For doctors considering aliyah, deciding to move to Israel is only the beginning. Finding employment, understanding a new health care system and building a professional future in another country can be equally challenging. At MedEx UK in London, representatives of Clalit Health Services were there to help physicians navigate those questions and explore the opportunities awaiting them in Israel.
"We really want them to come. We really want them to integrate. We're ready for them," said Dr. Amos Edri, a family physician from Clalit's Tel Aviv district, who attended the event to meet prospective immigrant doctors.
MedEx | London 2026
Edri and his colleagues spoke with physicians at different stages of their aliyah plans, from those already preparing to move to Israel to others taking their first steps toward understanding the country's medical system. "Some are already ready to make aliyah. Some are just thinking about it," Edri said. "They want to know what kind of jobs they have, what a doctor's life will look like in Israel."
For Clalit, Israel's largest health fund, participation in MedEx provided an opportunity to establish direct contact with internationally trained physicians, answer their questions about employment and help them understand how they might build careers within Israel's health care system.
The event, held October 25 at JW3 in north London, brought together more than 130 physicians considering aliyah. It took place alongside a broader immigration fair attended by more than 1,200 people. MedEx was organized by Nefesh B'Nefesh in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, and the Jewish Agency for Israel.
The event is part of the International Medical Aliyah Program, launched in 2024 to recruit qualified doctors from abroad and support their professional integration. The initiative aims to bring 2,000 physicians to Israel by 2029, helping address shortages in the country's medical workforce, particularly in the northern and southern regions.
Representatives of Clalit Health Services at MedEx UK
(Photo: Yael Feldman Shavit)
Bringing government officials, hospitals and health funds together under one roof, MedEx enables participants to explore medical licensing requirements, Hebrew-language proficiency, employment opportunities and the practical steps involved in relocating.
Clalit's involvement added a direct connection to one of Israel's major health care employers. Through conversations with its representatives, prospective immigrants could learn more about the employment landscape and what practicing medicine in Israel might involve.
For Edri, the personal contact was an important part of helping doctors move forward with confidence. "We're trying to make the way as smooth as possible for them because we really want them to come," he said. He described the London event as highly successful, pointing to the professionalism and motivation of the physicians he met. "We met a lot of very, very nice, professional and passionate people who need more information and need someone to guide them on their path," Edri said. "We saw a lot of love for Israel, a lot of love for medicine, and a lot of wishes for a better future."
As Israel works to strengthen its medical workforce, attracting qualified physicians from abroad is only part of the challenge. Helping them understand the system, identify professional opportunities and prepare for integration is equally important. For Clalit, MedEx offered a chance to begin that process before the doctors even arrived in Israel, turning an initial conversation in London into a potential first step toward a medical career in their new home.
- In cooperation with Clalit Health Services