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In response to the critical shortage of doctors and medical staff in Israel, especially in hospitals and healthcare facilities in remote areas, the government is set to approve additional funding of NIS 1.65 million ($44.5) this coming Sunday to bring 195 Jewish doctors, who are eligible for repatriation to Israel under the Law of Return.
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In the 2023 academic year, more than 200 doctors from the Commonwealth of Independent States arrived in Israel and took the medical licensing exams in July 2023 with the aim of reaching at least 270 doctors by the end of the calendar year.
For the academic year 2024, the projection is for 195 doctors to participate in the program. The budget includes NIS 1 million ($260,000) from the Health Ministry and NIS 650,000 ($170,000) from the budget of the Ministry of Negev, Galilee and National Resilience.
To date, more than 1,200 doctors have completed the program, and approximately 95% of the program's graduates have immigrated to Israel and joined the Israeli healthcare system.
The majority of participants have chosen to remain in the cities where they resided during the program, or in the surrounding areas, thereby contributing to the enrichment of the medical workforce in Israel's peripheral regions.
The program is designed for young doctors from the Diaspora, aged between 22 and 40. The program lasts for 8 months and includes both theoretical studies and practical training. 85% of the program participants successfully pass the Israeli licensing exams. The program is conducted in Be'er Sheva and Haifa.