The conference series MedEx, organised by the Israel-focused organisation Nefesh B’Nefesh, has held its inaugural events in Australia, the first time the programme has expanded into the Pacific region.

Over one hundred Jewish physicians attended sessions in Sydney and Melbourne on October 28, facilitated by Australia-based partners.

The events were held under the banner of the International Medical Aliyah Program (IMAP), a worldwide initiative aimed at recruiting doctors to Israel.

Participants were offered a “one-stop-shop” experience facilitating credential recognition, licensing, relocation logistics and virtual interviews with major Israeli hospitals including Ichilov, Hadassah, Galilee Medical Centre, Rambam and Kaplan, as well as all four of Israel’s health-maintenance organisations.

Tony Gelbart, co-founder and chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh, described the Australian rollout as an opportunity for physicians in Australia to begin their pathway to aliyah from their home cities.

He stated that the professionals present were “not only exceptional” but “deeply motivated by a sense of purpose and connection to Israel,” and emphasised their contribution to the future of Israeli healthcare.

The initiative is backed by Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, Ministry of Health, and the Ministry for the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, in cooperation with The Jewish Agency for Israel.

It forms part of Israel’s commitment to recruit 2,000 new physicians worldwide over the next five years, particularly targeting hospitals and communities in the Negev and Galilee.

According to local reporting, since the beginning of 2024 around 650 doctors have already made aliyah, and over 700 have done so since the start of 2025. The Australian events build on prior MedEx conferences held in Paris, London, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles and New Jersey.

At the Australian meetings, Australian-Jewish doctors expressed both professional and cultural motivations, citing interest in contributing to Israel’s healthcare sector and aligning with their personal and communal commitments.

Several attendees noted the streamlined nature of the event and the chance to engage with Israeli employers and licensing authorities in a single session.

With its expansion into Australia, the MedEx-IMAP drive underscores Israel’s global strategy to strengthen its healthcare capacity by integrating diaspora physicians and addressing critical regional shortages.

The rollout signifies both an outreach to Australian-Jewish medical talent and a reinforcement of Israel’s national resilience agenda through human-capital integration.