Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal recently appointed Dr. Dean Burke, of Bainbridge, to the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce.

Burke attended a swearing-in ceremony, presided over by Gov. Deal, in Atlanta, Ga., on Aug. 21.

Burke is a gynecologist in private practice and is currently on the medical staff of Bainbridge Memorial Hospital. Previously, he served as a hospital board member and as chief of staff. His other involvement includes prior service on the Georgia Medical Care Foundation and presently on the Bainbridge City Council.

The author of “The Millionaire Nurse,” a financial planning guide for nurses, Burke is a graduate of Georgia Southwestern University. He is also an alumnus of the Medical College of Georgia, where he received a rural physician scholarship to attend medical school. He and his wife, Thea, have two grown children. They reside in Bainbridge.

The Georgia Board for Physician Workforce (GBPW) is a state agency responsible for advising the governor and the General Assembly on physician workforce and medical education policy and issues. The 15 member board works to identify the physician workforce needs of Georgia communities and to meet those needs through the support and development of medical education programs.

The board’s responsibilities include monitoring and forecasting the supply and distribution of physicians in Georgia; assuring an adequate supply, specialty mix, and geographic distribution of physicians to meet the health care needs of Georgia; coordinating physician workforce planning with state funding for medical education; and the development and support of medical education programs required to meet physician workforce needs.