Dr. Hani Aljohani’s Success Story

Dr. Hani Aljohani, a Saudi consultant neurosurgeon and spine surgeon who is a member of the Juhaynah tribe and an assistant professor at Qassim University, travelled to France to research and secure a French fellowship.

As a neurosurgeon in one of the most advanced institutions in France, he performed very difficult and complex operations. He applied science, diligence, aptitude, and talent to achieve success and achievements in the medical field. He became a famous doctor.

Among the riskiest surgeries that no doctor could conduct, he carried out several successful procedures and made significant progress in them. Dr. Hani Aljohani arrived at the French hospital where he works through the Kuwaiti consulate and was successful in removing a huge and threatening tumour from a girl’s brain.

Currently, Dr. Hani bin Talal Aljohani works at the Qassim-based Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Hospital as a spine and neurosurgeon. In the past, he served as a neurosurgeon at the University Hospital of Strasbourg and Colmar City Hospital in France. He then relocated to his own country to work at Sulaiman Al-Habib Hospital.

Because of his skills, experience, and competency, he is the first Saudi physician to be licensed to practise subspeciality spine surgery, neuro-oncology, and cerebrovascular surgery in France.

Aljohani’s Neurosurgery Journey

When Dr. Hani Aljohani sought a position as a neurosurgical assistant, the director of a Saudi university’s recruiting committee informed him, “You are struggling in this major, and your grade and level do not allow you to continue.” This was the beginning of Dr. Hani Aljohani’s success story.

Eventually, Dr. Al-Jahni travelled to France to research the French fellowship program. He was working as a neurosurgeon at one of France’s most sophisticated institutions, carrying out challenging and intricate procedures. Al-Jahni was taken aback when the same official contacted him and asked him to treat a family member who had suffered a brain haemorrhage.

In summarising his encounter with the chairman of the recruiting committee, Dr. Aljohani said, “Don’t let anyone determine the ceiling of your ambitions.”

According to the neurosurgeon and French fellowship expert, “I had a lot of setbacks in my early years that nearly prevented me from pursuing my goals and destiny. After God, I couldn’t go past them without patience. I started my adventure by enrolling at Qassim University’s College of Medicine after graduating from high school with honours, Al-Jahni remarked about his experience with neurosurgery.”

“Before failing in my fifth year of study in the topic of the brain and nerves and the central nervous system—my present area of expertise—I did well academically. I detested this speciality at the time, but my loathing eventually transformed into love, and I ended up being the first and only teaching assistant in this speciality at Qassim University.”

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His Experience in France

He went on: “I then submitted an application for the Saudi Neurology Fellowship. Yet, at the time, just seven spots were available, and they put me on the waiting list. Despite the limited number of Saudis in France and the difficulties of the French language, when scholarships to France were available, I submitted an application for the French fellowship. I eventually got beyond the language barrier and started working at the university hospital in Strasbourg, but I considered going back to Saudi Arabia after the professor who was overseeing my studies passed away.”

“Nevertheless, a Lebanese physician who was a director at one of the hospitals and liked Saudis contacted me and offered me the job,” he said. “I moved there for work at the time, even though it was a long commute—I used to spend two hours on the train.”

In press releases, Aljohani remarked on his work at France’s second-best spine surgery centre: “I am proud to have Saudi doctors in a place outside Saudi Arabia to treat French patients.”

Colmar Hospital is a pre-World War II structure that sits close to the German border, one of the wealthiest regions on earth, he continued. I am proud to have worked with my Saudi friends to win the trust of the French in this area so that we could treat them and operate on them in the most delicate and challenging specialities—brain and nerve procedures.

“All of these global achievements are the result of our country’s investment in youth, which allowed young Saudis to work, get experience, and study in the greatest location in the world.” the Saudi surgeon said.

A Role Model for Future Generations

The Governor of the Al-Qassim Region, Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, is noteworthy for recognising Dr. Hani Aljohani for his outstanding professional achievements.

As a highly skilled and accomplished physician, he has performed more than 7,000 surgeries both inside and outside the Kingdom and is regularly asked to do particular operations from other countries.

He has conducted several intricate procedures, some of which took ten hours, demonstrating his intelligence and expertise as a physician. Because of his extensive reputation in brain, nerve, and spine surgery, patients and wounded individuals from all over the world come to him.

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