Our Purpose
Founded in 2019 by philanthropist Alice Walton, Whole Health Institute is a catalyst for change. Putting a whole health approach at the center of the broader health care system, we accelerate solutions to the current health care crisis. The conception of Whole Health Institute was driven by its founder’s personal experience with health care, and furthered by research revealing that the United States has the highest level of health care spending worldwide yet relatively low rankings in overall health. In conjunction with the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Alice founded the Institute to redesign the systems that impact health and well-being with the goal of making whole health accessible and affordable to all.
Sharing a founder and vision with Whole Health Institute, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine was founded in 2021 to offer a four-year medical degree-granting program that builds on foundational sciences and clinical practices with a compassionate, inclusive, and whole-person approach to care.
Pending accreditation, the School will welcome its first class of 48 students in 2025. Walton’s deep commitment to building a health transformation includes health system partnerships with national and regional health systems with the goal of increasing access and expanding specialty services in the region.
As part of this effort, the Institute will assess, develop, and integrate whole health practices and services across the continuum of care while the School of Medicine will help establish a regional academic health system in Northwest Arkansas.
By redesigning how education is taught and the delivery models, the Institute, School of Medicine, and health system partners can improve overall health and quality of life for the Northwest Arkansas community and be a model for health care transformation.
Learn more about Alice L. Walton School of Medicine >
