Northwest Arkansas Regional Campus

Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest growing regions of the country and home to UAMS’ largest regional campus. The region’s population grew 7.4% from 2020 to 2023 and is expected to reach one million by 2050. Our presence in this important area of our state covers all three mission areas  – education, research and clinical care. The Northwest Regional Campus was established in 2007 and has grown from just a handful of students to about 350. It offers several UAMS programs unique to that campus including a three-year M.D., program, an accelerated BSN, a doctoral program in Physical Therapy and a doctoral degree in occupational therapy program in conjunction with the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

UAMS works closely with other providers in the region to educate more health care professionals, conduct research and provide advanced care through collaborations such as those with Highlands Oncology  (HOG). We are extremely proud to be the official orthopedics and sports medicine provider for Razorback Athletics. We look forward to 2027 when we can welcome these athletes and other patients to the planned Orthopaedics and Sports Performance Center.

Several opportunities of growth for UAMS exist in this region. They include:

• Expanded collaborations across all health care providers in the Northwest Region, utilizing UAMS as the primary health care workforce educator to meet the demand for health care professionals
• Expanding the UAMS classroom footprint across Northwest Arkansas and increasing online enrollment
• Expanding clinical sites across Northwest Arkansas
• Increasing our faculty numbers to better meet the demands of community growth
• Adding more Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Mental Health providers
• Deepening our relationship with nursing and health professions colleges at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Below is a quick glance of our presence in the region.

Fast Facts

• 13 facilities currently in use, approximately half a million square feet
• Planned 115,000-square-foot ortho/sports medicine surgical center
• 500+ employees in the region
• ~350 students
• 81 residents and fellows
• Partnerships with all regional hospitals for student, resident rotations
• Community-based faculty who provide hands on instruction to students in a clinical setting
• Over 31,000 patient visits annually
• $58M operational budget in region
• $3M in state funding for NWA regional campus

Clinical Care in NWA

• Official orthopaedics and sports medicine provider for Razorback Athletics
• Family Medicine (Fayetteville and Springdale)
• Internal Medicine
• Orthopedics & Sports Medicine (multiple locations)
• Psychiatry
• Geriatrics
• Genetics
• Transplant Satellite Clinic
• Pediatrics
• Outpatient Therapy (multiple locations) – PT/OT/Speech
• Long COVID Clinic
• North Street Clinic (student-led)
• Institute for Digital Health & Innovation – telehealth clinical services, connections between hospitals and UAMS specialists
• ENT Head and Neck satellite clinic at HOG

Education in NWA

Nearly 350 students across all programs. UAMS Northwest academic programs are served by an Associate Provost, Regional Associate Deans, student support services, library, student health, and both UAMS and community-based clinical faculty.

College of Medicine

• 4-year program
• 3-year accelerated program for primary care
• Physician residencies and fellowships

College of Nursing

• Accelerated BSN
• MSN
• DNP
• APRN

College of Pharmacy

• Years 3-4 in NWA
• Post-graduate fellowship

College of Health Professions

• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy (in partnership with UA-Fayetteville)
• Radiologic Imaging
• Genetic Counseling
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Physician Residency and Fellowship Training in NWA

Current Approved Programs

Type of Program	Description	Start Date	Primary Clinical Site
Internal Medicine	3-year program, 8-8-8-. 24 total	7/1/23	Washington Regional
Internal Medicine	3-year program, 10-10-10, 30 total (downsizing from 33, in line with hospital funding)	7/1/2016	Mercy, Veterans Health System of the Ozarks
Family Medicine	3-year program, 9-9-9, 27 (downsizing from 30, in line with hospital funding)	7/1/1976	Washington Regional, Northwest Springdale
Family Medicine Rural Training Program	3-year program, 4-4-4, 12 (currently have 2 per year, expanding to 4 per year in 2025, approved for 12 total)	7/1/2023	Washington Regional, Mercy Berryville
Sports Medicine Fellowship	1-year program, 2 fellows	7/1/2016	Razorback Athletics

Active Residents/Fellows, 2024-2025 academic year: 81

• Internal Medicine – Washington Regional Medical Center: 16
• Internal Medicine – Mercy: 30
• Family Medicine – 29
• Family Medicine Rural Program – 4
• Sports Medicine – 2

*Additional pharmacy residency, based at UAMS Northwest and Walmart Corporate (not managed by GME office).

Pending/Planned

Type of Program	Program Description	Planned Start Date	Primary Clinical Site
Emergency Medicine	3-year program, 6 residents/year, 18 total	07/2026	Washington Regional
Neurology	4-year program, 2 residents/year, 8 total	07/2026	Washington Regional
Transitional Year	1-year program, 14 residents	TBD	Washington Regional
Post-IM Fellowships (Cardiology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology)	2- or 3-year program, size TBD. Will be small programs	TBD	Washington Regional

Institute for Community Health Innovation

The Institute for Community Health Innovation exists to change the state of health of Arkansas through impactful, lasting change in health outcomes, clinical practices, education, and policy. The focus is on innovative approaches and engaging the power of communities and partners across the state.

• More than 60 current projects
• 170+ staff members
• ~$20+ million in extramural funding annually
• Maternal & Child Health
  • Case management and navigation services provided to mothers and children in seven counties, with expansion to all 75 counties by the end of 2024
    • Clinical home visiting and navigation to more than 1,000 Northwest Arkansas families annually
  • Doula training and services, with plans to train 80 doulas over the next two years
  • Extended home monitoring to rural and minority patients
  • 34 delivery hospitals supported through the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative
• Health Equity & Access
  • 250+ Community Health Workers (CHWs) trained and deployed by UAMS in 40 of 75 counties in Arkansas, plus a network of 350+ CHWs statewide affiliated with UAMS
  • 76 organizations supported and provided training for CHW integration
  • One of three approved Arkansas CHW training organizations, and the only one to offer college credit at the University of Arkansas
    • Partnership with UA for CHW upskill opportunities
• Diabetes & Cardiometabolic Diseases
  • Disease self-management education (DSME) and support expanded statewide
    • Partnership with the rural pharmacy network with ~150 pharmacies to help certify them to offer DSME training and gain reimbursement
    • Partnering with Regional Programs to help certify them for DSME and gain reimbursement
    • Training CHWs to deliver DSME
  • Healthy food delivery to support cardiometabolic disease prevention and management
  • Programs reaching Arkansas, Oklahoma, Washington, Hawaii, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands
• Health, Hunger & Nutrition
  • 12 school districts, including more than 110 schools
  • 85,000+ Arkansas students reached through school nutrition programs
  • 20+ organizations collaborating through the Northwest Arkansas Food Insecurity Community of Practice
  • 38 AmeriCorps VISTA members hired and deployed (11 in 3rd Congressional District)
  • 2,000 clients receiving healthy food boxes
  • Collaboration with all six Arkansas food banks to improve nutrition of food provided