جامعة الخرطوم
Atabani graduated in 1978 from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum with a bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery. After a brief period of training as doctor in Sudan, he enrolled for postgraduate training at Surrey University, Guildford, England, and got his PhD in Clinical Biochemistry in 1985. On his return to Sudan he became a lecturer at his alma mater, the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum.