Israel Loses Over 500 Doctors in Two Years, Five Times Usual Rate

Israel has experienced a dramatic increase in the emigration of physicians, losing 509 doctors in 2023-2024, an average of 255 per year. This figure represents a nearly fivefold increase compared to the average annual loss of 54 doctors between 2010 and 2019. The findings come from a new study by researchers at Tel Aviv University, utilizing data from the Central Bureau of Statistics.

While 2020 saw a net positive migration of doctors due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, 2021 marked a sharp rise with 116 doctors leaving. This trend continued to climb, reaching 135 in 2022. However, a significant escalation occurred in 2023 with a record 181 net departures, nearly doubling to an all-time high of 328 in 2024. This surge is attributed to both an increase in doctors leaving and a decrease in those returning.

In 2024, 530 doctors left Israel for extended periods, the highest number since 2009, compared to 416 in 2023. The number of returning doctors also declined, with only 202 in 2024 versus 235 in 2023. Researchers estimate that around 419 doctors may have left in 2025 based on preliminary data.

The study also highlights that the emigration is not uniform across specialties. Between 2023 and 2025, 188 surgeons left, representing about 6% of licensed surgeons. High emigration rates were also observed in dermatology, ophthalmology, and ENT (6.2%), internal medicine (3.9%), and anesthesiology and radiology (3.9%). Notably, 353 doctors without registered specializations also left, indicating the issue extends beyond senior specialists.

Geographically, Tel Aviv district leads with 429 departing doctors (5.4% of its licensed physicians), followed by Haifa, Jerusalem, Central, and Southern districts. Researchers warn that this "imbalance" could worsen, potentially triggering a "feedback loop" of further departures, leading to severe macroeconomic consequences. They stress that immediate action is needed to address this trend before it becomes irreversible.