Bentonville, Ark.-based Alice L. Walton School of Medicine will waive tuition for the first five cohorts of students accepted into its MD program.
The school has secured preliminary accreditation status from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, allowing student recruitment to begin for the inaugural class, according to an Oct. 29 news release from the school.
Applications will open in November and 48 students will begin classes in July, the release said. Construction on a campus housing complex will begin in early 2025, with the school of medicine building construction projected to finish in July.
The school, founded by philanthropist Alice Walton in 2021, recently named to its leadership team an assistant dean of research education, a senior associate dean for faculty affairs and development, and a chief compliance officer.
Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy, Cleveland Clinic and Bentonville-based Heartland Whole Health Institute have partnered with the Alice L. Walton Foundation on a $700 million commitment to improve care access in Arkansas. Mercy will serve as the primary education partner of the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine as part of the collaboration.