On Oct. 29, 2025, the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) celebrated its grand opening on the Crystal Bridges Campus. Walton founded AWSOM in 2021 to improve health and well-being in the region through a new pipeline of physicians educated in whole health principles. On July 14, the School’s inaugural class of 48 medical students began their first year. 

Beginning November 3, AWSOM will open its public spaces, which include the lobby and art gallery on the first floor and the café located on the second floor. In the outdoor public spaces, guests will be able to unwind by the serene pond and Healing Garden, discover the 2-acre Rooftop Park, which showcases native plant life and offers scenic views of the campus. These thoughtfully designed areas promote community interaction and support overall well-being.

AWSOM is a nonprofit, four-year MD program enhancing traditional medical education with the arts, humanities, and whole health principles. The School’s culture embraces self-care to empower students to care for their own well-being as well as their patients’. The School’s state-of-the-art medical education facility is on the Crystal Bridges Campus, home to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Heartland Whole Health Institute. The School has been granted preliminary accreditation status by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.