Lala Forrest, MD

Biography:
Lala Forrest, MD is a physician specializing in psychiatry and a member of the Pit River Nation with ancestral ties to the Modoc and Wintu people. She is a resident in the Psychiatry Program at the Yale School of Medicine, with particular interests in psychotherapy, trauma, addiction psychiatry, and Indigenous mental health. She earned her medical degree from the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, where she was a recipient of the prestigious Netter Scholarship. In addition to her clinical work, Lala co-leads the Indigenous School of Medicine, an innovative initiative aimed at transforming medical education to better address the specific health needs of Indigenous communities. Her research focuses on applying and expanding Indigenous methodological principles to conduct tribally-driven participatory research, with the goal of co-developing and enhancing behavioral health services for Indigenous populations.