Stephen J. Forest, MD

Stephen J. Forest, MD, is Surgical Director, Advanced Pulmonary Failure and Lung Transplantation and Associate Professor at Montefiore-Einstein. He has a clinical focus on the treatment of patients with end-stage heart and lung failure through the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices and organ transplantation. He also has a clinical interest in arterial revascularization for the treatment of advanced ischemic heart disease, particularly in patients with severely reduced cardiac function.

After receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University in 2004, Dr. Forest attended Albert Einstein College of Medicine, earning his Doctor of Medicine in 2008. He continued at Montefiore-Einstein for his postdoctoral training, completing his residency in general surgery in 2014, his cardiothoracic surgery fellowship in 2016 and his MCS and transplant fellowship in 2016.

Dr. Forest’s research focus parallels his clinical interests. Through his utilization of the national transplant database, he has sought to improve the use of donor organs and improve outcomes in patients undergoing heart or lung transplantation. Dr. Forest is an author on multiple publications in the field of heart failure and MCS, with his research published in many reviewed journals including the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplant, Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the Journal of Cardiac Surgery, Annals of Vascular Surgery, ASAIO Journal, Circulation Heart Failure and the Journal of American College of Cardiology. He is also a reviewer for Clinical Transplantation.

Dr. Forest is board certified, and is a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. In 2013, he was inducted into the Leo M. Davidoff Society in recognition of his outstanding achievement in teaching.