Sakina Rashid qualified as a medical doctor in 2017 in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and completed her internship at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre. She is currently training as a neurosurgeon at the University of Cape Town and working towards the completion of a Master of Medicine degree (Neurosurgery) in 2023.

As a medical student, Sakina developed a deep interest in clinical research and was the lead investigator at her hospital for multicentre studies. Her research included a global neurotrauma outcomes study and a paediatric congenital malformations management and outcome study. She has also presented her work at several international research meetings.

She strongly believes that the development of specialized and sustainable healthcare services in Tanzania will be accelerated through investing in tertiary level education and the medical healthcare infrastructure. She also sees the latter as a deterrent to brain drain.

In 2024, Sakina will be pursuing a Master of Science in Medicine; exploring the cost effectiveness of implementing advanced therapeutic interventions for acute stroke therapy in upper middle income countries. She will also pursue specialized training in endovascular and skull base neurosurgery. She aims to contribute towards the development of a sustainable endovascular practice in the state sector in Tanzania with equitable access for the population.