Medical schools in Israel

Medical schools in Israel
Name	Medical schools in Israel
Established	20th century–21st century
Type	Public and private
Country	Israel
Cities	Jerusalem

Medical schools in Israel provide undergraduate and graduate medical education, clinical training, and biomedical research across multiple campuses. Israeli medical faculties collaborate with hospitals, research institutes, and international partners to train physicians, physician-scientists, and specialists for service in communities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beersheba, and Safed. Major institutions include longstanding universities and newer faculties linked to hospitals and research centers.

History

The modern development of Israeli medical education began in the early 20th century with institutions in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa that evolved alongside hospitals such as Hadassah Medical Center, Sheba Medical Center, and Rambam Health Care Campus. During the British Mandate for Palestine and after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, medical training expanded at universities including Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology while medical workforce needs influenced the creation of faculties at Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and later Bar-Ilan University. The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw growth in clinical and research capacity with links to institutes such as the Weizmann Institute of Science, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, and the Medical Corps (Israel) for postgraduate training. International events like collaborations after the Oslo Accords and participation in global health networks accelerated joint programs with institutions such as Harvard Medical School, University of Oxford, and Johns Hopkins University.

List of medical schools

- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Hadassah) — affiliated with Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital and Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, with research ties to the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Jerusalem Development Authority. - Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology — affiliated with Rambam Health Care Campus and the Technion Integrated Cancer Center. - Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University — affiliated with Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson and HaSharon) and Sheba Medical Center. - Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev — affiliated with Soroka Medical Center and regional health services in Beersheba. - Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University — clinical base at Safed's Ziv Medical Center and partnerships with northern hospitals. - Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School branch programs and emerging faculties linked to hospitals such as Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Emek Medical Center, and Bnei Zion Medical Center. - Newer programs and international tracks established in partnership with entities like Global Health Corps, World Health Organization, and universities such as University of Cambridge and University of Toronto.

Admissions and curriculum

Admission pathways include domestic matriculation through the Psychometric Entrance Test (Israel) and specialized tracks for candidates from abroad, including students from Europe, North America, and Africa. Curricula combine preclinical instruction in faculties like Hebrew University, Technion, and Tel Aviv University with clinical clerkships at hospitals including Hadassah Medical Center, Rambam Health Care Campus, and Sheba Medical Center; many programs emphasize research rotations at institutes such as the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Cancer Research Institute, Sheba. Degree structures follow MD frameworks with integrated courses in anatomy, physiology, and pathology alongside clerkships in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology conducted at referral centers like Soroka Medical Center and Rabin Medical Center. Some schools offer dual-degree options in partnership with institutions like Bar-Ilan University for biomedical sciences or public health degrees connected to the Ministry of Health (Israel) licensing pathways.

Affiliated hospitals and research centers

Israeli medical faculties maintain affiliations with major hospitals: Hadassah Medical Center, Sheba Medical Center, Rambam Health Care Campus, Soroka Medical Center, Rabin Medical Center, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, and regional centers such as Ziv Medical Center and Emek Medical Center. Research collaborations extend to the Weizmann Institute of Science, Technion Faculty of Medicine, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Weizmann), and translational units like the Israel Institute for Biological Research and the Chaim Sheba Medical Center Research Center. These partnerships support clinical trials, biomedical engineering projects with companies such as Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and biotech startups in Tel Aviv Stock Exchange–listed ecosystems, and joint ventures with international research hospitals including Massachusetts General Hospital and Mount Sinai Health System.

Accreditation and licensing

Medical degrees from Israeli faculties are accredited by bodies including the Council for Higher Education (Israel), and graduates must obtain licensure regulated by the Ministry of Health (Israel) through examinations and supervised internship (staj). International graduates and foreign-educated physicians often undergo credential verification with agencies such as the National Committee for Quality Assurance frameworks and may pursue recognition via reciprocal arrangements with countries like United States, United Kingdom, and EU member states under professional credentialing procedures like the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates process.

International programs and collaborations

Israeli medical schools run international MD programs, exchange agreements, and research consortia with institutions such as Harvard Medical School, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, Karolinska Institutet, and regional partnerships across Europe and Asia. Programs include joint research grants with the European Research Council, clinical fellowships hosted by Sheba Medical Center and Hadassah Medical Center, and humanitarian medical missions coordinated with organizations like Magen David Adom and Doctors Without Borders. Collaborative initiatives span global health training, biomedical innovation incubators linking to Start-Up Nation Central, and translational research agreements with pharmaceutical partners including Pfizer and Roche.

Category:Medical education in Israel