New Education Ministry Pilot Guides High Schoolers to IDF Medical Track
A new Israeli Ministry of Education pilot program is guiding high school students toward the IDF's prestigious Tzameret medical reserve track, connecting teens with student mentors to help navigate complex admission requirements.
At 16, while still dealing with exams, matriculation tests, social lives, and a constantly changing security reality, Odaya Ajigeo and Mai Motsafi are already planning their path to the medical faculty and service as doctors in the IDF. A new Ministry of Education program is trying to make this aspiration a clearer path by connecting high school students with students already studying in the Tzameret military medical track.
"It's hard and leaves little time for other things, but it's worth it," says Odaya, 16, who studies physics and health sciences at Ort Schhakim High School in Nahariya and volunteers with MDA. She dreams of being a military doctor, preferably in a role that allows her to provide medical treatment in the field.
"I started getting interested in the Tzameret track because I was looking for a combination of medicine and meaningful service," she says. "Slowly, I discovered that this is totally my direction. The idea of providing professional medical care in the field is what really attracts me to get there."
Until recently, the dream seemed far away. Odaya knew about Tzameret, the IDF's academic medical reserve track at the Hebrew University, but she said she didn't know how to get accepted. "I knew the track quite superficially and didn't think it was so realistic for me. Through the program, I discovered that this is an option that exists, that you can really combine a medical degree with service in the IDF, and that there is a support system that can help me get there."
A New Pilot Program to Guide Students
The support system Odaya describes is a new Ministry of Education pilot designed to expose biotechnology and health systems track students to the Tzameret program and accompany them on the way there starting from the 10th grade. More than 800 students were exposed to the program this year, and 544 students from 82 schools, from Eilat to Kiryat Shmona, completed the first pilot year.
"Suddenly I understood what needs to be done and when," says Mai Motsafi, 16, from Shoham, who studies chemistry, biotechnology, and biology. She heard about Tzameret about two years ago and thought medicine in the IDF might be an option for her, but had a hard time understanding the path there.
"I knew Tzameret, but not at a level that allowed me to truly understand the program," she says. "I thought medicine in the IDF was an option, but everything seemed very complicated. It was hard to understand the track and what needed to be done."
Her main concern was the admission requirements. "You have to achieve very high grades in both matriculation tests and the psychometric exam just to try to get in. It's hard and scary."
Mentorship from Medical Students
As part of the pilot, medical students and commanders who have already walked the path to Tzameret accompany the students in small groups. They explain the threshold requirements, screening processes, and timelines, trying to turn the complex track into a clearer sequence of tasks.
"Following the guidance, I managed to understand the admission requirements and how much time I have to achieve each of them, for example when to take the psychometric exam," Mai says. "Before the program, it was hard for me to decide when to start and which dates to take it, because I didn't know the last deadline that allows admission. After the students explained it to us, I could plan the path properly. It reduced the pressure a lot."
For Odaya, meeting the students also provided something hard to find on an official website. "They helped me understand Tzameret beyond the studies and requirements. I heard firsthand how they experience the track socially, how they deal with the workload, and how much it burdens them. They gave me a real picture of life on the track."
Challenges and Motivation in Wartime
The admission process to Tzameret is not easy even for outstanding students. Biotechnology and health systems tracks are studied at an extent of 15 credit units and include an advanced scientific subject, theoretical studies, and practical experience. Alongside all these, students interested in the medical reserve are required to prepare for the psychometric exam, IDF screenings, and the medical school admission process.
"It is totally challenging," Odaya says. "You have to combine matriculation exams, army screenings, and the psychometric exam, and also not forget that there is a social life, family, and other things you want to do. It is harder and requires good time management, but it is totally possible."
For Odaya, the security reality actually reinforces her desire to serve as a doctor. "Everything happening in the country gives me more motivation to do meaningful service. I want to help as many soldiers as possible and give of myself where needed.
Following the first year of activity, the Ministry of Education intends to expand the program and allow additional students to receive guidance from those who have already made the journey themselves. Minister of Education and CHE Chairman Yoav Kisch noted that identifying capable and excellent youth early on is crucial for building Israel's next generation of physicians.
