Israel’s Health Ministry has unveiled a long-term plan to address shortages of medical specialists, setting targets for the number of doctors needed in different fields and regions by 2035.
The number of physicians in Israel is projected to rise from approximately 37,000 to 53,000 over the next decade, an increase of 42%. The number of specialists is expected to grow from 20,300 to 32,000, a 57% increase.
Taking population growth into account, the number of doctors per 1,000 residents is expected to rise by 16%, and the rate of specialists per capita by 31%. The ministry says this could narrow the gap with the OECD average of 3.9 doctors per 1,000 residents, potentially allowing Israel to surpass it.
The targets were developed by an advisory committee established in January 2025 under Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov. Its 22 members represent hospitals, health funds, medical organizations and government ministries.
The plan comes as medical school enrollment climbs. The number of students beginning medical studies in Israel rose from 820 in 2020 to 1,448 in 2025. The ministry expects 2,000 new students annually by 2030. Meanwhile, the Yitzhak reform is expected to reduce the number of new doctors graduating from overseas institutions that fail to meet its requirements.
The ministry stresses that increasing the number of doctors alone will not resolve staffing gaps. Additional specialists must be directed toward the fields and regions with the greatest needs.
The committee classified medical specialties according to the required increase in specialists per 100,000 residents by 2035: 35%, 25% or 15%, while recommending that staffing levels remain unchanged in other fields. It used 2029 as a baseline because many doctors expected to qualify by then are already in training.
In obstetrics and gynecology, Israel had approximately 1,620 active specialists in 2025. The number is projected to reach 1,841 by 2029, but the committee recommends a further 25% increase by 2035, to approximately 2,550 specialists nationwide.
Geographic disparities are another priority. The number of neurologists in the Southern District currently stands at just 38% of the 2035 target, compared with 85% in the Central District. The ministry warns that without targeted recruitment, new specialists could remain concentrated in central Israel, limiting access to care in the periphery.
Population growth and aging are expected to further increase demand for medical services. More than 11,000 additional specialists are projected to join Israel’s healthcare system over the next decade, and the new targets aim to ensure they are distributed according to the country’s anticipated needs.