How world travel translates to extraordinary care

There’s a travel bug in many of us and at the beginning of each new year, we wonder where in the world we’ll go next. For some, the travel bug gains momentum during retirement; but among others, it stirs curiosity from an early age.

For Dr. Ahmad Kabakibi, an internal medicine doctor with Sharp Community Medical Group, the travel bug awakened during his younger years and have taken him around the world.

Dr. Kabakibi’s uncle was a diplomat, which opened the door for his family to visit many faraway places, including Cairo, Egypt. When he was 18, his uncle arranged a guided tour of the Great Pyramid of Giza. During that tour, through a door usually off-limits to tourists, he was taken to a tomb where he viewed a sarcophagus, a stone coffin for the ancient elite.

“At 6‘ 4“ tall,” Dr. Kabakibi says. “I had to climb on my hands and knees up into the pyramid, since the tunnels were made for people who were probably 5 feet tall, at the most.”

Around the world, with more to see

The trip to Egypt and seeing the pyramids at close range are some of Dr. Kabakibi’s fondest memories.

“I remember driving through old Cairo and being impressed by all of the buildings and crowded streets,” he says. “Suddenly, you look to the left and see these giant pyramids rising out of the desert right next to the city. It is unbelievable.”

Since that amazing journey, Dr. Kabakibi has added passport stamps from Brazil, Argentina, India, China and other countries. “All in all, I’ve been to five continents and at least 40 or 50 cities in more than a dozen countries, including Japan, France, England, Germany, Greece, Italy, Syria and India, where I rode an elephant,” he says.

For such an experienced traveler, Dr. Kabakibi still has a bucket list of places to see, including all the continents and as many countries as possible. “I’d say next on my list would be Australia and New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef,” he says.

How global travel benefits local care

However, Dr. Kabakibi’s interest in traveling and learning about the world doesn’t just enhance his personal life. It carries over to his professional life and the care he offers his patients, who represent a variety of countries and cultures.

“I’m always very curious about my patients and their background, and how it relates to their health,” Dr. Kabakibi says.

Travel is good for the mind, body and soul, Dr. Kabakibi says. And for his patients, his love for travel and respect for all people is evident in the exceptional care they receive.

Learn more about the people of Sharp; get the latest health and wellness news, trends and patient stories from Sharp Health News; and subscribe to our weekly newsletter by clicking the "Sign up" link below.