Alice L. Walton School of Medicine Adds Four Key Faculty Members
November 20, 2024
Bentonville, Ark. (November 20, 2024) – Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) has announced the hiring of four key faculty members including Chelsey Deel, MD – Associate Professor of Pathology, Alexis Gillett, PT, DPT, EdD – Associate Professor of Anatomy, Stephen Nix, MD – Assistant Professor of Pathology, and Trager Hintze, PharmD, BCCCP – Assistant Professor of Pharmacology.
Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is reshaping medical education in Bentonville, Arkansas, through an innovative four-year Doctor of Medicine program. AWSOM was granted preliminary accreditation status by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education in October and applications are open now for the School’s inaugural class of 48 students, starting July 14, 2025. Since 2021, AWSOM has onboarded faculty talent from across the nation to build and deliver a one-of-a-kind, integrated medical curriculum.
“The caliber of these four new hires provides critical expertise to our faculty ranks that will help distinguish us as a new medical school. Their combined clinical and medical education experience ensures our success as we continue to build a one-of-a-kind medical education program,” said Lance Bridges, PhD, Department Chair of Medical Education, “These new faculty have already provided significant contributions to help shape the curriculum and bolster the student-centric culture here at AWSOM. We are fortunate and excited to have them join our team.”
Chelsey Deel, MD – Associate Professor of Pathology
Dr. Deel is an Associate Professor of Pathology.
Prior to joining the School, Dr. Deel was Assistant Professor of Pathology at University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, where she also served as a Faculty Advisor to the University of Oklahoma Pathology Interest Group and a Departmental Elective Manager and Career Advisor for the Pathology department.
Dr. Deel additionally served as Staff Pathologist at the OU Medical System. She held several administrative roles in the OU Medical System Laboratory, including Medical Director of the Hematology/Urinalysis Laboratory, Special Hematology Laboratory, and the Jimmy Everest Cancer Center Laboratory.
Dr. Deel received her bachelor’s in biology at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and her medical degree at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, followed by a fellowship in hematopathology at the University of New Mexico/Tricore Reference Lab.
Dr. Deel has received several awards for her instruction, including the Outstanding Teaching Award (2020-2021 and 2022-2023) at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. She is a member of the College of American Pathologists, American Society for Clinical Pathology, United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, and the American Society of Hematology.
Alexis Gillett, PT, DPT, EdD – Associate Professor of Anatomy
Dr. Gillett is an Associate Professor of Anatomy.
Prior to joining the School, Dr. Gillett was Program Director of the Master of Public Health program and Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at Arkansas Colleges of Health Education. She previously served as Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy at Arkansas State University.
In addition to her academic experience, Dr. Gillett is an experienced physical therapist, providing pro bono Pelvic Health Physical Therapy with a certification in Obstetric and Gynecologic Physical Therapy. She also serves as a Sexual Assault Response Advocate to volunteer and advocate for women in her community.
Dr. Gillett received her bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Arkansas Tech University, her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Arkansas State University, and her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
She is a member of the Arkansas Public Health Association, the American Public Health Association, American Association for Anatomy, Association of Clinical Anatomists, American Physical Therapy Association (Education and Pelvic Health sections), and the Academy of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy CAPP-OB Committee Member.
Stephen Nix, MD – Assistant Professor of Pathology
Dr. Nix is an Assistant Professor of Pathology.
Prior to joining the School, Dr. Nix was a Pathologist and Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, where he redesigned the anatomic pathology (AP) syllabus and rotation structure to increase active participation from students.
Dr. Nix received his bachelor’s in English literature from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and is interested in the integration of health humanities principles into pathology education and practice. He received his MD from UAMS, Little Rock, and participated in the Medical Research Scholars Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He completed a combined Anatomic and Neuropathology residency through Johns Hopkins Hospital and continues to practice as a board-certified neuropathologist with special interests in head, neck, and eye pathology.
Dr. Nix has presented internationally, nationally, and regionally in pathology, published over fifteen peer-reviewed articles and multiple book chapters, and received awards in surgical pathology research, resident education, and creative writing. He currently serves as a subspecialty editor for PathologyOutlines.com and is a member of the American Association of Neuropathologists, North American Society of Head and Neck Pathology, and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology.
Trager Hintze, PharmD, BCCCP – Assistant Professor of Pharmacology
Dr. Hintze is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology.
Prior to joining the School, Dr. Hintze served as Clinical Assistant Professor at Texas A&M Irma Lerma Rangel School of Pharmacy in College Station, Texas. He previously held several positions at St. Joseph Regional Health in Bryan, Texas, including ASHP-Accredited PGY1 Residency Program Director and Emergency Medicine Clinical Pharmacist. He was a Clinical Staff Pharmacist at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center and a Critical Care Clinical Staff Pharmacist at the University Health System in San Antonio, Texas.
Dr. Hintze received his bachelor’s in biology with a minor in chemistry from Southern Virginia University and his Doctor of Pharmacy from Idaho State University. He is a board-certified critical care pharmacist and a registered pharmacist in Texas and Oklahoma.
Dr. Hintze is a member of the Society of Critical Medicine and the Texas Society of Health System Pharmacists. His work as a medical educator and pharmacist has been recognized with several awards, including a President Citation for Extraordinary Contributions (2022) by the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
About Alice L. Walton School of Medicine
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 under construction 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.