The head of a state-backed panel tasked with finding ways for Israel to train more doctors has condemned the government’s recent decision to shutter three medical schools that cater to foreign students to make room for more locals, maintaining that the contentious and costly move was unnecessary .
Earlier this month, the Council for Higher Education announced it was shuttering American medical programs at Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University and the Technion in order to replace the 130 foreign students that study in them with Israelis, in light of a growing doctor shortage in the country.
But on Wednesday, Prof. Rafael Beyar, who led the council’s own committee to investigate ways to boost Israeli medical student numbers, told The Times of Israel that there were other ways to reach the goal.
“[The committee] put forward a detailed plan for how to accept 400 additional medical students for four-year programs.