Can DOs practice medicine in Israel?

[robinhudster]

Does anyone know if Israel allows US DOs to obtain an Israeli medical license? If they do allow it, is the process the same as for allopathic physicians? Thanks for the info.

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[leorl]

I don't think so. Generally at the moment, a US DO is not recognized anywhere except the US. Earning a DO might give you the ability to practice as an osteopath, but that has different meanings in countries outside the US and wouldn't allow you full medical practicing privilages. In the UK, osteopaths are pretty much treated similar to chiropractors, I believe. If you want to work abroad at some point in your life, you're better off getting an MD. Most other countries don't have both osteopathic and allopathic systems of medicine.

 

[The Pill Counter]

leorl, you're wide off the mark. US DO's are listed in the WHO register of medical schools, so are in the same category as other worldwide medical institutions. For example, US MD's and DO's applying for limited registration in the UK would be in the same boat. I can't speak for the credentialling system in Israel.
Of course, a Doctor Of Osteopathy qualified in UK or anywhere else for that matter besides the US is not medically qualified and could not get on the medical register.

 

[vmaheshw]

I asked the AOA a similar question about D.O.'s abroad in general and they gave me information on what previoius D.O.'s had to do in other countries. Here is what the case in Isreal said. Hope it helps:

Year of Last Request: 1999
Scope of Practice: to be determined
Previously, U.S.-trained osteopathic physicians were granted full practice rights in Israel, providing they have established residence in Israel. It was required that all immigrant physicians pass a licensing examination given in summer or in winter. It is possible to take the test in English, but the knowledge of Hebrew is both necessary and mandatory in order to obtain employment as a physicians in Israel (immigrant physicians are eligible for a free 5-mo intensive Hebrew course). The exam is a pass/fail and the format is multiple choice. Areas covered by the exam are internal medicine, surgery, gynecology and obstetrics, and psychiatry. The AOA was informed that the laws in Israel do not specifically include US-trained DOs. The AOA and osteopathic physicians who hold Israeli licensure are working to resolve this issue.

 

[hosskp1]

This is an interesting topic. The president of the AOA came to our school and said that they had made arrangements with Doctors with out borders and other international aid groups to allow DO's to go on medical missions as equals to MD's. The only questions now is- how many DO's are going to sign up and give up US medical practice even temporarily for a medical mission? I might do something like that after my military service is up if I am lucky enought to train in either preventive or emergency medicine.
The one thing the president of the AOA noted was that the information is not out there about the DO going to practice in a foreign land because it does not happen often-- he said he was willing to help anyone that wanted to go off to another country to practice medicine.

 

[Renovar]

From my friend's experience (he's a recent grad of NYCOM finished his FP fellowship last year, Israeli citizen, US green card) the short answer is no. He said there were many bureaucratic BS he had to go through that its not even worth his time, and he just ended up practicing in US.

With that said, that doesn't mean it can't be done though... and I am not sure if there is any difference between US MD's and DO's in Israel, meaning MD's having to go through all that BS.

 

[DrMom]

Looks like the problem has more to do with knowing Hebrew than osteopathic medicine.

 

[MomofGenius]

This is straight out of the NBN.org site regarding Israeli physicians and the governing licensing board:

Note about Osteopathy: While the field of osteopathy is currently not regulated in Israel, if you have a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, you can be licensed by Misrad Habriut as a physician.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ceusina]

I don't think so. Generally at the moment, a US DO is not recognized anywhere except the US. Earning a DO might give you the ability to practice as an osteopath, but that has different meanings in countries outside the US and wouldn't allow you full medical practicing privilages. In the UK, osteopaths are pretty much treated similar to chiropractors, I believe. If you want to work abroad at some point in your life, you're better off getting an MD. Most other countries don't have both osteopathic and allopathic systems of medicine.

False. The DO degree is widely recognized internationally. DOs can practice in the UK without restrictions.

http://www.osteopathic.org/inside-a.../Pages/international-practice-rights-map.aspx