In the last three years, about 1,370 doctors left Israel for a period longer than 12 months, a Tel Aviv University study published on Sunday found.
Researchers Prof. Itai Ater, Prof. Nittai Bergman, and Doron Zamir found that between 2023 and 2025, the number of doctors who left Israel surged by 94% compared with a similar period between 2013 and 2015.
In 2023, 416 doctors left Israel for at least one year, compared with 530 in 2024 and a preliminary estimate of 419 in 2025.
Even after accounting for the Israeli doctors who returned back to the country, Israel lost a net total of 509 doctors in 2023 and 2024, amounting to an average of approximately 255 doctors per year.
Notably, this is nearly five times the annual average during the previous decade.
From 2010 to 2019, Israel recorded an average annual net loss of 54 doctors.
One in seven experienced Israeli doctors chooses to emigrate
Doctors across all specialties left, but rates were particularly high among pediatricians, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and ear, nose, and throat specialists, who left at rates of 6.2%.
Some 6% of doctors who reported leaving were surgeons, 4.7% were intensive care physicians, and 3.9% were internal medicine physicians.
At least 14% of the physicians who decided to leave Israel were experienced doctors, or one in seven. A decade earlier, only 14% of the physicians who left were more experienced.
One in five, or 20% of doctors who emigrate, were over 45. Notably, emigrating for a year does not necessarily mean that a doctor permanently leaves the country, as many travel abroad for specialized training, research programs, or other advanced professional programs.
However, the researchers said the trend affects the overall quality of Israel’s medical care and is a worrying sign.
Some doctors are leaving Israel permanently, while others may travel abroad for temporary training but ultimately decide to stay.
According to the researchers, this trend could harm the quality of training of the next generation of Israeli physicians, especially if the number of doctors who emigrate for at least a year continues to grow.
“Since 2023, the State of Israel has been losing its best people,” Prof. Ater said.
“All of us have relatives waiting for surgery or other medical treatment. The departure of nearly 1,400 doctors translates directly into longer waiting times, less effective medical care, and ultimately severe harm to our quality of life. If, God forbid, this trend continues, there is growing concern that it will cause irreversible damage to Israel’s resilience.”
