Ariel University to Launch Six-Year Medical Program

The Council for Higher Education has approved the establishment of a six-year Doctor of Medicine program at Ariel University. The program, which will admit 80 students annually, is slated to commence in the current academic year. The decision follows an earlier approval by MALAG (Planning and Budgeting Committee) in February and a review by a professional committee led by Professor Yonatan Halevy. This initiative aims to expand medical education in Israel, increasing opportunities for Israelis to study medicine domestically and ultimately boosting the number of physicians to address growing healthcare needs.

The new program at Ariel University is part of a broader expansion of medical training in the country, following the recent opening of medical faculties at the Weizmann Institute, Reichman University, and the University of Haifa. These developments have raised the total number of medical students in Israel to 1,446 this academic year, a significant increase from 800 just five years ago.

Concurrently, MALAG has also approved the launch of a Physician Assistant master's program at Ariel University. This program, the first of its kind in Israel, is designed to train healthcare professionals who will work alongside specialist physicians, performing medical procedures within the scope defined by amendments to the law regulating medical professions. The introduction of physician assistants is intended to further strengthen the healthcare system and broaden the pool of medical specialists.