541 Doctors Flee to Israel: Are They Running from a Crisis? The Shocking Truth Revealed!

In a remarkable tale of dedication and resolve, Dr. Eitan Mikler, a 27-year-old anesthesiology resident at Sheba Medical Center, recently made the life-changing decision to immigrate to Israel from Colombia. His journey is emblematic of a broader trend as Israel seeks to replenish its healthcare workforce amid a significant physician shortage. “I’m Jewish and a Zionist. I’ve heard about Israel all my life, and ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to live here,” Mikler shared. He is part of a wave of 541 doctors who made aliyah in 2025, a national program spearheaded by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, in cooperation with the Health Ministry and Nefesh B’Nefesh.

This influx of international medical talent comes at a critical moment for Israel's healthcare system, which is grappling with a severe shortage of physicians. Government statistics reveal that 69,300 Israelis left the country in 2025, compared to just 19,000 who returned. A study from Tel Aviv University indicates that between January 2023 and September 2024, 875 medical professionals departed Israel, resulting in a net loss of 481 doctors.

Mikler’s path to Israel began when he contemplated moving at just 18 years old. However, he opted to first earn his medical degree from the University of La Sabana in Chía, Colombia. “Friends in Israel told me the country needed doctors, but that studying medicine there wasn’t easy, so I decided to study first and make aliyah after,” he explained. His sister, Dana, also a doctor, successfully immigrated to Israel four years prior.

The backdrop of conflict escalated Mikler’s resolve to move. He was finalizing his medical internship when Hamas launched its attack on October 7. “It was hard not to fly to Israel immediately to help,” he recounted. “But my parents reminded me I was almost done.” The conflict motivated him further, as he reflected, “After October 7, I told myself, ‘Now is the time. I want to be there. I don’t want to be here.’” He also faced the complex environment for Jews in Colombia, citing antisemitic sentiments from the country’s leadership.

Now in his residency at Sheba, Mikler recalls the initial challenges of adapting to a new healthcare system and language. “At first it was hard—I didn’t fully understand how the system works here, and the language was difficult, especially medical Hebrew,” he noted. Before starting, he attended a medical Hebrew ulpan in Ra’anana, which helped him navigate this transition.

Through support from the Aliyah Ministry, Mikler received assistance with résumé writing and was matched with a hospital. One of the standout aspects of his experience has been the international nature of the anesthesia team. “I heard Arabic, Russian, English, and I’m the third person in the department who speaks Spanish. The patients also come from everywhere—religious Jews, soldiers, even one woman from Gaza,” he remarked.

A key difference Mikler has noticed between the Israeli and Colombian healthcare systems is the culture of teamwork. “Here, everyone is encouraged to speak up—if a nurse thinks something’s wrong, she says so, and everyone listens,” he explained. In contrast, Colombia’s healthcare approach is more hierarchical, where doctor directives are rarely questioned.

Mikler’s choice of anesthesiology speaks to his interest in a field that balances pharmacology, physiology, and rapid decision-making. “As a student, I watched how an anesthesiologist works—how they go from 0 to 100 if something’s wrong, and know exactly which drug to give,” he said.

He is now an advocate for other doctors considering aliyah. “Aliyah isn’t easy. You need patience, but there’s help everywhere—you just have to ask,” he advised. “If you’re a Zionist and want to live and work in Israel, there are many paths.” His sentiments echo the broader statistics from the Ministry of Aliyah, which reported that 541 doctors immigrated in 2025, a notable increase from 519 in 2024. Notably, 93 of these doctors came from North America, up from 60 the previous year, and 53 arrived from France, nearly doubling from 25.

As health care continues to evolve in Israel, the contributions of immigrant doctors like Mikler are invaluable. With about 400 new immigrant doctors joining the healthcare system and 30% serving in peripheral hospitals, their presence is crucial in high-need fields like psychiatry and rehabilitation. The Ministry of Aliyah’s medical division is also helping these professionals with licensing and integration support, and Minister Ofir Sofer emphasized the importance of their work, stating, “These doctors place their trust in Israel and its health care system, choosing not only a career but to join a national effort to strengthen it.”

Mikler and his peers embody the intersection of professional ambition and national commitment, showing that the path to contributing to Israel’s healthcare system is one filled with challenges yet rich with rewards.