Over 1,300 doctors left Israel over past 3 years, research finds, the equivalent of a hospital

About 1,370 doctors left Israel for at least one year between 2023 and 2025, according to new Tel Aviv University research based on Central Bureau of Statistics data.

That number has nearly doubled compared to the previous decade.

The study, reported by Hebrew-language media outlets, tracked population registry and medical licensing records.

In 2023, 416 doctors left Israel, followed by 530 in 2024. Preliminary estimates for 2025 indicate that around 419 physicians left the country, according to their data.

The uptick appeared across all medical specialties, including pediatricians, ophthalmologists, and dermatologists, and from all geographical regions of Israel.

The Ynet news site notes that the number of doctors who have left is the equivalent of the number of doctors at a large hospital.

While residing abroad for a year does not automatically imply permanent emigration, temporary stays abroad frequently transition into permanent relocation, say the researchers, Prof. Itai Ater, Prof. Nitzan Bergman and Doron Zamir.

“Israel is losing its best people,” Ater says. “The departure of nearly 1,400 doctors translates directly into longer wait times, less effective medical care, and ultimately severe harm to our quality of life.”