Doctors Leaving Israel Doubles in a Decade, Study Finds

A concerning trend shows a near doubling in the number of Israeli doctors emigrating from the country over the past decade, according to a study by Tel Aviv University led by Professor Itai Attar. Between 2023 and 2025, 1,369 doctors left Israel, representing approximately 3.25% of the current physician workforce. This contrasts with 705 doctors who emigrated between 2013 and 2015, making up about 2% of the workforce at the time.

The study also noted an increase in the age of emigrating doctors, with about 20% now being 45 years or older, compared to only 14% a decade ago. High emigration rates were observed in specialties such as surgery, where 6% of surgeons left, and internal medicine, with 3.9% of internists emigrating. Other fields with significant departures included ear, nose, and throat, dermatology, and ophthalmology (6.2%), intensive care (4.7%), pediatrics (4.3%), gynecology (4%), and psychiatry (3.2%).

Geographically, Tel Aviv saw the highest number of departing doctors, with 5.4% of physicians living there leaving. Haifa followed with 3.7%, Jerusalem with 3.3%, the Central District with 3.1%, the Southern District with 3%, and Judea and Samaria with 1.5% of their respective physician populations emigrating.

The research defined an "emigrating doctor" as one absent from Israel for at least 275 days a year, including at least 90 consecutive days. While full data for 2025 is pending, projections suggest 80% of those absent for three consecutive months will meet the criteria. Even after accounting for doctors returning to Israel, the net emigration balance remains negative. Between 2023 and 2024, a net of 509 doctors left, averaging 255 per year (0.63% of the workforce), compared to a net of 54 doctors (0.16%) a decade prior.