Israel HayomHealth16:35

Israel Plans Major Expansion of Specialist Doctors to Address Shortages

By מיטל יסעור בית-אור

Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba

Center-rightNeutral tone

Hebrew · 9 newsrooms covering

Israel's Ministry of Health has released a plan to add 11,000 specialist doctors by 2035, a 57% increase, to combat shortages, especially in peripheral areas. The initiative will guide training and offer incentives to address disparities in fields like oncology and psychiatry. Medical school enrollment has doubled since 2020, aiming to boost the total physician count by 43% and improve Israel's ratio to OECD averages. The plan also includes measures to retain doctors and encourage those training abroad to return.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Israel's Ministry of Health plans to add 11,000 specialist doctors by 2035, a 57% increase.
The plan aims to reduce significant shortages of specialists in peripheral areas and specific medical fields.
Medical school enrollment has increased significantly, with a goal of 2,000 students by 2030.
The Ministry will use incentives to encourage doctors to work in underserved regions and specialties.
Efforts are underway to counter the trend of Israeli doctors leaving the country.
The overall number of physicians in Israel is projected to grow by 43% to 53,000 by 2035.

The Ministry of Health has unveiled a "roadmap" aimed at significantly increasing the number of specialist doctors in Israel over the next decade, with a particular focus on reducing shortages in peripheral areas. The plan projects an addition of approximately 11,000 specialist physicians by 2035, a 57% increase, though closing existing gaps will take years. The initiative seeks to guide physician training to prevent an overconcentration of specialists in already well-supplied fields and regions, while addressing critical deficits elsewhere.

Significant disparities are highlighted, with the northern district having only 28% of its 2035 oncology specialist target by 2025, compared to 89% in Haifa. Similar gaps exist in psychiatry and neurology. The plan aims to boost numbers in fields like psychiatry, with a target of 1,580 specialists by 2035, up from 910 in 2025, and increases for geriatrics and neurology as well.

To combat the overall physician shortage and reliance on foreign-trained doctors, the Ministry, along with other academic and governmental bodies, has expanded medical school enrollment. The number of medical students has risen from 820 in 2020 to 1,650 this year, with a goal of 2,000 by 2030. Overall, the total number of physicians in Israel is expected to grow by 43% to 53,000 by 2035.

Beyond simply increasing numbers, the plan emphasizes directing new specialists to underserved areas and fields. This involves setting targets for specialist growth per 100,000 people by 2035, categorizing specialties based on recommended growth rates. The Ministry also plans to use incentives, including scholarships for students committing to work in the periphery and potential salary incentives within future labor agreements, to encourage doctors to practice in needed areas.

Addressing the issue of doctors leaving Israel, which saw approximately 1,300 depart between 2023 and 2025 according to recent data, the Ministry has established a liaison office to maintain contact with physicians training abroad and encourage their return. The Ministry believes the Israeli medical system offers professional satisfaction and autonomy, and is working to mitigate physician emigration.