The Council for Higher Education has approved the opening of the University of Haifa’s Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine, which is set to welcome its inaugural class later this year and transform health care in northern Israel.
The establishment of the new school of medicine comes in response to Israel’s severe shortage of physicians, a crisis that is particularly acute in the northern part of the country. As such, one of the school’s primary goals is to strengthen health care in the north—not only through education and clinical training at Carmel Medical Center but by offering scholarships and implementing initiatives aimed at retaining graduates as practicing doctors in the region.
With some 90,000 residents of the northern region still evacuees in their own country post-war with Hezbollah, the new school of medicine reflects the university’s commitment to leverage informed analysis and research expertise not only to ease the return of communities but to build a stronger, safer and more prosperous northern Israel.
The six-year program will admit its inaugural cohort of 64 students in the 2025-26 academic year and will gradually increase capacity in the near future.
Led by professor Haim Bitterman, a leader in Israel’s health-care system, the school will focus on expanding health care in underserved areas, enhancing community care and developing specialties crucial to the region’s medical demands. The school will be established in collaboration with Carmel Medical Center and Clalit Health Services.
Currently, 60% of Israel’s medical doctors are trained outside of Israel and nearly half of Israel’s medical doctors are aged 55 or older, while the number of medical graduates in Israel is the lowest among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations. Availability in Israeli medical programs, meanwhile, is limited. University of Haifa’s new medical school marks a historic milestone, promising to enhance medical education as a whole, strengthen health care in the north and produce the next generation of medical leaders for Israel.
The school of medicine is made possible in large part due to the support of Herta Amir, the university’s most significant benefactor, alongside her late husband, Paul Amir. The Amirs’ support for the university and the State of Israel has always been steadfast, and in a time of great need, this commitment and dedication has once again proven unequivocal. The Amirs have a profound connection to Israel, specifically the north. Paul Amir, who made aliyah as a Holocaust survivor in 1946, helped establish Kibbutz Yechiam, dedicating his life to enhancing and fortifying the north. It was a mission that closely aligned with the university’s goals.
University of Haifa president Gur Alroey, said, “This is a historic day for the University of Haifa and a moment of celebration for the State of Israel, especially for the residents of the north. The events of Oct. 7, along with the ongoing attacks on Haifa and the region, have reinforced the urgent need to strengthen Israel’s healthcare system.
“Establishing a new medical school in Haifa is not just a strategic necessity but also a moral imperative,” Alroey said. “We have an opportunity not only to expand and improve medical education in Israel but also to tailor it to the unique needs of the north. I would like to thank the Minister of Education Yoav Kisch for his support; professor Yossi Makori, chairman of the planning and budgeting committee of the Council for Higher Education, for his invaluable assistance; and the members of the Council for Higher Education for approving our academic program. Most importantly, I extend my deepest gratitude to Herta Amir and her late husband, Paul, whose support made this initiative possible, as well as the chairman of the board of governors Brad Bloom, for his continued commitment not only to the university, but also to the city of Haifa and the State of Israel.”
The Herta and Paul Amir School of Medicine will introduce a pioneering curriculum, tailored to the evolving needs of modern medicine. Accordingly, it will place a strong emphasis on cutting-edge medical technologies, telemedicine, remote monitoring and diagnostics, and AI-driven medical databases, ensuring students are prepared for the digital transformation of healthcare.
Additionally, the medical school is committed to community-based medicine where students will be trained to understand and address the unique challenges of providing medical services outside of hospital settings. The school will also provide integrated health-care services focusing on collaborative health care, where physicians work closely with occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists and other professionals. In this domain, the medical school will partner with the university’s renowned Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences.
To support these unique educational aspects, the school will establish an advanced simulation center, incorporating AI, virtual reality and real-world interactions with health-care providers. This will offer students a realistic and immersive experience, preparing them for the complex challenges of 21st-century medicine.
“As a native of Haifa, I am honored to take part in establishing this medical school at the largest research university in northern Israel,” said Bitterman. “It will build upon the academic strengths of the university, Carmel Medical Center and Clalit Health Services. The school will become a center of excellence, attracting some of the country’s top minds who will shape the future of medicine in Israel. Our goal is to foster groundbreaking research and provide an environment where medical professionals can push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation.”
Dr. Avi Goldberg, the director of the Carmel Medical Center, part of the Clalit Health Services network, said, “I am proud to be a key partner in the establishment of the new school of medicine at the University of Haifa. This initiative is a major step toward enhancing medical services in the north and reducing healthcare disparities. Together, we will build an outstanding and innovative medical school that is deeply connected to the needs of its surrounding community.”