Chiropractors in Israel work primarily in private practice, as well as through the Kupot. The Israeli Chiropractic Society currently has over 70 members. For more information about the Society, click here or call 09-954-3223. To become a member, you must have graduated from an accredited chiropractic college. All Israeli chiropractors studied in colleges abroad, as there is no course of study available in Israel.
According to a law passed in 2010, in Israel only a Doctor of Chiropractic can provide chiropractic services.
If you are interested in speaking with North American chiropractors who work in Israel, write to [email protected].
In the current situation, medical institutions have been employing individuals holding foreign licenses. Practically, the current situation regarding regulation has not affected the employment of medical professionals who make Aliyah.
When you make Aliyah, bring all of your academic diplomas and related documentation with you, so that you will be able to apply for Israeli licensing once this situation is resolved. All of these documents will eventually need to be notarized and translated by an Israeli notary. However, we recommend bringing them now, but waiting to notarize and translate them until it becomes relevant (in case further changes to the process are made). Ultimately, in order to be recognized as a chiropractor in Israel, one will likely be required to take the American Board exams.
Misrad Habriut offers a customer call center to answer questions about licensing for health care professionals. Call *5400 from Israel or 972-8-6241010 from abroad. The center operates Sunday through Thursday, 8am-6pm, and Fridays from 8am-1pm, Israel time.
NOTE: The Israeli department of education does not recognize doctorates that are not PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees.
This includes all professional doctorate degrees (DPT, DNP, OTD, OD,DC, AuD, DPM, DO). They will be recognized only as Master degrees.
Kupot Cholim: Some chiropractors work for the Kupot, though the number of available positions is very limited. In most cases, chiropractors working for the Kupah must treat patients at the Kupat Cholim offices (and not in their own offices), in order to be covered.
Each of the four health funds, Meuhedet, Macabbi, Clalit and Leumit has branches throughout the country. The differences between the health funds lie mainly in the location of their facilities, the types of supplemental policies offered, and additional services offered within the framework of their facilities. Most large cities have a clinic in almost every district.
Job opportunities are also listed online through the Israeli Chiropractic Society (click Atar L’Rof’im, on the bottom left). Note: This section of the site is limited to paid members of the Society.
If you are opening your own practice, word of mouth is one of the best resources. In addition, community email lists and local bulletins are helpful in publicizing your services. Writing a column for a local newspaper is a good way to establish your name in the community. As with most private practices, it is helpful to have a niche market, such as sports medicine or pediatrics.
In addition to regular Ulpan, Misrad HaKlita offers an Ulpan for medical professionals – Shlav Bet. The class opens provided there are enough people who are interested. Be in touch with your local branch of Misrad HaKlita to find out when the next class will begin.
What is your current position?
I am a chiropractor in a private practice. When I opened up a practice, I gave lectures, and along with word of mouth, I got my name out there.
What degree should someone making Aliyah come with, in order to break into your field?
In order to practice Chiropractic in Israel you must have a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from a school recognized by the country where the degree was granted.
Does it make any difference whether you studied in Israel or abroad?
There are no chiropractic programs in Israel, so you have to study abroad.
What are the benefits of working in your field?
In a private practice you are independent. You are responsible for your own income and hours.
What is the salary range?
In a private practice, the salary depends on how many patients you see. Most Israeli chiropractors work privately.
The Kupot do employ some chiropractors, the chiropractors at Kupot work as caregivers, not doctors. They work under an orthopedist. If you are working for a Kupah, the salary is 5-10,000 shekels a month.
Is there a professional organization in your field?
You should join the ICS (Israel Chiropractic Society).
What recommendations can you offer Olim looking to work in this field?
It is important to know Hebrew.
How is working as a chiropractor different in Israel than it is in America?
In Israel, the patients are more challenging because they tend to wait until their conditions are more serious before coming in for help. On the business end, Israel has a VAT (Value Added Tax on goods and services) and it is necessary to have a bookkeeper on the payroll to handle monthly taxes. Doctors are also required to keep a doctor’s log for every patient that they see. I would recommend speaking to an accountant before opening a practice.
Thank you to Dr. Tawil for participating in this interview.
Special thanks to Drs. Tamara Spitz, Arie Tawil and Yitzchack Freeman for their professional contributions to this article.
For more information, please contact Dr. Omer Hirsh, DC, BMS, Vice President of the ICS, [email protected]
This article was last updated on May 23, 2019.