Alice L. Walton School of Medicine Adds Three Key Clinical Leaders
July 19, 2025
Bentonville, Ark. (July 19, 2025) – Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) has announced three new leadership positions to guide its Clinical Affairs.
Joining AWSOM, are Ed Childs, MD, FACS, as Senior Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs; Loretto Glynn, MD, MBA, FACS, FAAP, as Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs; and Jessica Atrio, MD, MSc, as Associate Dean, Clinical Research.
“I am pleased to welcome Drs. Childs, Glynn, and Atrio to our AWSOM team. Their deep knowledge will build a strong foundation in clinical and research expertise for our students, faculty, clinical partners, and community,” said Sharmila Makhija, MD, MBA, Founding Dean and CEO. “As a new medical school, leaders with advanced experience are vital in achieving our mission to transform the health of our Arkansas communities, the states around us, and beyond.”
Clinical Affairs oversees and manages all clinical activities and ensures that students receive essential training in medical care settings. This office is responsible for developing strong relationships with current and future clinical partners and increasing research opportunities.
Ed Childs, MD, FACS, Senior Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs
Before joining AWSOM, Dr. Childs was Professor and Department Chair, Surgery at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Childs is board-certified in General Surgery and Trauma and Critical Care with more than 30 years of experience.
Dr. Childs received a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Texas at Dallas and an MD from Texas A&M Health Science Center.
Dr. Childs completed a general surgery internship and residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and a trauma/critical care surgery fellowship at the University of California-Davis.
Loretto Glynn, MD, MBA, FACS, FAAP, Associate Dean, Clinical Affairs
Dr. Glynn was previously Professor, Surgery and Pediatrics and Director, Pediatric Surgery at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine and NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island in Long Island, New York. She is board-certified in General Surgery, Critical Care and Pediatric Surgery with more than 30 years of experience.
Dr. Glynn received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Loyola University Chicago, an MD from Rush University, and an executive master’s degree in business administration from Brandeis-Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
Dr. Glynn completed a general surgery residency at University of Illinois, a pediatric critical care/ECMO residency at University of Chicago, a surgical critical care residency at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a pediatric surgery residency at University of Missouri Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jessica Atrio, MD, MSc, Associate Dean, Clinical Research
Dr. Atrio was most recently Professor and Vice Chair, Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health at Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York. She is board-certified in General Obstetrics & Gynecology and Complex Family Planning, and her research has contributed to regional and international guidelines for family planning care.
Dr. Atrio received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Columbia University, a master’s degree in epidemiology from University of Southern California, and an MD from New York University.
Dr. Atrio completed an obstetrics and family planning residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and a fellowship in family planning at the University of Southern California Los Angeles.
About Alice L. Walton School of Medicine
Founded in 2021, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (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 located 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 and welcomed its inaugural class in July 2025.