15 Best Medical Programs & Internships for High School Students
If you're a high school student with your sights set on medicine, the summer is one of the most productive times to start building real experience, and one of the best ways to do so is through medical programs or internships. Medical programs and internships give you access to actual labs, hospital environments, and working researchers, the kind of exposure that no classroom can replicate. Such exposure will help you develop technical skills in areas such as data analysis, laboratory techniques, and scientific writing. These experiences help you figure out which corner of medicine interests you most, whether that's cancer biology, clinical research, immunology, or public health, before you're locked into a college major.
Why should you attend medical programs and internships?
Medical programs and internships for high school students are run by some of the most respected institutions in the country, including Stanford, Harvard, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Rockefeller University. The quality of institutional backing ensures you will work directly with faculty researchers, PhD mentors, and practicing physicians on meaningful projects. Depending on the program, you might spend your summer running PCR experiments, analyzing patient datasets, writing a research paper that could lead to co-authorship, or completing a hospital internship where you observe surgery and shadow specialists across departments.
We've reviewed many programs and narrowed the list to the 15 best medical programs and internships for high school students. We’ve shortlisted ones that are either fully funded or stipend-supported, hosted by prestigious organizations, and grounded in genuine medical or biomedical work.
If you’re looking for online medical programs, check out our blog here.
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Extremely selective
Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are juniors or seniors currently attending high school in the U.S. and are at least 16 by the program start date
SIMR places you in a Stanford Medicine research lab for eight weeks, where you work one-on-one with a faculty member, postdoctoral fellow, or graduate student on a medically oriented project. You will choose from one of eight research areas: cancer biology, immunology, neurobiology, stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiovascular biology, bioinformatics, genetics and genomics, and bioengineering. The program also includes an alternative Bioengineering Team Internship track, where small groups of students design and prototype solutions to real medical needs using Stanford's machine shops, wet labs, and maker spaces. Throughout the eight weeks, you will attend lectures and career seminars, participate in safety training, and build scientific presentation skills. The program concludes with a formal poster session where you present your research to faculty, peers, and the Stanford community. This is one of the premier medical programs for high schoolers in the country.
2. Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Online
Cost: Varies depending on program type; need-based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year in winter, spring, summer, and fall
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply to the program here.
Eligibility: Students in grades 8–12 who have completed the Veritas AI Scholars program or have an equivalent background in Python and coding
The AI + Medicine Deep Dive is a 10-session, 25-hour online program run by Veritas AI, an organization founded by Harvard graduate students. Each session runs 2.5 hours and is split between a 1.5-hour lecture and a one-hour group session with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. The curriculum opens with an introduction to AI in healthcare and progressively covers medical data preparation, exploratory data analysis, convolutional neural networks for image classification and segmentation, regularization, transfer learning, and the fundamentals of clinical evaluation. You will also spend a dedicated session on ethics in clinical AI, examining the responsible deployment of machine learning models in patient care settings. Throughout the program, you will work with a group of three to five students on a collaborative final project that applies these tools to a real medical problem, which may involve disease diagnosis, medical imaging analysis, or drug discovery
3. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
Location: Stanford University campus, Stanford, CA
Cost: Fully funded
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective, only 24 students accepted
Dates: June 22 – July 26
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who live and attend high school in Northern California and are from low-income and/or first-generation college backgrounds
SMYSP is a five-week program hosted by Stanford School of Medicine's Office of Diversity in Medical Education, built specifically for first-generation and low-income high school juniors in Northern California. You will divide your time across four types of work: a hospital internship at Stanford Hospital, academic seminars and lectures on public health and research methodology, a college-level research project on health disparities, and community-building and mentorship sessions with faculty, medical students, and program counselors. The hospital internship component provides you with direct exposure through shadowing across departments, hands-on lab activities, and observation of patient care. Past research projects have examined racial inequities in COVID-19 outcomes, low birth outcomes for Black mothers, and language barriers in clinical settings. The program also provides guidance on college applications, financial aid, and career pathways in medicine.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Medicine Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Offered year-round with cohorts starting in the spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: High school students
This research program is designed for high school students who want to explore an area or topic of interest in depth through research. Here, you will get to work one-on-one with a Ph. D.-level mentor on an independent research project. You can choose from a wide range of disciplines, including physics, economics, engineering, computer science, chemistry, psychology, data science, and international relations. Within your chosen research area, you will finalize a research question with support from your mentor and also work with a writing coach to learn how to present your findings. At the end of the program, you will have developed an independent research paper. You can learn about the application and available program formats here.
5. Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP)
Location: The Rockefeller University, Manhattan, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective, around 32 students selected per year
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors at least 16 years old by June 22
The SSRP at Rockefeller University places you in a research team led by scientists from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine for seven weeks of full-time, mentored biomedical research. You will work 35 hours per week in the dedicated RockEDU teaching labs, where teams are built around a single research question shaped in part by student interests during an orientation week. You will then progress through data collection, analysis, and refinement, presenting your work in a formal research poster at the program's closing symposium. SSRP mirrors the real-world dynamics of a research lab: your team includes lead scientists and supporting researchers, and collaboration is built into every stage of the process. Beyond lab work, you will attend guest lectures, elective scientific courses, and workshops on career planning and scientific communication.
6. Duke Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program
Location: Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), Durham, NC
Cost: Free | Students earn a $4,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – July 24
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and graduating seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Duke STAR Program introduces you to clinical research through a team-based, project-centered approach over five weeks. You will be placed in a small group under the mentorship of Duke Clinical Research Institute faculty and fellows, working on a secondary analysis of real patient data related to drug dosing, safety, pharmacology, and pediatric health outcomes. One of the program's defining features is that every participant works toward co-authorship on a peer-reviewed manuscript, following a structured process that includes literature review, statistical analysis, scientific writing, and poster or oral presentation.
7. Johns Hopkins SARE (Summer Academic Research Experience)
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – August 13
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students from low-income and first-generation or educationally under-resourced backgrounds in the greater Baltimore area. Students must also meet at least one additional criterion (e.g., first-generation college, attend a predominantly low-income school, or have faced significant household challenges)
SARE places scholars in active Johns Hopkins research labs for eight weeks, where 70% of your time goes toward hands-on laboratory work under the direct mentorship of a doctoral student or postdoctoral fellow. You will learn state-of-the-art techniques, develop original testable hypotheses, and contribute to real scientific discoveries. The remaining 30% of the program involves academic skill-building: structured coursework in scientific writing, mathematics, laboratory science, and bioethics, with program staff documenting an average of two years of academic growth in scholars' writing ability within a single summer. Mentoring is central throughout, focusing on professional habits, work ethic, and how to operate in a research environment. The program culminates in a public scientific presentation and reception.
8. Harvard Medical School Project Success
Location: Harvard Medical School and affiliated research institutions, Boston and Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free, with paid internship opportunities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 4
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors residing in Boston or Cambridge, MA, with a GPA of 2.7+, and who have completed algebra, biology, and chemistry
Project Success has been placing Boston and Cambridge high school students in paid biomedical research internships at Harvard Medical School and its affiliated institutions since 1993. You will be matched with a scientist mentor in a research laboratory at HMS or a partner institution, including teaching hospitals and biotechnology organizations, where you will carry out hands-on research and receive direct guidance on lab techniques and scientific thinking. In addition to lab work, you will attend seminars with researchers and physicians across specialties, develop writing and public speaking skills through formal workshops, and make site visits to hospitals, biotech firms, and other institutions in the medical ecosystem. You will receive career counseling and support throughout the summer, along with guidance on post-secondary education and science careers.
9. Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center CURE Program
Location: Longwood Medical Area, Boston, MA
Cost: Free | Students are paid a weekly stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 7–11 weeks during summer, varying by role and mentor
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors at least 16 years old at program start, who reside in or attend school in Massachusetts
The DF/HCC CURE program places you in a full-time, mentored cancer research internship at a Harvard-affiliated institution, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, or Harvard Medical School. You will be assigned an individual research mentor who oversees your project throughout the summer and works across basic science, clinical, nursing, and population science research related to cancer. Beyond the lab, the program includes a comprehensive orientation, regular scientific and professional development seminars, journal club discussions, and networking and social events. At the end of the summer, you will write a research abstract and present your findings at a final event.
10. Columbia University DBMI Summer Research Program
Location: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
Cost: Free to attend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 29 – August 14
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are at least 17 years old by June 29, and are located in the New York City metropolitan area
The Columbia Department of Biomedical Informatics SUMMER Research Program offers a seven-week immersion in biomedical informatics and health data science at one of the oldest informatics departments in the country, housed within the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. You will work directly with DBMI faculty and their research teams on projects that apply machine learning, natural language processing, causal inference, and large-scale observational data to real health and clinical research questions. You will also get the opportunity to study the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) framework, a clinical data warehouse of more than 800 million patient records, to recommend a study of your choosing. Weekly lunch seminars feature DBMI faculty discussing current work in the field, and the program concludes with a poster presentation. Past cohorts have had their work presented at the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) symposium.
