Forrest is from Spokane, WA, and earned a degree in History with a minor in Spanish at Middlebury College.

“Though my father is a physician, I had never seriously entertained the idea of going to medical school; it seemed too daunting to take hard science courses (something I was not particularly good at) and I was much more interested in history and literature.

“Upon graduating college I worked for a wilderness therapy program in New Hampshire as a wilderness guide and medic. I worked closely with troubled teens dealing with addiction, familial distress, and behavioral challenges. My job entailed providing a therapeutic atmosphere to help the students grow and change. Long nights were spent discussing relationships with parents; I took students to Alcoholics Anonymous; I listened as students described their reasons for self-harm and suicide attempts. The job was emotionally and physically taxing, but was equally as rewarding. I loved getting to know students and learned how to empathize and sympathize with them.

“After a year I moved to Portland, ME, to work for a consulting firm. I researched and made business recommendations for major pharmaceutical companies. Most of the research focused on health care policy changes as well as new drug and medical device development. I spent my days on the phone talking with physicians, nurses, physicians assistants, hospital administrators, and research scientists. After spending hours on the phone listening to what they did I decided that I wanted to go to medical school.

“I absolutely love Bennington College and the postbac program and am lucky to have found it during my postbac program search. The classes are small and engaging with an emphasis on learning science. Our course work does not just prepare us for the MCAT or fulfill admissions requirements. I truly engage in the scientific process with independent research across disciplines and I feel like our classes emphasize an understanding of scientific literature and some of the current debates that are taking place as we speak. Bennington is a place where science really comes alive, and, as postbacs, we are totally immersed and engaged.”