If you are searching for how to "confirm a medical degree in Israel", it is important to understand: there is no separate procedure that simply converts a foreign degree into an Israeli one sufficient for medical practice.
To practise medicine, you must complete the licensing procedure of the Israeli Ministry of Health. The path typically looks like this:
The specific pathway depends on your education, internship, professional experience, prior licence and other circumstances.
What "Confirming a Medical Degree" Means in Israel
People often use phrases like "confirm a medical degree", "nostrify a medical diploma" or "validate medical education."
However, for working as a doctor in Israel what matters is not simply academic recognition of the degree, but obtaining a licence from the Israeli Ministry of Health — רישיון לעסוק ברפואה. This is important to distinguish from an ordinary evaluation of a foreign academic qualification.
Step 1. Check Whether Your Medical School Is Recognised
This is one of the most important stages. The Ministry of Health evaluates not only whether you have a medical degree, but also the medical school, the study programme and whether they meet established criteria.
The Yatziv Reform
The rules of the so-called Yatziv reform are particularly important to bear in mind. For students who commenced studies from 2019, recognition of the specific medical institution is a key factor. A graduate of an unrecognised institution may not be entitled to sit the state licensing exam.
You cannot rely on the country alone. For example, two doctors who graduated from different universities in the same country may find themselves in different situations. This is especially important for graduates of medical schools in Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, Georgia and other countries where the status of specific institutions must be verified individually.
Step 2. Prepare Your Documents
The exact set of documents depends on your situation. The Ministry of Health may take into account:
- medical degree certificate;
- documents confirming the study programme and duration;
- internship or other postgraduate training documents;
- current or previously issued medical licence abroad;
- documents evidencing professional experience;
- certificate of good standing / professional status confirmation;
- identity document or passport;
- specialist qualification documents — if applicable;
- additional documents the MoH may request for your case.
Step 3. Apply to the Ministry of Health
Medical licensing is handled by the Department of Medical Professions Licensing of the Israeli Ministry of Health. The Healthcare Professions Portal is used to interact with the MoH. Through it you can submit forms and requests, register for available services and track the status of your application.
For candidates located outside Israel, there is a facility to initiate the initial procedure through the foreign graduates section. Once documents are received, the Ministry of Health verifies your education and professional history and determines which requirements you specifically need to meet.
Step 4. Receive a Decision on Your Pathway
The pathway is not the same for all foreign doctors. The current Ministry of Health page sets out separate pathways, including:
- for foreign graduates who have not completed a recognised internship;
- for doctors who graduated from a medical school abroad and practised medicine for up to 10 years;
- for doctors with 10 or more years of professional experience.
Doctors with 10 or More Years of Experience
Under the current MoH rules, doctors with 10 or more years of professional experience are placed in a separate pathway. However, having 10 years of experience should not be understood as automatic degree recognition or automatic exemption from all requirements.
The Ministry of Health reviews the candidate's documents and determines the further process individually.
Step 5. Do You Need to Take the Licensing Exam?
This depends on the pathway determined by the Ministry of Health. If an exam is required, the doctor must obtain eligibility and register for the state licensing exam. The exam covers five main areas:
- internal medicine;
- paediatrics;
- surgery;
- obstetrics and gynaecology;
- psychiatry.
Further reading:
- "Who needs the Israeli medical licensing exam"
- "How to register for the medical licensing exam"
- "How the Israeli medical licensing exam works"
- "How to prepare for the medical licensing exam"
Can You Get an Exam Exemption via USMLE?
In some cases — yes. According to current Ministry of Health information, successfully passing USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK may entitle a candidate to an exemption from the state licensing exam, provided all other legal and licensing requirements are met.
Step 6. Is an Internship in Israel Required?
Not every doctor with a foreign degree needs to repeat an identical internship. The Ministry of Health takes into account:
- whether you completed an internship abroad;
- whether it is recognised;
- whether you worked as a doctor;
- the duration of your clinical experience;
- other documents in your professional history.
