The Number of Job Openings in the Medical Field Has Increased in Ukraine: Which Specialists Are Most in Demand
In Ukraine, employers’ demand for healthcare workers is growing rapidly. In July 2026, the number of job openings in the “Medicine/Pharmaceuticals” sector was nearly double that of the same month in 2022. At the same time, it is difficult to fill these positions quickly due to the lengthy training required for specialists, as well as the impact of the war, mobilization, and migration.
According to the platform’s data, in July 2026, the number of job openings in the “Medicine/Pharmaceuticals” category was nearly double that of July 2022.
At the same time, the median salary in this category rose by 20% during this period—from 16,700 to 20,000 UAH.
Among the most popular job openings, employers posted positions for dentists, nurses, pharmacists, orderlies, pharmacy managers, and paramedics. There is also demand for dental technicians, physical therapists, speech therapists, caregivers, and physician assistants.
The highest median salaries among these professions in July were:
- paramedics — 28,625 UAH;
- pharmacists — 25,250 UAH;
- dentists — 24,500 UAH;
- nurses — 14,250 UAH;
- orderlies — 12,500 UAH.
Maria Abdullina, head of the OLX Jobs division, noted that the labor shortage has already extended beyond blue-collar professions and is becoming increasingly evident in the medical field.
“These are professions that require extensive training, and short-term retraining courses are not an option. The medical field has a significantly longer training cycle for specialists, so it’s difficult to fill these vacancies quickly,” she emphasized.
According to the expert, the labor shortage is further exacerbated by mobilization efforts and migration.
At the same time, medical specialties did not make it into the top ten most popular fields of study among applicants in 2026.
In total, nearly 1.2 million applications were submitted to Ukrainian institutions of higher education this year. The most popular field among applicants was business administration, with 105,301 applications.
However, there is a positive trend in medical education. According to data from the Ministry of Health as of August 13, 15% more applicants were admitted to medical higher education institutions under the state quota than a year earlier.
The government is also increasing the number of state-funded spots for certain majors, taking into account Ukraine’s need for such specialists.
In addition, according to the results of an OLX Robota survey conducted in June 2026, 16% of respondents said they would consider pursuing a degree in medicine or healthcare today. This ranks fourth among all fields of study.
IT and computer science, transportation and logistics, and sales and trade ranked higher.
Yuriy Kuchin, rector of the Bogomolets National Medical University, noted that interest in medical specialties remains high.
According to him, in 2026, the top three most popular fields were “Medicine,” “Dentistry,” and “Therapy and Rehabilitation.”
At the same time, Kuchin noted that the sheer number of graduates does not guarantee a sufficient supply of personnel for the healthcare system.
In his view, it is necessary to constantly monitor exactly which specialists the healthcare system needs and to seek ways to meet these needs more quickly. He cited additional training for people already working in the medical field as one option.
Kuchin cited epidemiologists as an example. According to him, their numbers grew rapidly after the need arose to establish infection control departments in every healthcare facility.
Thus, the Ukrainian healthcare system is simultaneously facing a growing demand for workers and the challenge of quickly training new personnel.
This is evidenced by data from OLX Robota.
In addition, the number of job openings available to students and young people under the age of 18 has increased in Ukraine. The highest number of job openings in June was recorded in the retail, sales, logistics, construction, and food service sectors.
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