Women at the Table: The Surgeons Shaping Hands-On Care at Beaufort Memorial

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. The surgeons bring a passion for innovation, technical expertise and hands-on patient care to the operating room every day.

September is Woman 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 the team 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 joined Beaufort Memorial Surgical Specialists in August 2024, said that the hands-on, solution-centered aspect of general surgery was what drew her to the field – a passion she shares with her colleagues.

"I love surgery because I enjoy the instant gratification,” 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 that she was attracted to surgery because she likes “fixing,” and sees surgeons as the sort of “engineers” of medicine.

“Us surgeons, we’re very tactile,” she explained. “We see a problem, we fix a problem.”

Surgery isn’t “one-size-fits-all,” Dr. Turnbull added, but part of the beauty of being a surgeon is implementing technical knowledge and finely tuned skills to be a key part of a patient’s healing journey.

Dr. Mansker put it simply: Surgery is as much an art as it is a science.

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.

“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.”

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

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

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, but their passion and commitment to helping their patients heal and live the best lives possible. Their focus remains 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% 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 that 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.”

This article first appeared in Pink Magazine in September 2026.