New Study: The worrying trend of doctors leaving Israel

A study by Tel Aviv University researchers found that approximately 1,370 doctors left Israel for at least 12 months between 2023 and 2025, a 94% increase compared with the 705 doctors who left during the corresponding period a decade earlier, between 2013 and 2015.

The departure was evident across all medical specialties, with 6.2% of pediatricians and 6.2% of ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and electrophysiologists leaving, along with 6% of surgeons, 4.7% of intensive care physicians, and 3.9% of internists. The study found the share of experienced doctors among those leaving rose sharply, accounting for over 20% of all departures in the past three years, compared with about 14% in the previous decade.

Among physicians under 60, the highest departure rates were recorded among ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and ENT doctors, at 9.4%, followed by surgeons at 8.8% and pediatricians at 6.4%.

Geographically, the Tel Aviv District recorded the highest number of departures, with 429 physicians leaving between 2023 and 2025, representing 5.4% of doctors in the district and 7.4% of those under 60. The Central District followed with 290 departures, then Haifa with 190, Jerusalem with 132, and the South with 125.

Even after accounting for Israeli doctors who returned, the study found Israel lost a net 509 doctors in 2023-2024, an average of about 255 per year, nearly five times the annual average net loss of 54 doctors recorded between 2010 and 2019.

The researchers cautioned that a doctor being abroad for a year does not necessarily indicate a permanent departure, since many leave temporarily for internships, advanced training, or research. However, they said the surge in long-term departures, particularly among veteran and experienced doctors less likely to be leaving for training purposes, is a worrying sign that some temporary departures are turning into permanent decisions to stay abroad.

"Since 2023, the State of Israel has been losing its best people," Prof. Ater said. "We all have family members waiting for surgery or other medical treatment. The departure of nearly 1,400 doctors directly translates into longer waits, less effective medical treatment, and ultimately a serious impact on our quality of life."