Dr. Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed Al-Faqih is a renowned Saudi cardiac surgeon, professor, and entrepreneur.
He currently serves as Chairman of Omega Healthcare in Canada, Family Hospital in Riyadh,
and Dr. Mohammed Al-Faqih Hospital—a project under Dallah Healthcare. He is also a board member at Dallah.
Early Life
Dr. Al-Faqih was born in 1948 in Zubair, Iraq, where his father was working. He completed his high school education there in 1964.
Inspired by an Armenian doctor who treated the family during their stay in Iraq,
his father encouraged four of his sons to become doctors, with Mohammed being the first.
Al-Faqih initially tried to secure a scholarship to study medicine abroad, as there were no medical schools in Saudi Arabia at the time.
After facing challenges due to his foreign high school diploma, he attempted to study in Germany, then shifted to Turkey, where he began his medical education.
Education
He studied for six months in Turkey and was accepted into medical school after passing a competitive entrance exam.
Later, his father applied on his behalf for a Saudi scholarship.
Al-Faqih was accepted into the University of Baghdad, which taught medicine in English and was affiliated with the University of Edinburgh.
He returned to Saudi Arabia after graduation to begin his medical training at Riyadh Central Hospital (now King Saud Medical City).
After three years, he pursued a surgical specialization in the UK.
He traveled to Glasgow with his wife and daughter and trained at Glasgow University Hospital,
earning fellowships from the Colleges of Surgeons in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London in 1977.
He returned to Saudi Arabia due to his mother’s illness and was later invited by Prince Salman (now King Salman) to work in Riyadh.
Career Milestones
Dr. Al-Faqih began working at Riyadh Military Hospital in 1978, where his surgical career flourished.
He became the first non-American surgeon to be granted a visiting professorship at Harvard University.
He helped establish the Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, and pioneered pediatric cardiac surgery in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Al-Faqih introduced hypothermic circulatory arrest surgery for children and performed the first pediatric heart transplant in the Middle East in 1986,
a rare and groundbreaking achievement at the time.
He received numerous honors, including the King Abdulaziz Medal (First Class) from the late King Fahd.
He treated prominent national and international patients, earning a global reputation.
Achievements
Al-Faqih trained in London and the United States to refine his skills in pediatric heart surgery, which was still emerging globally.
Upon his return to Riyadh, he launched the country’s first dedicated pediatric cardiac surgery department and equipped it with state-of-the-art facilities.
His contributions led to international recognition, with invitations to editorial boards of medical journals in Italy, Japan, and the U.S.
In 1992, after expanding the cardiac unit at the military hospital, he transitioned to head the newly established Prince Sultan Cardiac Center.
In recognition of his contributions, Harvard Medical School invited him as a Visiting Professor—a first for a non-American surgeon.
He later collaborated with Loma Linda University in the U.S. to provide international certification for Saudi resident doctors under his mentorship.
In 1997, he became a Professor of Clinical Surgery at King Saud University, a position he still holds.
Business and Leadership
In 2001, he joined the board of the Advanced Technology Company in Riyadh and began venturing into business, while remaining active in healthcare.
He became Chairman of Family Hospital in Riyadh and joined the board of Omega Critical Care Services in the UK in 2002.
Dr. Al-Faqih later co-founded Omega Healthcare in Montreal, Canada, serving as its Chairman since 2009.
He is also a board member at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center since 2008.
Personal Life
Dr. Al-Faqih is married and has five children—two daughters and three sons, including:
Dr. Rashid bin Mohammed Al-Faqih,
Eng. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Faqih, a consulting engineer.
He resides in Saudi Arabia with his family.
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