Nurse, Mother, and Now BGU Medical Student at 51
Nurse, Mother, and Now BGU Medical Student at 51
June 6, 2025
Current events, Medical Research
Ynetnews — Luci Bahat, 51, is a mother of four, holds a master’s degree and works as a nurse in the pediatric emergency department — but none of that stopped her from pursuing her dream: becoming a doctor. She began studying medicine on a four-year track at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beer-Sheva about two years ago.
“I always wanted to study medicine,” she shares. “I thought I didn’t stand a chance of getting accepted here in Israel, so I didn’t even try. I gave up and went into high-tech instead.” She spent years working as a product manager.
“That wasn’t really me,” she says. “The passion for medicine never left me. I still really wanted to study medicine, but at the time, my children were young and it seemed too complicated. In the end, I decided to go into nursing; a shorter and less complex path.”
Bahat completed an emergency medicine course and began working as a nurse at Kaplan Medical Center, but even then, her passion for medicine persisted. “I wanted to do more, to know more, to study more in depth,” she says.
“Age and life experience give you a certain advantage — you gain a different perspective on life,” she says. “I’m less stressed about exams. Having kids, a job, and other life commitments helps me manage my time well and study efficiently.”
Bahat studies with 32 other students. “There’s a respectable group of students in their 30s who are also parents, and that creates a connection. The next oldest person is 35, so there is a bit of an age gap,” she says.
“At first, I was afraid to attend events like Student Day or parties — I thought I’d feel out of place, since some are the same age as my kids — but they really encouraged me to come.”
Bahat shares the student experience with her eldest daughter Neta, 25, who is studying for a bachelor’s degree in social work at BGU.
In less than two years, she’ll complete her degree and begin the long journey through internship and residency. Her goal: family medicine.
The four-year medical track (for degree holders) at Ben-Gurion University was launched a year and a half ago and was recently renamed the Sagol Medical School for International Health, thanks to a generous donation from the Sagol family. Currently, around 40 students are enrolled, and the goal is to increase that number to 80 in the coming years, subject to approval by the Council for Higher Education.
The Sagol Medical School for International Health offers a four-year MD program open to all Israeli citizens, new immigrants, and lone soldiers. “Sami Sagol is a visionary who understands the critical need for high-quality doctors in Israel,” said Prof. Daniel Chamovitz, President of Ben-Gurion University.
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