Prior to her retirement in 2022, she found much success as an associate medical director at Planned Parenthood of North Central States.
DES MOINES, IA, August 28, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Deborah Ann Turner, MD, is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all considered during the selection process.
Drawing on over three decades of expertise in the medical field, Dr. Turner specialized in gynecology, medical education, patient care, and social advocacy. Prior to her retirement in 2022, she found much success as an associate medical director at Planned Parenthood of North Central States. In addition to her main vocation, she also held a clinical faculty appointment at The University of Iowa, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the University of Nebraska. Dr. Turner initially began her career in 1987 as a board-certified gynecological oncologist, practicing medicine at various medical institutions, including the Genesis Medical Center, the MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, and the MercyOne North Iowa Cancer Center in Mason City, Iowa.
Dr. Turner continued her career working in the nonprofit sector of The Outreach Program, a nonprofit organization that packages meals for the hungry throughout the United States and beyond. Additionally, in her role as the vice president of international medical programs, she participated in several medical missions to Africa, particularly in the country of Tanzania.
Moreover, dedicated to her mission to improve the lives of women, she excelled as the president, chairperson of the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee, as well as a member of the finance and governance committee at the League of Women Voters of the United States, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting and expanding voting access for all Americans. Prior to her national roles with the League, Dr. Turner served as a member of the Iowa Board of Regents and later joined the Des Moines Metropolitan League, where she cultivated her interest in the way policy affects medicine, social justice, and educational opportunities.
Prior to embarking on her professional journey, Dr. Turner pursued an education at Iowa State University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in zoology, chemistry, and biology. She continued her academic efforts at The University of Iowa, earning a Doctor of Medicine in 1978. She subsequently completed her residency in obstetrics-gynecology at The University of Iowa in 1983, and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1985. Dr. Turner concluded her scholarly endeavors at Drake University, where she attained a Juris Doctor in 2007.
As a commitment to her field, Dr. Turner was active with several industry-related organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology Inc. Likewise dedicated to civic advocacy, she has contributed to her local chapter of Rotary International, the League of Women Voters Education Fund and various children's feeding centers.
Well-regarded for her contributions to the field, Dr. Turner has received multiple awards, including the Gertrude E. Rush Award from the National Bar Association in 2015, the Louise Rosenfield Noun Visionary Award from the Young Women's Resource Center in Des Moines in 2018, the Marquis Who's Who Humanitarian Award and the Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award from The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. Moreover, she was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame in 2013, featured in Fortune Magazine, Millennium Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and Marquis Who's Who in the World. Dr. Turner was also recognized as a Marquis Who's Who Professional Woman, Industry Leader, Top Professional and BIPOC Thought Leader in 2022.
Among her professional accomplishments, Dr. Turner is most proud of receiving the Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award from The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a nonprofit health organization that seeks to foster greater collaboration between patients and medical professionals. The honor is awarded only after an individual who appreciates her service as a physician intentionally sends a letter of recommendation to the center for consideration of the candidate for commendation, which gratifies her to know that she has meaningfully impacted the lives of her patients. Reflecting on a long career, Dr. Turner attributes much of her success to her parents, who were her role models and mentors, and to her sister, who served as a registered nurse and inspired her to pursue her vocational path in medicine.
About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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