Alice L. Walton School of Medicine

An exciting new addition to our Crystal Bridges Campus!

In 2023, I had the pleasure of speaking at HLTH 2023 alongside Alice L. Walton School of Medicine Founder Alice Walton. I’m thrilled to announce that I will be returning to speak at HLTH USA 2025 Oct. 19-22. As a panelist on “Sounding the Alarm on our Healthcare Workforce and Access Crisis,” I will be joined by Bobby Mukkamala, President, American Medical Association Dr. Brett Kessler, President, American Dental Association, and Jennifer Mensik Kennedy PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association.  Together, we will engage in a critical discussion on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of health care delivery. HLTH convenes thousands of leaders and innovators across the health ecosystem to explore transformative ideas and advance the future of care. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gJtkTagp

Recently, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine Professor, Neuroscience and Physiology Ibolja Cernak, MD, PhD, MEng, MHS, presented at the 3rd Annual University of Chicago Neurotrauma Symposium. Her lecture, "Firearm- and Blast-induced Penetrating Head Injury: A Clinically Focused Model for Early Risk Readouts" demonstrated an original model developed for education using GPT 5-Professional, capable of linking operational and injury scenario inputs (type of projectile, trajectory in the brain, amplified pressure peak, negative phase, and interface‑strain bands) to legible clinical readouts such as type and localization of the brain damage, suggested actions for observation, CT/MRI imaging, risk assessments, and treatment strategies. Sharmila Makhija MD MBA #AWSOM #Neurotrauma #Neuroscience #NeuroscienceResearch #MedicalEducation #MedicalResearch

On Tuesday, October 14, I’ll join an incredible group of leaders at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit 2025 in Washington, D.C. I’ll be speaking on the panel “The Future of Women’s Health: Data, Equity, and Digital Innovation” alongside Kulleni Gebreyes, Catherine Owen Adams, and Paula Schneider, moderated by Emma Hinchliffe of Fortune. We’ll explore how digital tools are reshaping women’s health, from reproductive and mental health to chronic conditions. At Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, we’re training future physicians to lead this transformation with empathy, digital fluency, and a deep commitment to underserved communities. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gPDMKCqa #FortuneMPW #WomensHealth #DigitalHealth #FutureOfMedicine #AWSOM 

Get to know the incredible team behind AWSOM's gravity-defying facility in this video from Crossland Construction Company, Inc. spotlighting the steel crew that helped bring the building to life. Watch the behind the scenes, here: https://lnkd.in/gXaRM7VW Sharmila Makhija MD MBA

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine students used visual thinking strategies to practice and develop observation and communication skills. In a collaborative session with members from Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Art Bridges Foundation, students engaged with multiple, representative histologic images as well as “On the Buffalo Run #2” by Earl Biss, a piece in AWSOM’s rotating art exhibit. Sharmila Makhija MD MBA #AWSOM #ArtofHealing

Some spaces speak louder than words. At Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, our medical education facility blends design and mission to foster the next generation of health professionals. The 154-000-sf medical education facility and surrounding 13-acre landscape and rooftop park is one-of-a-kind. #AWSOM is located on the Crystal Bridges Campus, home to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Heartland Whole Health Institute, minutes from downtown Bentonville and connected to the cities of Northwest Arkansas via the 40-mile paved Razorback Greenway. Polk Stanley Wilcox and OSD intentionally integrated the building and landscape to bring the whole health model to life, enhancing the well-being of students, faculty, staff, visitors, and local ecology. We can’t wait to welcome the public to this space starting Nov. 3. Sharmila Makhija MD MBA #AWSOM #MedicalEducation #NorthwestArkansas #Architecture 

At Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, we are preparing students for residency, before they set foot in a hospital or take a licensing exam. We know residency programs are paying attention to how students build relationships and approach learning. That’s why we are designing our educational experience to prepare students to stand out in the match process with strong academics, clinical experience, and strong personal reputation. Learn more about what residency programs look for in the match process from our blog: https://lnkd.in/g8kZuTW4 Sharmila Makhija MD MBA #AWSOM #MedicalEducation #MedicalResidency

In the face of physician shortages, rising burnout, and rapid technological change, the path forward lies in collective action. As part of this conversation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine Founding Dean and CEO Sharmila Makhija MD MBA participated in a panel on the impact of health disparities on marginalized communities at the 2nd annual Economist Impact Future of Health Europe event in London. Dean Makhija shared how #AWSOM is committed to shaping a health workforce that is both prepared and compassionate — through early clinical exposure, arts-based learning to foster empathy, and thoughtful integration of emerging technologies. #EconFutureofHealth #HealthCare

Dreaming of a career where you can make a difference? The journey to becoming a physician starts here. With just one month until the primary application deadline, now’s the time to complete your application to Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. Applications are open on AMCAS until Nov. 1. Learn more about admission requirements and how to apply to #AWSOM here: https://lnkd.in/gYUACX34 Apply now and shape the future of medicine. Sharmila Makhija MD MBA #MedicalEducation #FutureMD #ApplyNow #PreMed