Stephen Ironside, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Alice L. Walton, heiress to the Walmart fortune and currently considered the richest woman in the world, has opened the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM), a cutting-edge medical school with an educational approach focused on holistic wellness. The first five classes will have free tuition.
A revolutionary approach to medical training
AWSOM offers a curriculum that integrates traditional medicine with the arts, humanities, and preventative care. Rather than focusing solely on treating symptoms, the training promotes a whole-health approach, which considers factors such as mental health, lifestyle, and the patient's environment.
A campus designed to heal and connect
The 154,000-square-foot campus includes healing gardens, a rooftop park, an educational farm, and outdoor learning spaces, all connected to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, another Walton philanthropic initiative. This environment reflects Walton's philosophy of integrated healing with nature and art.
Free access and promise of local impact
The school accepted the first 48 students under a lower admissions rate than 3% of the %. Walton will cover tuition for the first five classes, a strategy to eliminate financial barriers and attract future physicians dedicated to serving underserved communities, especially in Arkansas.
A model for the future of medical education?
The initiative was born in part from Walton's personal experience after suffering a serious car accident in the 1980s, which led her to value art and humane care as allies in recovery. AWSOM is part of a larger project, which includes the Heartland Whole Health Institute, aimed at advancing policies and research in preventive medicine.
Would you like to know how to join the School? You can check out the following link: Alice L. Walton School of Medicine: Med School in Arkansas
For more stories like this, follow More Latin.
Sources:
English 
Spanish .jpg){kind=link}