Date published: December 1, 2025
December Fellow Spotlight: Sarah Bakheet, MBBS
n this month’s Fellow Spotlight, we feature Sarah Bakheet, MBBS, an Infectious Disease fellow at UMass Chan. We recently caught up with Dr. Bakheet to learn more about her clinical and research interests, why she chose UMass Chan for her fellowship, and her favorite places to travel!
Hometown?
I was born in Abu Dhabi, UAE. I relocated to Khartoum Sudan, as a teenager. I love both cities and consider them home.
What are your clinical and research interests?
I have always been fascinated by infections. Growing up and training in Sudan, Africa, I was surrounded by TB, malaria, leishmania, and many tropical illnesses. I developed an interest in the immunocompromised population as infections seemed to behave differently in this group of patients. This made me fall in love with transplant Infectious Disease. As someone who practiced in countries where antibiotics were not as well controlled as the US, I am also passionate about antimicrobial stewardship. My other passion is critical care. My dream is to have a dedicated ICU for immunocompromised patients with trained staff and guidelines for that specific group of people.
Why did you choose UMass Chan for your fellowship?
Multiple factors drew me to UMass Chan, including strong female mentors, the diverse faculty members and fellows, and the outstanding transplant program. I also visited Boston for ID week in 2023, and I fell in love with New England, especially in the fall.
Are you involved in any other groups or activities at UMass Chan that you’d like to highlight?
We have a small group of chai lovers (chai is black tea with milk and some spices such as cardamom), we meet every Friday, fellows, residents, medical students, and attendings after our Friday conference for a cup of tea and a chat. We talk about anything from vacations, movies, research projects, or new infections.
Where is your favorite place to travel for vacation, and why?
Al-Madinah Munawara is a city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is considered a holy city of Muslims. It is also known as the Enlightened City. Millions of pilgrims go there every year. I was blessed to visit Al- Madina and Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) Mosque Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi, where the Prophet (pbuh) lived, taught, and was buried. There is serenity in that city, a calmness that you can feel in your soul, and the kindness of its people is unmatched. It is my favorite place to visit.
Cairo, Egypt, is a combination of history, culture, and modern life. I love it. It’s a busy city, so big and alive, and the people are so friendly and easy to talk to. The food is great, but I might be biased as there are a lot of similarities between Egyptian and Sudanese cuisines. The museums are breathtaking. Antiques, handmade bags, and ornaments are unique. And of course, the Nile River, which connects Sudan and Egypt which brings me a lot of nostalgia.
San Diego, California. I visited California to see friends, and I never thought I would fall in love with its beaches the way I did. The beauty of the ocean meeting the sky and the palm trees is magical. The weather is perfect. I remember sitting at La Jolla Cove listening to the sound of the waves and the sea lions. Watching the sun set and thinking to myself, “This is paradise, I am not going to leave.” Just when I thought there had to be something wrong with the city, I ate the most amazing tacos ever, followed by incredible ice cream.
What is your go-to board game?
Growing up, Ludo was my favorite board game. We had 4 siblings, and it is perfect for 4 players. However, I always preferred playing outside. Games like soccer and basketball were always more interesting to me than board games.
What topping does not belong on pizza?
Pineapples, pineapples, pineapples. They do not belong on top of a pizza, they are too sweet, they mess up the taste, and it does not help anyone.
What was your favorite book as a child?
I loved classic novels such as Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, but my favorite book was a novel called The Season of Migration to the North, which is a novel by Tayeb Salih, a Sudanese author.