Rebecca E. Forrest, M.D.
VCU/VCUHS Leadership in Graduate Medical Education “LGME” Award for Residency Program Director
Internal Medicine Residency Program Director
Department: School of Medicine
Dr. Forrest is an Associate Professor who has been a member of VCU faculty since 2016, serving as the Internal Medicine Residency Program Director since 2020. Dr. Forrest received her M.D. from Eastern Virginia Medical School and subsequently completed residency training in Internal Medicine at VCU Health where she also served as a chief medical resident before joining the Division of Hospital Medicine and becoming an associate program director for the residency program in 2016. She obtained a graduate Certificate in Teaching in Medical Education through VCU School of Medicine and is currently pursuing a Master of Education in Leadership Studies in the VCU School of Education.
Dr. Forrest is an academic hospitalist and was an inaugural member of the Procedure Medicine service. She serves on the VCU Health Wellness in Action Task Force, the VCU Health GME Resident Wellbeing Subcommittee, the VCU Women in Science, Dentistry, and Medicine Executive Council, and the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Medical Education Research Committee. In her role as Associate Program Director, Dr. Forrest directed the residency didactic and clinical curriculum, leading and instructing faculty through developing and revising over 50 unique curricula and recently redesigned core conferences to interactive small-group, case-based and team based learning formats. Dr. Forrest leads innovative curricula in reflective practice, wellness, resilience, pathophysiology and mechanistic thinking, and leadership. She contributes to medical education in the areas of wellness, resilience, reflection, competency-based medical education including procedural competency. She has multiple peer-reviewed publications and has presented over 40 peer-reviewed abstracts and workshops as well as conference pre-course sessions nationally. She has been invited to speak nationally on resident wellbeing as well. Most importantly, Dr. Forrest values the individual relationships she forms with the residents in her program, offering career path guidance and support for every resident whether applying for jobs or fellowship training after residency. Dr. Forrest delights in problem-solving and innovating, seeing her role as a leader to not only guide learners down a path, but to remove obstacles, and when necessary, change the course or environment to ensure residency training is evolving to meet the needs of today’s learners.
Notable nomination portfolio quotes:
Dr. C. Barrett (Associate Chair for Education) ~ "What makes Dr. Forrest so impactful on the learners is the combination of her genuine interest in them as individuals; her attention to an inclusive and engaging learning climate; and her inspiring patient-centered clinical skills. Becky truly cares for and respects the learners. She wants them to learn, to succeed, and to pursue their personal professional paths. She identifies and engages with them wherever they are at the moment with an eye on where they need to grow to achieve their objectives. She translates her knowledge to them in a manner they can understand. With a growth mindset, she takes the time to provide individualized direct, fair, and timely feedback. Her primary interest is not in receiving accolades for herself but in leaners progressing toward their success."
Dr. T. Johnson (Associate Program Director) ~ "Without Becky as an open-minded and supportive advocate that consistently strives to improve the residency program, not only would we be without this vital curriculum, but I would also be unfulfilled and less accomplished. I have the deepest gratitude for her support, which led to the implementation of a well-received curriculum now in its third year."
Dr. A. Dow (Division Chief, Hospital Medicine) ~ "She managed the challenges of resident safety and education during the COVID pandemic with grace and skill, ensuring adequate staff to cover the ever-increasing patient census while simultaneously protecting resident health and education."