Dr. Bakri Kaakeh graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Damascus University in 1984. He completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic followed by rheumatology and clinical immunology fellowship programs at Cleveland Clinic and the University of Pittsburgh.

He is currently a practicing rheumatologist and general internist in Michigan and serves as Associate Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University.

Dr. Kaakeh has been actively involved with SAMS since 2012, participating in multiple missions to Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. He has also delivered several medical lectures and was part of developing training programs for clinicians in northwest Syria.

In his personal time, Dr. Kaakeh enjoys swimming, reading, and spending time with his family—his wife and their three children are his biggest source of support and inspiration.