Emigration of Israeli Doctors Surges by 94% Over Past Decade, Study Shows
A Tel Aviv University study reveals that 1,369 doctors left Israel between 2023 and 2025, marking a 94% increase from a decade ago. Medical leaders warn of severe long-term impacts on healthcare quality and clinical training.
Alarmant Surge in Physician Emigration
A new study by researchers at Tel Aviv University has revealed a dramatic and worrying increase in the number of doctors leaving Israel. According to the findings, 1,369 physicians emigrated from Israel between 2023 and 2025.
The annual breakdown shows that 419 doctors left in 2023, followed by a peak of 530 in 2024, and an estimated 420 in 2025. This represents a 94% surge compared to the corresponding period a decade ago (2013–2015), during which only 705 doctors left the country.
The demographic profile of those departing has also shifted significantly. Between 2023 and 2025, experienced physicians aged 45 and older accounted for approximately 20% of all departures (one in five), compared to just 14% (one in seven) in the previous decade. The researchers—Professor Itai Ater, Professor Nytai Bergman, and doctoral student Doron Zamir—emphasized that while some departures are temporary fellowships, the older age profile increases the likelihood of permanent relocation.
Personal Journeys: Career, Education, and Politics
For many medical families, the decision to move abroad was initially planned as a temporary step for professional specialization but was subsequently extended due to the domestic situation. Dr. Roey Sher-El (43), a psychiatrist formerly at Ichilov Hospital, and Dr. Moriel Sher-El (41), a dermatologist, moved to Boston in August 2023 with their three children. Both currently work at hospitals affiliated with Harvard University.
Dr. Roey Sher-El shared:
"We left strictly for long-term career planning, unrelated to any national situation. But here we are in our fourth year. The complex situation in Israel certainly played a part in extending our stay. There was a feeling that we were giving our children more time to grow up in a quiet, protected environment, knowing we would eventually return."
For Dr. Moriel Sher-El, the quality of the local education system in Boston was a major factor in extending their stay. However, the couple continues to pay Israeli national insurance and health fund dues, intending to return to Israel after their fourth year.
For others, the motivation was explicitly political. Dr. A., a physician who relocated to the UK in 2024, explained that her decision was triggered by the government's judicial overhaul:
"Before that, we never considered leaving. We were on the verge of buying a home in Israel. The judicial reform and the fear of living in a non-democratic state forced us to change our path. This is not a classic 'brain drain' for higher salaries; many of us took a pay cut and lost administrative seniority. It is a painful departure."
Systemic Impact on Israeli Healthcare
Senior medical officials and department heads are raising alarms over the long-term consequences of this trend. Professor Yasmin Maor, head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Wolfson Medical Center and President of the Israeli Association for Infectious Diseases, warns that the country is losing its elite professionals.
Professor Yasmin Maor stated:
"If the most talented orthopedist, oncologist, or internist leaves, I am left in a less professional environment. I am affected not just by direct departures, but by the loss of colleagues with whom I collaborate clinically and scientifically. If the best people leave, who will train the next generation of doctors?"
Professor Shahar Shelly, a faculty member at the Technion and head of the Neurology Department at Rambam Health Care Campus, also observes the trend on the ground. He noted that the absence of 4% of pediatricians and 6% of surgeons from the system is already causing delays in treatments and shifts.
Professor Shelly emphasized that training a specialist takes about ten years, and the departure of senior physicians leaves a gap that takes a decade to close. He identified research infrastructure, dedicated research time, academic horizons, and compensation as the primary factors driving doctors to remain abroad after their fellowships.