If the MoH requires an internship or other period of clinical work in Israel, the conditions will be specified for your category. You should therefore not assume in advance that every foreign doctor must complete a full year's internship.
Step 7. Demonstrate Hebrew Language Proficiency
Working as a doctor in Israel requires a sufficient command of Hebrew to work with patients and medical records. The Ministry of Health provides several ways to demonstrate language proficiency, including a special Hebrew exam for doctors equivalent to Ulpan Gimel level.
Step 8. Obtain the Medical Licence
After meeting the requirements of your pathway, the Ministry of Health makes a final decision on issuing a licence. Once the candidate meets the licensing conditions, the prescribed licence fee is paid, after which the Ministry of Health issues the medical practice licence.
Degree Confirmation and Specialist Qualification Recognition Are Not the Same
This is one of the most common sources of confusion. Obtaining a medical licence permits you to practise medicine in Israel. However, if you already hold a specialist qualification obtained abroad — such as cardiologist, surgeon, gynaecologist or psychiatrist — recognition of the foreign specialist qualification is a separate procedure.
Specialist qualification recognition is handled by the Scientific Council of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA / הר"י). The Council evaluates the foreign specialisation programme, training duration, clinical experience, exams and other documents. Depending on the outcome, the full specialisation or part of it may be recognised, or additional requirements, an adaptation period or exams may be set.
Can a Ukrainian Medical Degree Be Confirmed in Israel?
Yes — a Ukrainian medical degree does not in itself preclude licensing. However, the decisive factor is the specific medical university, study programme, year of commencement, internship and the candidate's professional history.
After the Yatziv reform, you cannot draw conclusions solely from the country name. If you studied in Ukraine, first verify that your specific medical school is recognised by the Ministry of Health.
Can a Russian Medical Degree Be Confirmed?
The same principle applies. The Ministry of Health evaluates the specific institution and programme. For those who commenced studies from 2019, the medical school recognition rules are particularly important.
The correct first step is therefore not to look for a general answer to "are Russian degrees recognised?" but to verify the specific university and documents.
How Long Does Confirming a Medical Degree in Israel Take?
There is no single timeline. Duration depends on:
- completeness and correctness of documents;
- whether additional verification is needed;
- recognition of the medical school and internship;
- whether an exam is required;
- the next available exam date;
- internship requirements;
- Hebrew language confirmation;
- the Ministry of Health's individual decision.
It is therefore better to begin the process well in advance, especially if documents need to be obtained from another country.
Can the Process Begin Before Making Aliyah?
Yes, part of the procedure can be started while still outside Israel. The Ministry of Health portal provides for initial registration and completion of a questionnaire for overseas candidates. This is particularly useful for a doctor who wants to understand in advance what documents and additional steps will be required after relocating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it necessary to separately confirm an ordinary academic degree?
For working as a doctor, the key process is the Ministry of Health medical licensing procedure. Ordinary evaluation of a foreign academic qualification is a separate administrative procedure and does not in itself grant the right to work as a doctor.
Do all foreign doctors need to take the exam?
No. The need for an exam depends on education, experience, internship, possible grounds for exemption and the Ministry of Health's decision.
Is it enough to have 10 years of medical experience?
No. Ten or more years of experience places the doctor in a separate category of the current licensing pathway but does not mean automatic issue of a licence.
Can the USMLE replace the Israeli exam?
Under certain conditions, successfully passing USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK may entitle a candidate to exemption from the state licensing exam. However, the remaining licensing requirements continue to apply.
If I already have a foreign specialist qualification, will it be recognised together with the degree?
Not automatically. Recognition of specialist qualifications is a separate procedure through the IMA Scientific Council.
Where do I start right now?
Start with two things:
- verify that your medical school and programme are recognised by the Ministry of Health;
- establish what documents are required for your category.
Once that is done, you can open a case and submit documents to the Ministry of Health.
In Summary
"Confirming a medical degree in Israel" is not a single certificate or a single exam. It is more accurate to think of the process as a path to an Israeli medical licence:
If you are just starting the process, the first step should be verifying the recognition of your medical education and the official requirements of the Ministry of Health.