About Forrest

I am an incoming Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery resident at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most competitive training pathways in medicine. I completed my medical education at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, where I was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and achieved a USMLE Step 2 score of 263. My path to this point has been defined by a strong commitment to academic excellence and research. I have authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications, including first-author work in journals such as JAMA Surgery and JAMA Ophthalmology, and have presented my research at national conferences including Plastic Surgery The Meeting (PSTM) and the American Council of Educators in Plastic Surgery (ACEPS). I was also recognized with the highest-rated abstract at PSTM, earning an invitation to present in the Top Rated Abstracts plenary session. Prior to medical school, I spent over a year as a full-time researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the Intramural Research Training Award, where I worked in virology and infectious disease research. I later returned to the NIH as a summer intern, continuing my work in translational science. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in both research methodology and academic writing, which I now apply to mentoring students. Beyond my own achievements, I have extensive experience advising and mentoring pre-medical and medical students on a voluntary basis. I have worked closely with applicants on personal statements, activity descriptions, and overall application strategy, helping them develop compelling narratives and position themselves competitively for medical school admission. My approach is highly individualized and strategy-driven. I focus on helping applicants not only present strong metrics, but also craft a clear, authentic story that distinguishes them in a crowded applicant pool. Whether you are building your application from the ground up or refining it for submission, my goal is to help you maximize your potential and present your strongest possible version to admissions committees.