Israel’s medical exodus grows as nearly 1,400 doctors leave inside three years
A Tel Aviv University study reveals that the number of doctors leaving Israel has surged by 94% over the last three years compared to the previous decade. Researchers warn that this brain drain, particularly among experienced specialists, could significantly impact the quality of the nation's healthcare system.
Why it matters
The loss of medical professionals threatens the long-term stability and quality of Israel's public health infrastructure.
In the last three years, about 1,370 doctors left Israel for a period longer than 12 months, a Tel Aviv University study published on Sunday found.Researchers Prof. Itai Ater, Prof. Nittai Bergman, and Doron Zamir found that between 2023 and 2025, the number of doctors who left Israel surged by 94% compared with a similar period between 2013 and 2015.In 2023, 416 doctors left Israel for at least one year, compared with 530 in 2024 and a preliminary estimate of 419 in 2025.Even after accounting for the Israeli doctors who returned back to the country, Israel lost a net total of 509 doctors in 2023 and 2024, amounting to an average of approximately 255 doctors per year.Notably, this is nearly five times the annual average during the previous decade.From 2010 to 2019, Israel recorded an average annual net loss of 54 doctors.One in seven experienced Israeli doctors chooses to emigrateDoctors…
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