The tragedy of an Algerian brain who impressed Americans and was humiliated in Algeria

An American university had to review its laws in a week and create a new diploma for him. He was exceptional. His smartness impressed Americans who rewarded him for his love to science. Yet, he came back to Algeria where he received a jobless certificate.

Dr. Abderrahmane Yamine Sadouk, 46, was born in the province of Setif (east of Algeria). His father was a simple farmer. His childhood was hard but he was determined to reach the highest level of instruction.

“Pupils and students should look forward. Their conditions are better than mine when I was at their age. They need to have a will power and self-confidence,” he said.

Bachar Al Assad was his classmate in Damascus

Dr. Sadouk studied at the University of Setif before going to Damascus and the New York University to study medicine. He also went to the University of Saint Roozfelt in Columbia in the US.

He first chose to study in Syria because he loved Arabic. He was the classmate of Bachar Al Assad. “He was a kind man and we hoped that he will develop Syria as he reached power.”

From a doctor to a jobless, then to a modal for Americans

In 1990, Dr. Sadouk did not know about the conditions to enrol at a US university. He was shocked when he learnt that no doctor whatever his nationality can exercise medicine or treat any American citizen if they did not study in America. So, he decided to study medicine in English. He took three difficult exams and passed them all. His success journey started as he joined Saint Roozfelt University where he studied researches at an obesity researches center. He presented many researches and received support from America. He was promoted to be the center director.

He applied for medicine faculty in New York and graduated three years later. He was specialized in internal medicine at the University of Penselveniya. There, the exception was made. In America, a doctor can not have two diplomas. Yet, Algerian Abderrahmane graduated with two degrees. An urgent meeting was held and came up with a result a week later. The University decided to create a new diploma with two specialities. Then, the Algerian doctor started conducting a research about pancreas cancer.

Bouteflika asked him to come back as a “doctor” but the mayor offered him a “jobless certificate”

In 2004, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika visited the US. He asked Algerian scientists to return to their homeland to build it. Abderrahmane planned to open a research center in Algeria along with a friend. Yet, he had faced bureaucracy for three years.

His objective was to set a clinic to treat poor people for free. Yet, he found himself without job and he was short of money. He had to sell his car before he was hit by depression and stayed at home. His old father took care of him.

In 2007, he decided to return to the US. He went to the university in Algeria to ask for his diploma. Yet, he was told that he was not registered and his name did not exist in the students’ list. He was also told that his diploma was burnt by terrorists in the 1990’s.

Abderrahmane went to Syria to get his diploma from the university there. Then, he flied to America where authorities paid his travel ticket and hotel. He signed a contract with a hospital in Arizona. Then, he worked at two other hospitals. He held the position of scientific programs director to train internal medicine doctors.

A meeting held by 500 doctors and officials came up with the decision of choosing him as the best doctor in terms of calm, patience, dialogue and behaviour. In May 2015, he was offered an honor certificate from the University of New York and got other eight rewards.

His students discovered Algeria through him. They found out that Algeria is the country of one million and a half martyrs.