By Katarina A. Lewczyk  | Date published: July 30, 2025

Richard Forster Retires After 40 Years of Service 

On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, friends and colleagues gathered together to celebrate the retirement of Richard Forster, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine. Dr. Forster is retiring after 40 years of dedicated service to the Department of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, and UMass Memorial Health. 

Dr. Forster is recognized for his unwavering dedication and passion throughout his career. During his time at UMass, he served as the director of the Internal Medicine Residency for many years, where he guided and mentored the next generation of medical professionals. As chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine, Dr. Forster led one of the department's largest clinical programs. In addition, he held roles as Vice Chair for Professional Development and Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Medicine. In these positions, he oversaw faculty appointments and promotions, provided mentorship to pre-med students and senior faculty leaders, and played a key role in various departmental initiatives. He is a recipient of numerous teaching and process improvement awards, including the department’s prestigious “Best Teacher” award. 

Dr. Forster received his BA from Colby College and his MD from UMass Chan Medical School. He continued his residency and chief residency training at UMass Chan/UMass Memorial Health and has been an active faculty member since 1991. 

Please join us in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Forster for his years of dedicated service!