The state exam is intended for graduates of recognised medical schools outside Israel who are required to pass an examination before entering an internship or obtaining a medical licence, depending on their licensing pathway. It assesses clinical knowledge across five specialties and is administered by the Israeli Medical Association, abbreviated as IMA (ההסתדרות הרפואית בישראל).
This article presents information from official IMA and Ministry of Health sources. Where those sources do not specify a detail at the time of review, that limitation is stated rather than treating the detail as established fact.
Who Administers the Exam?
IMA organises the exam through its examination committee and the relevant Scientific Council bodies. Its responsibilities include registration, scheduling, exam administration, publication of results and handling appeals.
The Ministry of Health determines whether a candidate is eligible to sit the exam and makes final licensing decisions. Questions about eligibility and the status of a licence application should therefore be directed to the Ministry of Health. Questions about exam arrangements and procedures should be directed to IMA.
Exam Subjects
The IMA syllabus covers five specialties. According to its official website, the exam contains 210 questions, distributed as follows.
These topics represent the main areas within each specialty's syllabus. They are not an exhaustive list of everything that may appear in the exam. The official syllabus also covers interpretation of laboratory results, medical imaging and other diagnostic investigations, with specific requirements set out for each specialty.
Exam Format and Duration
According to IMA's official “Study Materials and Exam Structure” and “Exam Day Instructions” pages:
- The exam is computer-based, and answers are entered on screen only. This format has been used since October 2019.
- There are 210 questions divided into Part A and Part B.
- Each part lasts two and a half hours, excluding any approved extra time.
- There is no break between the two parts.
- The passing score is 60.
For candidates eligible for extra time, the standard allowance is 45 additional minutes per part. This is not granted automatically to all candidates. It applies only to those who meet the specified criteria.
Available Exam Languages
The official registration page allows candidates to select one of four languages:
- Hebrew
- English
- Russian
- Arabic
If at least eight candidates have registered for a particular language by the registration deadline, the committee considers providing a translation into that language. Reaching this number does not automatically guarantee a translated exam.
According to the registration page cited in this article, candidates may change their selected language no later than 60 days before the exam date.
Exam Dates and Sessions
According to IMA's published information, the state exam is held twice a year:
- A winter session
- A summer session
Registration periods are announced separately for each session. The final exam date is published on the IMA website at least 30 days before the exam.
IMA sends venue details and instructions to registered candidates whose eligibility has been confirmed. The location for each session is specified in the exam invitation.
Results and What Happens Next
Results are published in the candidate's personal exam account after approval by the examination committee. The IMA page referenced in this article specifies a period of up to 60 days for publication.
IMA announces the exact publication date separately. Results are not provided by telephone.
IMA also sends the result to the Ministry of Health as “pass” or “fail” (עובר / נכשל).
After a pass, the next step depends on the candidate's licensing pathway. Some candidates proceed towards an internship, while others continue the process of obtaining a medical licence. IMA publishes separate Ministry of Health instructions for these groups on its website.
For the complete pathway from a foreign medical degree to an Israeli licence, see “Obtaining a Medical Licence in Israel After Graduating Abroad”.
Appeals
According to IMA's official “Results and Appeals” page:
- The passing score is 60.
- Only candidates with an officially published score of 55 to 59 inclusive may submit an appeal.
- Candidates who score 54 or below may not appeal.
- An appeal may be submitted once, and the appeals committee's decision is final.
- Appeals must be submitted through IMA's dedicated online system, not by email or post.
- Appeals must be written in Hebrew only. Submissions in other languages are not considered.
- The submission deadline is displayed in the candidate's personal exam account.