Healthcare careers are prestigious within Arab society, offering social mobility, financial stability, and the chance to contribute to community development. The number of Arabs in higher education more than doubled between 2009 and 2022, fueling increased employment in professional sectors.
“Health care has quite a few features that have made it more accessible to Arab professionals than some other areas of social and economic activity. We believe that it can, nonetheless, be a source of inspiration, encouragement, and perhaps even practical lessons, beyond health care. An example of one such lesson is that Arab professionals can deliver high-quality, well-appreciated, care to both Jewish and Arab patients in addition to their unique capacity to provide culturally responsive care to Arab patients.” Rosen, B., Miaari, S. Arab representation in Israeli healthcare professions: achievements, challenges and opportunities. Isr J Health Policy Res 14, 7 (2025).
The report underscores the healthcare profession’s deep-rooted commitment to caring for all individuals, as reflected in the Hippocratic Oath and humanistic values, alongside its strong tradition of cooperation between Jewish and Arab professionals. The universal public health insurance system ensures access for all citizens and emphasizes integrating Arab professionals, particularly in expanding Arab localities. The need for culturally competent care also creates more job opportunities for Arab professionals in both Arab and mixed cities. Additionally, the reliance on foreign-trained professionals due to local shortages offers opportunities for Arab professionals who have studied abroad.
Employment
In 2023, Arabs made up a significant proportion of Israel’s healthcare workforce, accounting for 25% of physicians, 27% of nurses, 27% of dentists, and 49% of pharmacists. These figures reflect a substantial increase since 2010, particularly in medicine, where representation grew from 8% to 25%.
The number of newly licensed Arab professionals also rose, especially in medicine and nursing, while remaining stable in dentistry and pharmacy.
Many Arab health care professionals who received their accreditations from foreign programs struggle with Israeli licensure exams, and residency and job placement. This is partly due to lower-quality schools, limited clinical exposure, and unfamiliarity with the Israeli health system. Moreover, few of the graduates of non-Israeli professional schools progress to leadership positions.
Professional Studies in Israel vs. Abroad
The increase in Arab participation in healthcare can be attributed to several government initiatives, including five-year national plans (GR-550), higher education programs, and employment integration efforts for Arab professionals trained abroad. These initiatives aim to meet Israeli standards and reduce healthcare disparities in Arab localities, with a focus on expanding services and increasing Arab healthcare professionals in underserved regions.
Several other factors contributed to this growth. The shortage of healthcare professionals, driven by population growth and aging, increased demand for services, particularly in peripheral areas where most Arab communities are located. National health insurance expansion, including dental care for children and the elderly, also contributed to this demand. Meanwhile, nursing school expansion and a pay increase for physicians in 2011 helped address workforce gaps.
Competition from Israel’s high-tech sector, which offered higher salaries, attracted many Jewish professionals away from healthcare, and opening the avenue of economic and social advancement for Arab professionals. Sociological changes within Arab society, such as more Arab women entering higher education and pursuing a career in healthcare, also played a role.
Despite progress, challenges remain for Arab professionals in Israeli healthcare. Arabs are underrepresented in senior positions and prestigious specialties, and disparities exist between regions, particularly for the Bedouin population in the south. Arab–Jewish tensions during times of conflict, such as the ongoing war, have affected professional relations. Arabs are also underrepresented in mental health professions, particularly psychiatry and psychology, which exacerbates the need for culturally competent care. Additionally, shortages of Arab professionals in fields like communication therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy affect access to services in Arab localities.
A significant challenge ahead is the Yatziv reform, which, starting in 2026, will disqualify graduates of foreign medical schools that do not meet Israeli standards. Over the past decade, the number of Arab medical students studying abroad has increased, with 84% of Arab licensees between 2020 and 2022 having studied abroad, compared to 68% of all Arab licensees up to age 67 in 2022. The reform will disproportionately affect Arab professionals in Israel, as many have studied at non-recognized institutions.
“It is predicted that as a result of the Yatziv reform, there will be a 40% shortage in the number of physicians in Israel <…> and this is expected to cause a severe shortage of physicians, mainly in the geographical periphery,” MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beitenu).
To address this, the government is providing substantial financial support for Israelis studying at recognized foreign medical schools. Additionally, the government has launched an initiative to upgrade the skills of physicians trained at lower-quality medical schools.
As proposed in the study, to build on the achievements of increasing Arab representation in healthcare, a multi-pronged approach is needed:
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