The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine welcomed its first class of students on July 14, marking a major step in expanding health care education and access across Northwest Arkansas. The school offers a four-year medical degree grounded in whole health, an approach that trains future physicians to consider the physical, emotional, behavioral and social factors that influence well-being.
The medical school is part of a broader investment in transforming care across the region. In May, the Heartland Whole Health Institute, also founded by Alice Walton, opened with a focus on prevention, equity and patient-centered practices.
In partnership with the Northwest Arkansas Council, the Institute helped develop the region’s Vision 2030 health care roadmap. The roadmap prioritizes medical education and whole-person care as essential to improving outcomes and strengthening the system over time. It also highlights that physicians are more likely to practice in the communities where they train.
By waiving tuition for its first five classes and providing clinical experience across the region, the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine supports these goals while helping build a stronger local workforce.
Located east of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville and on the same campus, the school’s 154,000-square-foot facility includes anatomy and simulation labs, medical-grade 3D printers and virtual reality tools. These resources give students early exposure to clinical environments before they enter real-world settings.
In addition to coursework, all students will complete service learning and participate in clinical rotations across the region. The school has partnered with local providers including Mercy, Washington Regional, Highlands Oncology, Arkansas Children’s Northwest and Community Clinic. These relationships give students access to a range of clinical environments while deepening ties to the local health care system.
Building on the launch of the medical school, regional efforts are also underway to expand specialty care and training. The Alice L. Walton Foundation is partnering with Mercy on a $700 million initiative to build new outpatient centers and expand cardiovascular services across the region. These projects are designed to bring advanced care closer to home and create more opportunities for hands-on education.
The region is also strengthening the pipeline for medical graduates who want to stay and practice locally. Through its Health Care Transformation Division, the Northwest Arkansas Council and local health systems helped secure state funding to expand graduate medical education programs. These investments ensure that as students begin their medical education locally, there will be opportunities to complete their residency and training in the region.
“Welcoming the first class of students to the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is a major step forward,” said Stefanie Pawluk, executive director of the Health Care Transformation Division. “At the same time, we are collectively building the infrastructure needed to ensure those future physicians can continue their training, stay in the region and serve the community. It is all connected.”
By aligning public and private partners around a shared vision, the region is transforming a long-standing gap into lasting progress. The commitment to building a stronger health care workforce is not just strategic, but deeply collaborative, laying the groundwork for better health and a higher quality of life across Northwest Arkansas.
Photo: Tim Hursley / Alice L. Walton School of Medicine
