Plugging the drain: targeted policies for retaining Israeli doctors

Israel’s physician workforce crisis reflects long-standing dependence on foreign-trained doctors, limited domestic capacity, and the shrinking inflow of new graduates following the Yatziv Reform. Recent analyses underscore the need not only to expand local training but also to better track and support Israelis studying and training abroad. While new data such as that by Swechinsky and Berner-Shalem shed light on return patterns among students, a less visible challenge lies with physicians leaving the Israeli health system, and specifically those undertaking fellowship training overseas who choose not to return. Building reliable data systems and proactive engagement mechanisms for both students and fellows is essential to securing Israel’s future medical workforce.