In 1932 there were some 470 Jewish physicians in Palestine, all of whom were general practitioners. The level of medical practice was low, due to a lack of specialized knowledge, means and equipment, and medical research and education were nonexistent. From 1933 to 1935 more than 75 percent of the many Jewish doctors who had practiced in Germany emigrated to Israel. Most of the newcomers were specialists, some of international repute, and they increased the number of physicians in Palestine by fourfold.

The arrival of hundreds of medical specialists over a short period changed the structure of the medical profession in the country and generated a revolution in many fields of medicine. Specialized departments were established in hospitals, clinics expanded and hired specialists, and specialists entered the private sector. The immigrant doctors developed fields of medicine and ancillary services that had not existed previously in Palestine: surgery, radiology, psychiatry and welfare services including professional hygiene and social work, as well as the pharmaceutical industry.

Thanks to this development, hospitals and clinics obtained advanced medical equipment and began to use scientific tests for diagnosis and treatment. Another important contribution of the immigrant physicians was the institution of far-reaching changes in the organization of medical services based on patients’ freedom to choose their practitioner and private enterprise.

Based on research by Prof. D. Niederland, “Influence of German-Jewish Immigrant Doctors on Medicine in Eretz-Israel, 1933–1948,” Cathedra 30 (1983): 111–160; and Prof. Nissim Levy (1988): Chapters in the History of Medicine in Eretz Israel 1948–1979, Tel Aviv.