BENTONVILLE - The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is looking for "standardized patients" to play a role in training future doctors.

Standardized patients are part-time employees trained to represent clinical patients so medical students can practice their skills in a safe environment, according to a news release from the school. Standardized patients provide feedback to students and allow for an environment in which students can demonstrate skills such as effective communication and taking notes on medical history.

"Standardized patients are essential members of our educational team, as they provide an active, engaging and meaningful experience in which medical students can practice their clinical skills in a safe and realistic environment," said Dr. Ayleen Godreau, the school's director of clinical skills and an associate professor.

Standardized patients will not undergo operations nor surgeries, nor will they participate in clinical trials. They are trained to represent a patient in a simulated medical visit. It is possible they will be asked to participate in physical exams, but they will have the option to not participate.

Applicants must have access to a means of reliable transportation and must be willing to work at the school's facility on the Crystal Bridges campus in Bentonville.

The school's inaugural class will consist of 48 students, and classes for the medical doctor program will begin in July, according to an earlier release from the school.

Philanthropist Alice Walton founded the School of Medicine in 2021 to improve health and well-being by creating a new pipeline of physicians for the future, the release states.

"The School of Medicine will play a pivotal role in educating the next generation of physicians, equipping them to care for the whole person and making a lasting impact on health care in the heartland and beyond," Walton said.

Visit alwmedschool.org/standardized-patients/ for more information about the standardized patient program.