Medical faculties told to prepare for teaching return for foreign combat soldiers

Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov asked the deans of medical schools that teach foreign students to prepare to open classes for them. 

 An aerial view shows the Dome of the Rock in front and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, April 26, 2023 (photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
An aerial view shows the Dome of the Rock in front and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in Jerusalem, April 26, 2023
(photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)

Deans of medical schools should prepare to open classes for Israeli students studying abroad who came home for reserve duty, the Health Ministry said.

Due to the war, the opening of the academic school year here was postponed but medical studies abroad started on time.

There are about 200 medical students abroad who were called up to reserve duty and are expected to be absent from classes for a long time. Because of this delay, their year of study may be disqualified.

Making adjustments for the students

The deans were requested to arrange the infrastructure in the hospitals, teaching personnel, and anything else needed for the students. The ministry said it will help if these needs can’t easily be met and will work with the hospitals to ensure proper clinical teaching in the medical centers.

 IDF soldiers successfully gain control of the Gaza harbor (credit: screenshot)
IDF soldiers successfully gain control of the Gaza harbor (credit: screenshot)

“We have a supreme moral obligation towards the students who came to Israel under Order 8 for reserve duty due to the war so that each and every one of them will find a place to study in Israel,” said ministry director-general Moshe Bar Siman Tov.

“The need to act on behalf of the students is combined with our duty to increase the number of medical students. At the same time, we are working with the hospitals to ensure sufficient clinical fields for the purpose.”

Health Minister Uriel Bosso said: “It is our duty to ensure that medical students who are studying abroad who are currently on the front line know that the State of Israel will not leave them behind. We will work in every way to give them the tools to continue and fulfill themselves in the day after the war out of gratitude and as an integral part of the national effort.”

To obtain more data, the ministry set up an online questionnaire for medical students from abroad whose studies were affected so as to formulate a national solution. It can be found at: https://survey.gov.il/he/StudentsAbroad.