Med School In Israel: Just What The Doctor Ordered

Maya Garala in the maternity ward at a hospital in B’nei Brak.

When Miriam Langer was waitlisted at one of her preferred medical school programs in the United States, she decided that rather than wait or reapply later, she would opt for an alternative — attend a program in Israel.

“Medical school was the place for me this year, but I still wasn’t willing to apply to sub-par programs,” said Langer, who is now a first-year student at the New York State/American Program at Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine. “I had been so resistant to move so far away, but people urged me to look into this as a great option.”

Chartered by the State of New York and accredited by Israel, Sackler’s American program began in 1976 and is taught entirely in English, with approximately 300 students at any given time, according to university data. Sackler is just one of three American medical school programs in Israel, which, as admissions become increasingly competitive, are serving as attractive alternatives for students — Jewish and non — looking to get high-quality educations that lead them to top-caliber American residencies.

In terms of career advancement, “You can get anywhere from there,” Langer said of medical school in Israel. “It’s a much better environment for medical school and you get to be in Israel, which makes it a lot less cutthroat environment.”

The other two programs are Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s Medical School for International Health, in collaboration with Columbia University’s Medical Center, and the Technion American Medical School at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine in Haifa.

“Many of [the students] came here because they were not accepted in the U.S.,” said Dr. Arnon Afek, the new director of the Sackler program as of Jan. 1. He is former deputy director of Sheba Medical Center, near Tel Aviv, and a professor of pathology to both American and Israeli Sackler students for years.

His counterpart at the Technion, Dr. Andrew Levy, agreed, adding, “A large percentage — 25 or 30 percent — of students that apply [to U.S. schools] can’t get in, so they’re looking for other opportunities. I think that’s one reason this is increasing. But secondly, it’s recognized that these are well-established universities, and the education is equivalent to what you can receive in the US.”

Some of the students, Afek explained, have gotten into U.S. schools but choose to come here instead – like those who want to strengthen their knowledge of Jewish culture, or those who are simply adventurous.

During their time in Tel Aviv, Sackler students are required to maintain Hebrew proficiency so that they can work in Israeli hospitals during their studies. While most students are Jewish, according to Langer, they typically do not intend to stay in Israel; it is important to her that most alumni “excel in residency in the U.S.”

“I’m not here because I want to make aliyah,” she said.

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