Saudi women pioneers in neurological surgery: Insights into progress and inclusion

Abstract

Forty years ago, General Professor Dr. Khalaf Al-Mouteary established the first neurosurgical department in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Here, we explored various pieces of evidence on the progress and inclusion of Saudi female pioneers in the neurosurgical workforce of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We gathered information data on the inclusion of women in neurological surgery retrieved from open-resource online documentation of the Ministry of Health and direct communication with Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) administrative services. Furthermore, regional neurosurgery program directors, four active registered consultants, were either interviewed live or through offline communications. Data on the current number of board-certified, active female neurosurgeons in either the government or private sectors, along with the number of current neurosurgery postgraduate residency program trainees, were obtained from the registered database of the SCFHS. Since 2002, 18 women (29 %) have graduated from the Saudi Neurosurgical Residency Training Program (SNRTP), in contrast,71 % of the graduates were male. The SNRTP is now training more than 34 females (30 %), who are progressing in their neurosurgical training across the country. The first Saudi woman to pursue neurosurgery was Dr Samia Abdel-Rahim Maimani, while the first woman to pass the Saudi Neurosurgery Board was Dr Aisha Al-Hajjaj in 2002. In 2021, board-certified female neurosurgeons in Saudi Arabia will represent approximately 3 % of all practicing neurosurgeons.