Israeli Doctors Emigrating in Alarming Numbers, Study Finds

A significant increase in the number of Israeli doctors leaving the country has been documented in a new study by Tel Aviv University researchers. The study, which analyzed data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Population Registry, and the medical licensing system, found that approximately 1,400 doctors left Israel over the past three years. This represents a nearly 94% increase compared to the same period a decade ago.

In 2023, 416 doctors left Israel for at least a year, followed by 530 in 2024, with preliminary data for 2025 indicating around 419 departures. While temporary absences for specialization or research are common, the net emigration of doctors has risen sharply. Between 2023 and 2024, the net outflow was 509 doctors, averaging about 255 annually, a nearly fivefold increase from the average of 54 per year between 2010 and 2019.

The study also noted a shift in the age demographics of those leaving. Over the past three years, more than 20% of departing doctors were over 45, compared to 14% a decade prior, suggesting that these are not solely temporary departures by younger physicians. A total of 281 specialists in this older age group have left.

The emigration affects nearly all medical specialties, with the highest rates observed among pediatricians, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and ENT specialists (around 6.2%). Approximately 6% of surgeons, or 188 individuals, have also left. Among doctors under 60, the outflow is even more pronounced, with 9.4% of ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and ENT specialists, and 8.8% of surgeons departing.

The Tel Aviv district saw the largest number of departures, with 429 doctors leaving, representing 5.4% of the region's physicians. The Central District followed with 290 departures. A separate report indicated that about a quarter of specialist doctors in public hospitals are nearing retirement age.