"Do I actually need to take this exam?" is one of the first questions a foreign doctor planning to work in Israel asks. There is no clear universal answer: requirements depend on the country and institution where the degree was obtained, on clinical experience, and on the individual decision of the Ministry of Health (משרד הבריאות).
Below is a structured explanation of who must take the exam and who may be granted an exemption, based on official Israeli Ministry of Health data.
What Is the Licensing Exam
Under current Ministry of Health rules — Department of Medical Professions Licensing (האגף לרישוי מקצועות רפואיים) — a MoH licence is required to practise medicine in Israel. Most graduates of foreign medical schools must pass the state licensing exam — a written test of clinical knowledge — unless they meet exemption criteria.
The state licensing exam may be a step towards admission to an internship or towards obtaining an Israeli medical licence — the specific role depends on the candidate's category, education, internship history and prior clinical experience. The exam is not mandatory for everyone: official grounds for exemption exist.
Graduates of Israeli Medical Schools
Graduates of Israeli medical faculties are subject to a separate licensing process through the Ministry of Health. This article focuses primarily on graduates of foreign medical schools.
Graduates of Foreign Medical Schools
If you obtained your degree outside Israel, you will most likely need to take the licensing exam — unless one of the exemption conditions is met (see below). The right to sit the exam and the applicability of exemptions depend on whether your institution is recognised by the Israeli MoH, on your licensing history and on other factors assessed individually by the MoH.
The Ministry of Health introduced criteria for recognising foreign medical schools. Graduates of institutions that do not meet these criteria and who commenced studies from 2019 onwards are not entitled to sit the licensing exam in Israel and will not receive an exemption even if they hold USMLE qualifications.
This may affect graduates of certain institutions, including those in former Soviet countries, if the specific school does not meet the recognition criteria. If you studied abroad, verify with the MoH or IMAP whether your institution is recognised.
Exemptions Mentioned in Ministry of Health Materials
An earlier official Ministry of Health information document listed the following countries whose graduates of accredited medical faculties may, under certain conditions, be exempt from the licensing exam:
- USA
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- France
- South Africa
- Australia
- New Zealand
Exemption generally applies on condition that the candidate has completed a recognised foreign internship. Each specific case is assessed individually by the MoH.
Exemption via USMLE
According to the current official MoH page (updated November 2025), doctors who have successfully passed USMLE examinations may be exempt from the state licensing exam. Applicability depends on whether a foreign internship recognised by Israel has been completed:
- Graduate with a recognised foreign internship: upon successfully passing USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK — exemption from the Israeli state licensing exam; the candidate may apply for a medical licence.
- Graduate without a completed internship: upon successfully passing USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK — exemption from the state exam required for admission to an internship; the candidate may apply for permission to undertake an internship in Israel.
Doctors with Extensive Clinical Experience
A special exemption pathway exists for doctors with prolonged clinical experience. Under an amendment to the Physicians' Regulations adopted by the Knesset Health Committee in January 2025, the threshold was reduced from 14 to 10 years:
- Doctors with at least 10 years of continuous clinical experience abroad may apply for an exam exemption.
- 10 years of experience do not in themselves constitute automatic exemption: additional conditions must be met.
- A positive assessment from the management of a medical institution in Israel where the doctor is undergoing clinical practice may be required.
- A clinical competence evaluation may be required.
- The final decision is made individually by the MoH.
Recognition of foreign specialist qualifications is a separate process through the IMA Scientific Council and is not the subject of this article.
Why the Ministry of Health Decides Case by Case
Israeli law grants the MoH broad authority to determine the licensing procedure in each individual case. This means that even with a recognised degree and all documents in order, the decision on whether you need the exam is made by a MoH officer after reviewing your materials — not automatically.
Where to Seek an Official Decision
The only source of an official decision on your situation is the Department of Medical Professions Licensing (האגף לרישוי מקצועות רפואיים) of the Israeli Ministry of Health:
- Official portal: gov.il — General Medicine Licensing
- MoH unified centre telephone: *5400 (from Israel) — check current opening hours on the website
For assistance with document preparation and navigating the process, olim doctors can use the IMAP programme (Nefesh B'Nefesh). IMAP is not the decision-making authority but works closely with the MoH and helps olim physicians: imap.org.il.
The next step is submitting an application and documents to the MoH. For more on how this process works, see "How to Register for the Licensing Exam in Israel".