”

Dr. Place said she was attracted to surgery because she likes “fixing,” and sees surgeons as the “engineers” of medicine.

“We as surgeons are very tactile,” she explained. “We see a problem; we fix a problem.”

Patient Care as a Partnership
While bringing solutions to the table for their patients drives the three surgeons, they recognize that patient care extends beyond the operating room. The connections they build with patients, for them, are among the most rewarding parts of medicine.

Surgery isn’t just about suiting up in the operating room. There's an education and connection component, with each surgeon partnering with patients, building a collaborative environment tailored to each individual's needs.

“I get to meet incredible people, hear incredible stories, and make connections,” said Dr. Place. “The interactions I get to have with people in this role, whether staff or my patients, that’s my favorite part of my job.”
Medicine can also be unpredictable. Dr. Turnbull finds it particularly meaningful to care for very ill patients who arrive at the emergency department in need.

“Being able to support those patients and their families during a terrible time and seeing them come through it on the other end is a very humbling and deeply rewarding experience,” she said.

What Matters Most
September is Women in Medicine Month, but Beaufort Memorial’s surgeons are quick to point out that what matters most isn’t who is standing around the operating table. While having a female-dominant surgical team is exciting for women in medicine, it’s not necessarily remarkable to the surgeons themselves —for them, it’s simply reality.

For these three, gender doesn’t define the strength or skill of a surgeon. They agree what matters most is a surgeon’s passion and commitment to helping their patients heal and live their best lives possible. Their focus remains on patient experience, outcomes, and relationships.

“To be honest, I don’t spend any time thinking about it,” Dr. Mansker said. “Beaufort Memorial has always had a team of great surgeons who are competent, caring, and dedicated to their patients—and that’s what’s most important.”

Dr. Place emphasized that the team dynamic matters far more than shared gender.

“We have a very supportive group here,” she said. “We have each other’s backs and are always willing to help each other out. When I think about my partners, that’s what I think about.”

While the surgeons bring three different personalities to the table, they do share one priority: when it comes to patient care, “female” doesn’t factor into the equation.

“It isn’t rare,” Dr. Place added. “It isn’t strange, and honestly, it really hasn’t ever crossed my mind!”

Surgery’s New Generation
Only 22 percent of active surgeons in the U.S. are women, but according to data tracked by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), female representation in the field is growing.

Surgery may still be considered a male-dominated branch of medicine, but these surgeons at Beaufort Memorial are part of a changing field. Dr. Turnbull found the landscape starting to shift during her training: she completed her surgical residency in 2024 with four other female surgeons, and many of her chief residents and attending physicians throughout medical school and residency were women, too.

Her recommendation for young women considering a career in surgery? “Go for it!”

“There’s no reason to alter your dreams or aspirations because of your gender,” she said. “It may not always be easy, but that fear should never get in the way of doing what you want to do.”

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Meet the Docs

 

Dr. Deanna Mansker

Advice for someone considering becoming a surgeon?
Make sure that you love it. If you don’t love it, don’t do it. The field can be very rewarding, but it is also very challenging.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
My husband (and high school sweetheart) Phillip and I have a son and two daughters, and I enjoy spending time with them, as well as reading, music, and being outdoors.

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Dr. Aubrey Place

What drew you to the medical field?
When I was in middle school, I had my first biology class and fell in love with it; that is how it all began!

What’s something you wish people knew about the field of general surgery?
We need to recognize what a privilege it is to do this job.
(That said, it’s not like Grey’s Anatomy—it’s not like TV at all.)

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Dr. Taylor Turnbull

Do you have any subspecialty or particular expertise?
I have a special interest in peritoneal dialysis access and am currently the only surgeon in our area who offers laparoscopic peritoneal dialysis catheter placement.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Reading books, painting, or spending time with my husband, Mark, and our pup, Norman. We spend most of our fall weekends cheering on the Gamecocks!