11. Ragon Institute Summer Experience (RISE)
Location: Ragon Institute, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free | Interns are paid $17/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or graduating seniors who are 16 or older, who attend or have attended high school in Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Revere, Lynn, Brockton, Chelsea, or other Massachusetts Gateway cities
RISE is a paid, structured summer internship hosted at the Ragon Institute, a research body jointly run by Mass General Hospital, MIT, and Harvard, focused on understanding the immune system to combat HIV and other infectious diseases. You will be matched with a Ragon faculty member and work in their lab on an assigned project in immunology, HIV research, vaccine development, or applied biology. Each week includes two "Introduction to Immunology" classes taught by Ragon graduate students, lectures on broader topics in biomedical science, journal club sessions, and workshops on resume writing, college preparation, and career planning. You will also participate in field trips to affiliated institutions and facilities. The program wraps up with a public presentation of your work. Support continues after the summer ends through post-internship check-ins and professional recommendations.
12. Houston Methodist High School Emerging Researcher Experience (HERP)
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 30
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors, 16 years or older at program start, with a minimum GPA of 3.5
The HERP program at Houston Methodist places you alongside undergraduate research interns in a translational research environment at one of the top-ranked hospitals in the United States. You will be matched with a faculty mentor whose area of expertise shapes your summer project, which you will carry out over the full ten-week period using real lab techniques, including PCR, gel electrophoresis, data analysis with statistical software, and standard lab documentation practices. You will learn how to design experiments, interpret results, and maintain a proper lab notebook. The program also includes professional development sessions and career seminars with scientists and physician-researchers from across Houston Methodist. At the end of the summer, you will present your findings at a research symposium in a formal poster competition alongside undergraduate interns. The mixed cohort structure means you will work in a genuinely professional research setting with peers who are further along in their scientific training.
13. UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Summer Student Research Program (SSRP)
Location: UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Oakland, CA
Cost: Free | $3,000 stipend upon full completion of the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12 who have completed at least one year of math and one year of biology, have a GPA of 3.0+, and are at least 16 years old by June 1. Must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
This program, which has been running for over 40 years, provides one-on-one mentorship with a UCSF or Benioff Oakland clinician or researcher for seven weeks of hands-on biomedical research. You will be placed in a basic science, clinical, or community/public health research project, depending on your interests and mentor availability, and will develop real technical skills while contributing meaningfully to ongoing work. The program also includes weekly seminars presented by MDs and PhDs from UCSF and regional healthcare systems, an intra-program journal club, and social activities coordinated by program leadership. The experience culminates in a formal Research Symposium on the final day, where every student presents their project findings to the scientific community.
14. Weill Cornell Medicine MCC/EIPM Summer Internship Program
Location: Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 24 – August 14
Application Deadline: January 19
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+
The Meyer Cancer Center and Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine jointly run this seven-week summer program, combining cancer biology with precision medicine research in a mentored, collaborative setting. You will be paired with a WCM faculty mentor and work on a project tied to their lab's ongoing research, which may span cancer biology, genomic sequencing, computational biomedicine, clinical data analysis, or health disparities research. In addition to lab work, you will attend regular seminars and didactic sessions covering cancer epidemiology, precision medicine tools, academic research methodology, and journal club discussions. Professional development workshops cover resume-building, networking, crafting a research pitch, and college or graduate school applications. You will also have the opportunity to attend EIPM and Meyer Cancer Center events, including faculty seminar series and working groups. The program concludes with each student drafting a two-page NIH grant-style paper summarizing their research, a concrete deliverable that builds skills directly applicable to future academic and scientific work.
15. Emory University NextGen High School Internship Program
Location: Emory University Department of Human Genetics, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free | Interns earn a stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – July 8
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors aged 16+
The NextGen program at Emory's Department of Human Genetics has you rotate through a variety of labs and clinical experiences, giving you exposure to both bench science and clinical settings rather than locking you into a single research track. The program includes general information lectures, hands-on lab rotations, and activities tied to the broader Atlanta area's STEM ecosystem, including engagement with programs and businesses near Emory's campus. You will work alongside Emory researchers and gain practical skills in genetics, genomics, and related biomedical fields. The program also continues activities and engagement opportunities into the school year for students who complete the summer component, making it one of the few programs that offer longitudinal support beyond the summer itself.