Pride in the Profession winner Chandra Varia, MD Physician's care to patients goes beyond the office T here are more than 3,400 reasons why Chandra Varia, MD, was one of this year's AMA Pride in the Profession Award winners. In her 22 years practicing medicine in rural Kentucky, Dr. Varia has not only delivered more than 3,400 babies, but she has made it possible for many of them, their mothers and other women go to college.
Education is the only way to overcome that.
That was in addition to scholarship programs for low-income women previously created by the Varias. You see, Dr. Varia believes that a physician's care for her patients extends beyond her regular office hours and into the community. In 1979, she turned down a lucrative offer to practice medicine in Long Island, N.Y., and has since helped establish a free clinic, college scholarships and the belief that battered women can help themselves by becoming better educated. Eastern Kentucky has many problems with teen pregnancy, alcoholism and other reasons causing teenagers to drop out of high school, Dr. Varia has explained in numerous articles written about her. No physician can ever hope to achieve more.