Fares was instrumental in helping me understand the fundamentals of networking as a medical student/trainee and in general. He taught me how to turn one-off in-person conversations into lasting relationships that turned into opportunities. I utilized these insights while networking at AMEC during my third year of med school and it ultimately landed me a fully paid away rotation at my #1 residency program and subsequent matching at my #1. My story aside, his path to acceptance on a full COA scholarship at Columbia Med speaks for itself.

I first worked with Fares during the interview phase of my medical school application cycle. Going into the process, I was really worried about my ability to interview and share my story in a clear, cohesive way. I worked with Fares on interview preparation, and his guidance helped me organize my thoughts and approach interviews with much more structure and confidence.

Beyond interviews, he provided consistent, thoughtful support throughout the entire process. He gave me honest, practical premed advice, helped me think through my application strategy, and was always available to answer any questions. He emphasized the importance of networking and reaching out to others, which completely shifted how I approached the process. He also went out of his way to connect me with other students and mentors, which gave me insight into different schools and helped me make more informed decisions.

Because of Fares' support, I ended up with a much stronger and more cohesive application, but more importantly, I felt confident going into my interviews and clear on how I wanted to present myself. This ultimately led to me receiving 12 T20 interview invitations and 10 acceptances. I would highly recommend Fares to anyone looking for a thoughtful, supportive, encouraging, and knowledgeable mentor.

I worked with Fares during several of the most overwhelming parts of my pre-med journey, especially networking, NIH applications, and learning how to present myself professionally. When I first opened the NIH application portal, I honestly did not know where to start. Fares came with a gameplan and helped me build my application and cover letter from top to bottom, turning what felt like a confusing stack of requirements into a manageable list of tasks to be knocked down one step at a time.

Beyond just the application, one of the most meaningful areas of support he provided was in outreach. I had long struggled with how to contact faculty, physicians, researchers, and mentors in a way that was confident without feeling arrogant, and persistent without becoming excessive. Fares helped me develop a personal understanding of how to present myself, follow up with purpose, and sustain meaningful professional relationships rather than treating outreach as a one-time task.

His guidance directly changed the trajectory of my application cycle. Through the habits and confidence he helped me build, I was able to build meaningful connections with medical school faculty, receive medical school interviews, secure multiple NIH interviews and an NIH offer, and earn a position in the SNMA National Future Leadership Program Fellowship as one of only 15 members selected nationwide. He also encouraged me to pursue several other leadership opportunities that I may have otherwise approached with hesitation.

What makes Fares valuable is not just his wealth of knowledge, though he has much to offer, but the character he brings to mentorship. His persistence, his infectious energy, and his genuine belief in the people he supports make a difficult process feel possible. He pushed me, and honestly even annoyed me sometimes, to stop delaying tasks and actually get things done. But that reinforcement was exactly what I needed to move from procrastination to action — a shift that has stayed with me. The habits he helped me build have continued to benefit me as I balance the demands of medical school while remaining actively involved in leadership, service, and professional growth.

I would strongly recommend Fares to any student who is deeply committed to medicine, but feels overwhelmed by the hidden work of standing out, building connections, staying accountable, and turning potential into the kind of consistent action that separates successful applicants from the rest.