Sharmila Makhija, MD, MBA, believes the future of medicine requires a whole-person approach that recognizes each individual as more than a diagnosis. By understanding what matters most to patients, physicians can build deeper connections, foster trust, and deliver more compassionate, effective care. As Founding Dean, CEO, and CAO of Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) in Bentonville, Arkansas, Makhija is reimagining how our medical system can be shaped for the future.
AWSOM emphasizes this whole-person, patient-centered view by teaching students to prioritize self-care and learn the importance of treating their own needs, then seeding that compassion to their patients and colleagues. Early in their education, AWSOM students work with patients at local clinics, learning to care for a variety of communities.
Makhija also views new and emerging technology as a critical partner in the future of health care. In addition to co-hosting the conference Think Health: AI for Healthy Communities with Stanford Medicine since 2025, AWSOM has incorporated AI and other contemporary technology into its curriculum. The rapid adoption of AI only strengthens her reasons for embracing a human-centric model at AWSOM.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that it will complement and make our diagnostic abilities stronger and maybe more consistent and reliable,” she said. “Some studies suggest that patients rate AI agents as more empathetic than doctors. That underscores the importance of continuing to strengthen the human side of medicine, ensuring every patient feels heard, understood, and cared for.”
Makhija is the former Department Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health and the Chella and Moise Safra Endowed Chair at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System in New York, where she also served as a professor. Additionally, she was Division Chief of gynecologic oncology and the Leach Endowed Chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University.
Makhija currently serves on the board of the nonprofit Every Mother Counts, which advances maternal health through advocacy, community-led solutions, and efforts to ensure safe and respectful care for mothers and families around the world. She has been recognized as one of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas Top 100 Women of Arkansas for 2026 and is also a Good Housekeeping Humanitarian Hero, a Crain’s New York Business Notable Care Leader, a recipient of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Spirit of Achievement Award, and an AAPI Health Care Hero Honoree.
We are delighted that Dr. Makhija will join us on stage during “The Great Debate: Can Our Healthcare System be Fixed (or Should We Start Over?)” on our first night of DOC 2026. Please join us in welcoming her to our 2026 Faculty.