Dr Karen Forrest
Head of Clinical Services
United Kingdom
I am a Consultant Physician with training in gastroenterology and general internal medicine, and I currently serve as the Head of Clinical Services at MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM. I oversee our clinics in Fajara, Keneba, and Basse, managing a team of up to 110 staff. My role focuses on improving care quality, prioritising patient safety, and supporting a range of research projects.
Under my leadership, we have integrated a rural clinic, developed an electronic medical records system, and launched a quality improvement programme. Our department is recognised for its structured training programmes and comprehensive data collection practices. We also work with the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital to offer accredited training posts for Internal Medicine and Family Medicine residents.
I completed a Master's in Theology and Intercultural Studies and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Medical Education. My ongoing aim is to improve healthcare and support research in The Gambia.
Affiliations
MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM
Teaching
Karen has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Education from the University of Dundee. She is mainly involved in providing postgraduate training to doctors in The Gambia and to staff in her Department.
Selected Publications
Novel management of pseudomonas biofilm-like structure in a post-pneumonectomy empyema.
2024
Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology
Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance 1990-2021: a systematic analysis with forecasts to 2050.
2024
Lancet (London, England)
The burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in the WHO African region in 2019: a cross-country systematic analysis.
2023
The Lancet. Global health
Evaluating the sensitivity and specificity of Determine™ HIV-1/2 rapid test using a 0.01M phosphate-buffered saline produced at the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia for the diagnosis of HIV.
2023
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Circulation of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic in The Gambia
2023
Gates open research