New program guides Israeli teens to medical school

In Israel, the Ministry of Education launched a pilot program to connect high school students to medical school students already in the military’s academic reserve program.

Odia Agigo and Mai Motsfi, both 16, are among the more than 800 students exposed to the program this year, which aims to clarify the path to becoming a doctor and serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

The program pairs high school students studying biotechnology and health systems with current medical students and commanders who offer guidance on requirements, selection processes, and timelines. Students previously found it difficult to understand the complex steps needed to apply to the “Tzamret” program, the military’s academic reserve for medicine, and often didn’t know where to begin. The new program provides clarity about entrance exams, military assessments, and university applications.

Students also receive insight into the social and academic demands of the program from those already experiencing it. The Ministry of Education started the program because not all allocated places in the medical reserve program were filled last year, due to a lack of qualified applicants. Tamar Peretz-Menachem, head of biotechnology and health systems at the Ministry of Education, explained that many students want to pursue this path but simply aren’t aware of the opportunity or discover it too late.

The program intends to expand to reach more students and continue providing support through their high school years.