Israel seeks to integrate medical students who halted studies abroad to join war

The Health Ministry asks the deans of Israel’s medical schools to prepare to integrate Israelis studying medicine abroad who were called up for military duty during the war. It is estimated that some 200 such medical students are at risk of falling behind in their programs because their academic years abroad are already underway.

With the start of the year in Israel’s institutions of higher learning delayed until at least late December, the ministry believes it would be possible to take on these students with the proper preparation in terms of academics, infrastructure, and teaching staff. The ministry has offered to help the universities make these adjustments and to work with hospitals to arrange all necessary clinical placements for students.

“We promise medical students who are now serving on the front lines that the State of Israel will not leave them behind. We will act in every possible way to provide them with the tools to fulfill themselves after the war to show them our appreciation and as part of the national effort,” says Health Minister Uriel Busso.

Health Ministry director-general Mosher Bar Siman Tov says the country has a moral duty toward medical students who received and responded to military call-ups, and that integrating them into Israeli medical schools will be part of an ongoing effort to increase the spots in the country’s universities for those wishing to pursue medical studies.

The Health Ministry asks medical students from abroad whose studies were interrupted due to the war to fill out the following survey so that it can plan accordingly.