From the operating room to the battlefield: The double lives of outstanding physicians

Since October 7, they have been juggling their work at the hospital with reserve duty, some serving more than 200 days in reserves. Members of Hila, the flagship program for outstanding physicians at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, supported by the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation and in partnership with Friends of Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, move between operating rooms and the battlefield, between treating casualties in the field and treating civilian patients, while also conducting research and promoting the unique initiatives that are part of the prestigious program. Doctors' Day, which was last weekend, marks an excellent opportunity to reflect on the complexity of navigating between these different worlds.

 

Dr. Daniel Sheffer - Senior Physician, Surgical Division

 

Dr. Sheffer, 39, originally from Binyamina, is married and the father of two. He completed his residency in March 2024 and is currently a senior physician in the Surgical Division. Since October 7, he has served approximately 150 days in reserve duty as a physician and deputy commander of a forward resuscitation company of a reserve infantry brigade. Over the past year, he has served in the north and in Lebanon.

 

"Combat in war is familiar to me from my days as a combat officer in the Armored Corps in Gaza and in the Second Lebanon War. While I'm used to treating casualties as part of my daily work, this time everything came together. During the fighting in the third and final round in southern Lebanon, I treated casualties and was involved in mass casualty events. In one incident, I treated soldiers who were severely wounded by anti-tank fire, one of whom was classified as critical after being hit by shrapnel in the abdomen. As a surgeon, I knew how to assess his condition and understood that he needed to get to an operating room as soon as possible. We were able to stabilize him enough to evacuate him by helicopter to the hospital, where he underwent several complex abdominal surgeries. When I went on leave, I went to visit him. He’s in long-term rehabilitation. It was important for me to meet him - for his sake, so he could hear about what exactly happened, and for myself, to complete the circle of care."

 

The past year has been difficult and challenging for Dr. Sheffer, who had to take leave from work for reserve duty, and on days when he returned home, balance family life, hospital duty shifts, and advancing leading projects within the Hila program. "This is a very challenging period, and there's no doubt that my family and work colleagues are affected by it, but we have no choice. I try to prioritize every moment. Despite the difficulty, there's also my commitment to Hila, and I'm glad that despite everything, I managed to advance a project developing an app that will help residents track the number of surgeries they've participated in throughout their residency." Soon, despite the complexity, Dr. Sheffer is also expected to begin a subspecialty in abdominal wall surgery.

 

 

Dr. Hadar Gan Or, Resident, Orthopedics Division

 

Dr. Gan Or, 35, married and father of two, lives on Kibbutz Ma’abarot, originally from Kiryat Shmona. Has served over 200 days in reserve duty since October 7. Everyone who knows Dr. Gan Or knows that he almost always has a smile on his face. He remembers that Saturday morning only too well. “I came back from a run with my older brother. On the way, I heard that air raid sirens were blaring in the south. I turned on my cellphone and suddenly saw the video of the truck with terrorists in Sderot. I immediately said to my wife, war’s broken out. There are terrorists in Sderot.” Dr. Gan Or packed a bag and by 11:00 a.m. had already reported to the special unit he has served in for years as a combat soldier and doctor.

 

“Hundreds of people arrived with me after hearing about what was happening on the news. As part of my role in the unit, I know all the soldiers, both in the standing army and reservists, and on the very first day we took a heavy hit, we lost five people. That was the first time I felt that fear drove me more than it paralyzed me. I was afraid something would happen to my family, that the terrorists would reach our kibbutz too,” recalls Dr. Gan Or.

 

In his first round of reserve duty, Dr. Gan Or served for four months straight as a doctor and team commander. During his reserve duty, he was exposed to difficult sights and tough personal dilemmas. "I tried to go to all the funerals, and even when I missed a funeral of one of my soldiers because of operational reasons, it was important for me, first thing when I got home, to visit his family. The ability to contain the loss of a person is unbearable. The first time I cried was only six months after this soldier, Dovi Kogan of blessed memory, who was a wonderful person, was killed. It’s impossible to explain. You live and breathe with these people, eat with them, laugh with them, and in a split second, it's all over."

