Doctors Fleeing Israel Doubles, New Study Reveals Alarming Trend

A significant surge in the emigration of doctors from Israel has been documented in recent years, according to a study by Tel Aviv University led by Professor Itai Attar. Between 2023 and 2025, a total of 1,369 physicians left Israel, a stark increase compared to the 705 who emigrated between 2013 and 2015. This represents a nearly 94% rise in doctor emigration over a decade. The researchers emphasized that the study excludes short-term immigration from Ukraine and focuses solely on permanent departures.

The study also noted an increase in the proportion of senior physicians among those leaving. Approximately 20% of doctors who emigrated in the recent period were aged 45 and above, meaning they were in the prime of their careers after completing specialization. This contrasts with about 14% in the same age group a decade prior.

Even after accounting for doctors who returned to Israel, the net emigration remains negative. In 2023 and 2024, a net total of 509 doctors left, averaging 255 per year, which is about 0.63% of the registered physician workforce. This is a substantial jump from the net annual emigration of 54 doctors a decade ago, representing approximately 0.16% of the workforce at that time.

The emigration trend is not uniform across all specialties. Surgeons show a high departure rate, with 6% of all surgeons and 8.8% of those under 60 leaving. Other specialties with above-average emigration rates include Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), Dermatology, and Ophthalmology, where 6.2% of all physicians and 9.4% of those under 60 have left. Intensive care specialists and pediatricians also show significant emigration, at 4.7% and 4.3% of their respective total workforces, and 5.9% and 6.4% among those under 60.

The study defines a doctor as having emigrated if they are absent from Israel for at least 275 days in a year, with at least 90 consecutive days at the beginning of the period. For 2025, projections were made based on the assumption that 80% of those absent for three consecutive months would meet the emigration criteria. However, the researchers acknowledge that not all departures necessarily signify permanent emigration, as some may be for sub-specialization or further training abroad.