Gary VanderArk, M.D., of Englewood, is a recipient of the 2007 Pride in the Profession Award. Presented by the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation, the award is given to four domestic physicians who aid underserved populations in the U.S. The AMA Foundation presents the award in association with the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.

The award will be presented to Dr. VanderArk on February 12, at the 2007 Excellence in Medicine Awards Ceremony preceding the AMA National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. Dr. VanderArk, who is one of only four physicians to receive the award in 2007, is being honored for his efforts in helping the indigent, disabled and disadvantaged.

In 1988, Dr. VanderArk founded Doctors Care, a nonprofit organization in Littleton. The program provided access to quality, affordable medical care to more than 15,000 children and adults throughout the last 19 years. In addition, Dr. VanderArk's vision has helped him lead the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center's neurosurgery residency program into full accreditation. His leadership with the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved, has brought together the best and brightest thinkers, legislators, policymakers, providers, consumers and business leaders to address the growing crisis of health care.

"His vision and perseverance have unquestionably changed the lives of many people who will never know him but who will live a better quality of life thanks to the health care they received through a channel that Dr. VanderArk opened," says Bebe Kleinman, executive director of Doctors Care, who nominated him. "By providing the uninsured with access to health care, he also gives them renewed hope in their lives overall. His efforts have impacted nearly 1.5 million people His efforts have impacted nearly 1.5 million people."

The Pride in the Profession Awards were created by the AMA Foundation to honor physicians who, through their service, have brought a sense of pride to the medical profession and whose actions promote the art and science of medicine and the advancement of public health.

As the philanthropic arm of the American Medical Association, the AMA Foundation is committed to supporting programs in a broad range of health-related areas. For more information, please visit www.amafoundation.org or call 312-464-4200.

Doctors Care is a nonprofit program designed to provide affordable medical care to uninsured residents of Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert counties. In 2006, partner hospitals, physicians, labs and pharmacies donated more than $3.5 million in services to Doctors Care patients. Last year, more than 4,000 uninsured patients had access to primary and specialty care through a network of 500 volunteer doctors and more than 6,000 office visits were provided to children and young adults at the Doctors Care Clinic in Littleton. For more information about the organization, please visit www.drscare.org or call 303-730-1313.