The Ministry of Health in Israel has been working to increase the number of students studying medicine in the country for several years. Currently, medical studies are conducted at universities in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion in Be’er Sheva, the Technion in Haifa, Bar Ilan in Safed, and Ariel in Samaria. The Council for Higher Education has initiated inspection procedures to approve the opening of medical studies at Reichman University in Herzliya and the Weizmann Institute, which is set to open next year.
The School of Medicine at the Weizmann Institute will offer training to 40 Israeli students per year, providing them with both a MD (doctor of medicine) and PhD (doctor of research) degree upon completion. Students in the program will be involved in both research activities at the Weizmann Institute and clinical training at Sheba Medical Center and Ichilov Hospital. The program will offer two career paths for graduates: focusing on basic research and clinical needs or medical practice. The curriculum will cover medicine, basic research, data science, and artificial intelligence.
Enrollment for the program is expected to begin at the end of 2024 in preparation for studies starting in October 2025. The Gutwirt Foundation’s donation of 400 million shekels has helped establish the school and its curriculum. The goal of the program is to train physician-researchers who can bring cutting-edge knowledge to hospitals and benefit countless individuals in Israel and beyond.
According to Prof. Alon Chen, president of the Weizmann Institute of Science, this program aims to train outstanding scientists and lead academic research both locally and globally. Professor Yitzhak Suari from the Gutwirt Foundation believes that the establishment of this new medical school will attract the best minds in Israel and improve healthcare for citizens. This initiative is seen as a way to grow the future generation of medicine in Israel and make a positive impact on society.