“Never Give Up on Your Dreams”
Shimon Dayan becomes a doctor after 10 years of schooling, 300 days in reserves duty, and countless obstacles
When you speak with Shimon Dayan, now Dr. Dayan, you quickly understand that beneath his quiet humility lies a force of nature.
At 35, he’s a husband to Shani, a father to little Yarden (almost two) and newborn Amit (just two months old), a deputy company commander in one of the IDF’s toughest medical units, and—starting today—a doctor.
And yet, when asked how he feels about finally graduating, after so many years of struggle and sacrifice, he just laughs: “I’m still in shock. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. I’ve just come out of two straight months of reserve duty. I’m still doing army reports and reimbursement forms. It doesn’t feel real.”
The Kid with ADHD and Dyscalculia
Shimon grew up in Jerusalem, a bright, kind-hearted kid with ADHD who couldn’t make sense of numbers. “I still do everything with a calculator,” he says honestly. But then, at age 15, he started volunteering with Magen David Adom—and everything changed. “From the first time I stepped into an ambulance, I knew: I was going to be a doctor.”
It was a dream he never let go of. After his army service as a combat medic, he took the classic Israeli post-army trip, then enrolled in a biology degree at Ben-Gurion University. For three years after that, he applied again and again to medical school—until finally, he got in.
Becoming a Doctor in the Middle of a War
A month and a half before the war broke out, his first son was born. While most new parents are learning how to manage sleepless nights, Shimon was being called back into uniform again and again.
As deputy commander of the Southern Command’s combat medical company, he and his team have been on active reserve duty for over 300 days since October 7. This is their fifth operational deployment since the start of the war. He’s been serving through it all: exams, night shifts, baby cries, and missile alerts.
When asked how he managed to finish his studies, he doesn’t hesitate: “It’s honestly a miracle. A huge part of it was thanks to the Azrieli faculty of Medicine—they were incredibly supportive. They really came toward me, helped me balance everything and made it possible. But the real and true hero is Shani, without her I would never make it.”
Behind the Uniform: A Message from the Heart
It’s easy to admire Shimon for his discipline, his courage, his ability to carry so much on his shoulders. But when you speak to him, what stands out most is his heart.
“My request, my plea, is that we stay united. And that we don’t forget the invisibly wounded—the ones battling PTSD. They’re fighting with all they have. We owe them everything.”
A Brief Pause, Then Back to the Field
This week Shimon walked across a stage in his gown, heard his name called, and officially became a doctor. But this is no fairy tale ending—he returned to his base the morning after.
But for one fleeting moment, we get to honor everything he’s become—and everything he’s given to get here. Mazal tov, Dr. Shimon Dayan. You are exactly the kind of doctor, and human being, this country needs.