Clinical Partnerships

Alice Walton School of Medicine building exterior

Clinical Partnerships

In addition to required clinical clerkships, medical students have early clinical experiences within the first and second years of the ARCHES curriculum.

To offer students an exceptional clinical training experience, AWSOM has developed partnerships with national and regional clinical sites, including:

  • Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas (primary education partner)

  • Washington Regional Medical Center

  • Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center

  • Arkansas Children’s Northwest

  • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

  • Highlands Oncology

  • Springwoods Behavioral Health

  • Arisa Health

  • Community Clinic

  • Vantage Point Behavioral Health Hospital

Clinical Research

AWSOM is committed to research that improves health and benefits communities. The School’s research environment is grounded in integrity, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that all scholarly activity meets the highest ethical and regulatory standards while promoting innovation and discovery.

AWSOM supports investigators by:

  • Mobilizing institutional resources that enable high-quality research

  • Creating collaborations across departments, institutions, and industries

  • Translating research findings in meaningful health impacts

  • Ensuring research priorities are responsive to community needs

  • Promoting trust and enhancing participant protections

Together, these efforts reflect AWSOM's responsibility to advancing research that is ethically sound, scientifically excellent, and aligned with its mission to improve health in the Heartland region and beyond.

Contact Clinical Research

For requests and questions related to research infrastructure, compliance, regulatory oversight, and ethical review, please contact the AWSOM Clinical Research Team at research@alwmed.org.

Bringing World-Class Health Care to the Heartland

The Alice L. Walton Foundation, Heartland Whole Health Institute, and Mercy have committed to a 30-year, $700 million affiliation agreement to expand access to health care, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes in the Heartland. As part of this agreement, Mercy serves as AWSOM’s primary educational partner. This investment includes a collaboration with Cleveland Clinic to enhance cardiovascular care in the Heartland.

Exterior of the Heartland Whole Health Institute