 

Dr. Gan Or said that the transitions between reserve duty and hospital work are very difficult. "One day you're sitting and talking with your friends about life, and the next you're in the middle of a battle where, and when it's over, not everyone returns alive."

 

How does the war affect your personal life?

 

"Returning to residency after such a long stretch of reserve duty is a sharp and difficult transition. I'm trying to get back to my routine and make up for what I’ve missed, to come as prepared as possible for surgeries." Even now, after having returned to his hospital shifts, the war remains with him. "To this day, at big events, it's hard for me to truly be happy. I’m just not able to disconnect from what's happening in the field. One evening, while on duty in the emergency room, I saw on the news that a close friend was killed. One of the Arab doctors was sitting next to me and picked up on the situation. He immediately got up and hugged me. I thought to myself, what a surreal world we live in - this is a moment I'll remember forever."

 

Dr. Shai Shabo, Resident, Neurology Department

 

Dr. Shabo, 35, is from Haifa. He is deep into his third year of residency in neurology and the Multiple Sclerosis Unit. In his regular service, he was a combat soldier with the paratroopers, and in the reserves serves as a doctor in southern Israel. "At the start of the fighting, I had to be away from work for two months straight," he says. "The department staff and hospital management were very supportive, lending an ear and showing a great deal of appreciation. From my reserve duty friends, I know that in other workplaces, reserve duty wasn't always viewed positively."

 

Between one reserve duty call-up and another, as part of the Hila program, Dr. Shabo participates in developing an innovative service combining telemedicine and artificial intelligence to monitor multiple sclerosis patients. "This is a new service that provides comprehensive care for patients and brings various health care services together - medicine, occupational therapy, speech therapy and more, in one place. Multiple sclerosis typically appears at a young age and requires early diagnosis and treatment to ensure optimal and personalized medical care. As part of Hila, we receive guidance and instruction from highly experienced mentors in medicine, management and innovation, who help advance our goals in research, entrepreneurship and medicine. The program facilitates in-depth understanding of the health care system and hospital, in all respects, and provides tools for effectively driving initiatives and projects. Today, I can say with certainty that I better understand the complexity of hospital management, and through exposure and familiarity with additional players, I can promote and drive programs better."

 

 

Dr. Oshri Cohen, Resident, Pediatrics

Dr. Oshri Cohen, 37, lives in Pardes Hanna. He is in his second year of residency in Hillel Yaffe Medical Center's Pediatrics Division and several months ago was accepted into the second class of the Hila program. Dr. Cohen, who is a graduate of the IDF’s 8200 Unit, served in the reserves as an intelligence officer with the rank of captain. Fifteen years after his discharge, Dr. Cohen returned to his home base, this time as a doctor. During his reserve service, he treats wounded soldiers and is responsible for mass casualty incidents.

Dr. Cohen began his reserve duty last September, after requesting to volunteer for reserve service. "Despite having an exemption from reserve duty, I asked to enlist. All my friends and family serve in the reserves. I was raised and was educated to believe that it's our duty to protect our home. Besides medical care, during reserve duty I have the time and opportunity to provide comprehensive care with a holistic approach and really be there for every soldier."

 

How do you manage to juggle reserve duty and hospital work?

 

"We are living in a very difficult time. You find yourself maneuvering between reserve duty and hospital shifts and, in between, trying to find a few minutes for your partner, family and friends. Inside myself, I know that even if I need to continue doing reserve duty for another year, despite the great difficulty, I'll show up with full strength. Nothing could be more important than defending our home."

 

About Hila

 

The program was established by Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, in partnership with the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation and Friends of Hillel Yaffe, with the aim of developing the future generation of medicine at the medical center, with a focus on research, innovation and leadership.

 

The program provides outstanding residents with personal and group training for professional and managerial enrichment and exposure to various aspects of the health care system and the worlds of research and innovation. Program participants receive a scholarship from the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation to facilitate their personalized professional development program, leading cross-organizational projects and advancing academic research.