Assistant Dean for Foundational Sciences

About this role

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is seeking experienced, motivated, and dedicated leaders and educators to participate in the design and delivery of an innovative four-year medical school curriculum that engages medical students in active and novel learning.

Job Description: Job Title: Assistant Dean, Foundational Sciences Reports to: Associate Dean, Curricular Affairs FLSA Classification: Exempt Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site) Date Reviewed : 06/05/2026

Who We Are Founded in 2021, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is a nonprofit, four-year MD program that will enhance 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 in Bentonville, Arkansas 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.

About The Position The Assistant Dean, Foundational Sciences is instrumental in helping design and deliver an innovative, integrated, four-year medical school curriculum that actively engages students through interactive learning methods. 

Reporting to the Associate Dean, Curricular Affairs, the Assistant Dean, Foundational Sciences is responsible for the pre-clerkship phase of the ARCHES Curriculum, including curriculum design and integration, student assessment, teaching faculty performance and development, and program evaluation/continuous quality improvement.  The Assistant Dean also will be responsible for appropriate integration of foundational sciences content into the third (clerkships) and fourth (electives and preparation for residency) curricula. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities • Operational responsibility for the successful completion and delivery of all foundational sciences courses of the ARCHES Curriculum, with direct responsibility for oversight of high-stakes testing and the weekly cases.   

• Provide feedback to the Chair of the Department of Medical Education regarding foundational sciences course directors and educators.  

• Liaising with leaders of other components of the ARCHES curriculum to assure appropriate integration of content and development of weekly cases in the first two years.  

• Designing and implementing curriculum improvement projects in all foundational sciences courses, as determined by student needs, trends in medical education, accreditation requirements, and recommendations by AWSOM Curriculum Committee.  

• Overseeing foundational science curricular integration within all phases of the ARCHES curriculum.  

• Providing classroom instruction within areas of expertise for medical students. 

• Providing and/or participating in faculty development initiatives as needed for the foundational sciences educators.  

• Participating as an ex-officio member of the AWSOM Curriculum Committee, providing reports on the pre-clerkship phases of the curriculum as a whole or on any of its components.  

• Chairing Phase 1 and 2 Subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee.  

• Participating as an ex-officio member of the Phase 3-4 Subcommittee.  

• Assisting the Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs with implementing strategic initiatives for the four-year medical curriculum as they pertain to Foundational Sciences curriculum. 

• Ensuring that the foundational science portions of the curriculum are in compliance with all regulatory and accrediting bodies, including but not limited to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).   

• Participating in accreditation and reaccreditation processes.  

• Coordinating with appropriate leaders, departments, and institutions to ensure continued development, assessment, and improvement of all foundational science curriculum elements.   

• Production of scholarly contributions and facilitating scholarly output by UME personnel and teaching faculty  

• Staying abreast of national trends in medical education and strategically advocating for and guiding institutional adaptation to changes in the educational environment. 

• Assisting in the recruitment and hiring of faculty and staff.  

• Supporting the medical school strategic planning process.  

• Supporting strategic budget planning and the effective allocation of financial resources. 

• Other duties as assigned  

People Leadership   • Lead, coach, and develop direct reports, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.  

• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, providing feedback and professional development opportunities.  

• Support recruitment, onboarding, and training of teaching faculty to ensure alignment with organizational standards and practices.  

• Monitor and manage team performance, addressing attendance, conduct, or productivity issues promptly and professionally.  

• Model professionalism and service excellence, serving as a role model for your team in maintaining quality and operational standards.  

• Encourage employee engagement and morale through recognition and open communication practices.  

Qualifications and Requirements • Outstanding credentials, including MD/DO, PhD, MD/PhD, or equivalent degrees are required.  

• At least 5 years of experience as an educator and scholar in an LCME accredited medical school, required.  

• Prior experience serving in a Course Director role within a medical education program is required. 

• Experience with curriculum design, development, evaluation, assessment, and curriculum mapping, preferred.  

• Knowledge of current efforts to transform medical education using innovative curricula, technologies, and teaching/learning methodologies, preferred.   

• Extensive experience developing, planning, and delivering medical education, preferred.

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