Our Founder

Over the past five years, Forrest has built a national track record at the intersection of medical education, research, and academic leadership. He completed a prestigious, year-long research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, preceding a competitive NIH summer research internship during medical school, and has since authored more than 75 publications in peer-reviewed journals, predominantly as first author on projects he conceived and led. His work has appeared in top-tier journals including JAMA Surgery, JAMA Ophthalmology, Academic Medicine, and Health Affairs, with a particular focus on what makes applicants competitive for residency in today’s post–Step 1 pass/fail landscape. This scholarship has been presented through podium presentations at national medical education and specialty conferences and has earned multiple awards, including recognition for best abstract at the world’s largest plastic surgery meeting.

Alongside his research career, Forrest has consistently excelled academically, earning multiple medical school acceptances with substantial merit-based scholarships, receiving more than $130,000 in additional competitive scholarships, winning institutional awards as the top student in his class during both preclinical years, and being inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He honored all core clinical rotation evaluations, scored over 260 on USMLE Step 2, and received interview offers from 18 of 20 programs in one of the most competitive surgical specialties in the country.

Beyond metrics, he has served as the sole medical student representative on the American Medical Association’s Ambassador Steering Committee alongside national physician leaders, participated directly in medical school admissions interviews and closed-door applicant deliberations, and regularly contributes to Doximity as a Fellow writing on medical education and student wellness. Together, these experiences position him to guide others through high-stakes academic and career decisions with clarity, integrity, and proven success.

In his free time, he enjoys hiking with his dog Moose, all things outdoors, and rooting for his alma mater, the Georgia Bulldogs.

Notable Publications Outlets

JAMA Surgery

JAMA Ophthalmology

Health Affairs

Journal of General Internal Medicine

Science Advances

JCI Insight

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

Academic Medicine

Journal of Graduate Medical Education

Medical Education Online