Israel is facing an acute shortage of physicians in 2024, a situation the Jewish State cannot afford as the Israel-Hamas and greater regional war enters its seventh month.
A new report released Wednesday by the Absorption and Diaspora Affairs reveals that in 2023, only 30% of new medical licenses were issued to graduates from Israeli institutions. By 2026, the physician-to-population ratio is expected to decrease to just 3 per 1,000, significantly lower than the current 3.7 per 1,000 average in OECD countries. The aging demographic of specialist physicians, with 26% over the age of 67, is expected to further complicate the issue.
“The State of Israel must increase the number of students studying medicine in Israel and encourage Jewish physicians to make Aliyah to Israel,” said Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Chairman Oded Forer in a statement.
Compared to other professions in Israel, salaries for healthcare professionals are relatively low, and the working conditions can be challenging. With a lack of sufficient training and recruitment mechanisms to keep pace with the demand for medical services, this has led to a “brain drain” where Israeli doctors move abroad for better opportunities, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Following the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, the situation has become even more severe. In an extraordinary sign of support, about 200 physicians came from abroad to assist the hospitals in caring for the many injured.
