11 Best Summer Programs for High School Students Interested in Medicine
Pursuing medicine-related research as a high school student is a great way to gain practical experience, build critical thinking skills, and explore potential career paths in medicine. Many summer programs for high school students interested in medicine offer a valuable opportunity to work on research projects and develop hands-on skills. You’ll also receive mentorship from professionals, including scientists, physicians, and medical technology entrepreneurs.
Typically hosted by colleges, hospitals, clinics, and research institutions, these summer programs for high school students are structured so that they span several weeks. These programs allow you to see how research is done and explore topics such as public health, microbiology, bio-technology, experimental physics, artificial intelligence, and coding.
Many medical summer programs for high school students are offered at little to no cost and are designed to promote professional development. In this list, we have curated the 11 best medical summer programs for high school students!
1. Stanford Medical Youth Search Program
Location: Stanford Campus, Northern California
Cohort Size: 24 students per cohort
Dates: June 23 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Northern California high school juniors
Cost/Stipend: None
The Stanford University Medical Youth Science Program is a five-week summer program for high school students interested in healthcare and medicine. You will get the opportunity to explore various aspects of health care delivery through hands-on laboratory work, shadowing experiences, departmental activities, and patient interaction in real clinical settings at Stanford hospitals. You’ll also get to work with mentors and counselors who will support you in developing a college action plan, building self-confidence, and reaching your full potential.
The program structure includes both formal and informal discussions with doctors and healthcare professionals, helping you gain not only factual knowledge of medical science but also practical experience and confidence in pursuing a career in the medical field. You will also take part in two weekly lectures focused on public health and research methodology to prepare you for completing a summer research project.
2. Veritas AI’s AI+ Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Virtual
Dates: Varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Cost: $2,290 onwards; Financial aid available
Veritas AI offers summer programs for high school students who are passionate about learning about artificial intelligence. If you're interested in exploring AI, machine learning, and data science, the AI Scholars program is a great way to build a strong foundation and gain hands-on experience in these fields. The program is structured as a 10-session boot camp where you will learn the fundamentals of AI and data science. You will also have the opportunity to apply what you learn by working on real-world projects.
In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, you will learn how AI is being used to improve healthcare, help doctors give more accurate diagnoses. Over the course of ten weeks, you will engage with faculty from institutions like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and Princeton through expert-led lectures, programming notebooks, and hands-on projects. You will apply AI and ML models to diagnose diseases, enhance medical imaging, and explain results to support doctors and patients. The course also explores applications of AI in genomics, hospital admissions, drug discovery, neuroscience, and more.
Further Information about the program is available here.
3. Penn’s Summer Academies: Biomedical Research Academy
Location: Penn Arts & Sciences, Market Street, PA
Dates: June 5 – July 26
Application Deadline: Applications typically close by mid-April
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11; More requirements here
Cost: $1,500; School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school students may be eligible for a scholarship
The Biomedical Research Program, offered by the University of Pennsylvania’s Summer Academies, introduces high school students to the fundamentals of biomedical sciences. The program covers the cellular, molecular, and genetic aspects of biology, with a strong focus on their relevance to human disease. Through daily lectures, faculty research presentations, and interactive lab experiments, you will explore key topics such as genome sequencing, CRISPR/Cas-9, vaccines, antibiotic resistance, and bioethics.
You will also take part in hands-on lab activities, including molecular biology experiments like PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction analysis, bacterial transformation, and ELISA. In addition, you will learn to use computational languages such as Bash and Python to work with genomic sequences, perform sequence alignment, and interpret complex biological datasets.
4. Lumiere’s Research Scholar Program- Medicine Track
Location: Online
Dates: Offered in multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort
Eligibility: Current high school students with a minimum GPA of 3.3; No previous research experience is required
Cost: Begins at $2,990; Need-based financial aid is available
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week research experience founded by researchers from Harvard and Oxford. It’s designed to give high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with PhD mentors on an independent research project in a subject area of their choice.
Throughout the program, you'll engage in personalized, in-depth sessions with your mentor, who will guide you through the research process and help you develop a college-level research paper in fields such as medicine, neuroscience, public health, or other areas within the life sciences. You will also receive support from writing coaches to strengthen your academic writing and communication skills.
By the end of the program, you will submit a full-length research paper. This experience will help you build strong research and writing skills, understand how college-level research works, and strengthen your college applications.
5. Research Science Institute
Location: MIT Campus
Cost: $65 application fee
Dates: June 22 – August 2
Application Deadline: December 11
Eligibility: Current high school juniors; More details here
The Center for Excellence in Education’s Research Science Institute offers five-week summer programs for high school students who have a keen interest in science and engineering. The program combines classroom learning in scientific theory with practical, off-campus research experience.
It begins with a week of intensive STEM classes led by experienced professors, giving you a solid foundation in key scientific concepts. The core of the program is a five-week research internship, where you will work on an individual project under the guidance of expert scientists and researchers. Throughout the program, you will take part in the full research process, from reading scientific literature to creating and carrying out a research plan and analyzing the results. In the final week, you will present your findings through written papers and oral presentations, just like at a professional scientific conference.
6. Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE)
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, East Baltimore Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost/Stipend: None; $3,000 stipend
Dates: June 23 – August 14
Application Deadline: November 1 – February 1
Eligibility: High school students from underrepresented backgrounds; More details here
The Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE) provides eight-week summer programs for high school students from underrepresented backgrounds who are passionate about biomedical science. During the program, you will spend time conducting research in top biomedical laboratories while also learning through advanced classes in topics such as data analysis, bioethics, mathematics, and scientific writing. You will also work closely with mentors, learning essential lab techniques and developing critical thinking skills through daily academic and professional engagement.
Many students leave the program with a deeper understanding of biomedical research, some even becoming co-authors on scientific publications. SARE offers a strong foundation for students aiming to pursue careers in medicine or science.
7. BioPhysics Research Program for Baltimore Teens
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore Campus
Cost/Stipend: None; $15/hour
Dates: July 8 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in Baltimore; Must have taken chemistry before participating (physics and biology also strongly recommended)
The Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens program at Johns Hopkins University is a five-week summer experience that introduces high school students to biomedical research through hands-on work in a teaching lab. The program gives you training in biophysics under the guidance of full-time instructors.
You will start by learning how to prepare materials and reagents, then move into microbiology techniques and DNA and protein engineering. This curriculum builds your foundation in biomedical science while letting you experience the excitement of molecular-level discovery. Alongside lab work, you will spend time in real research labs with graduate students, postdocs, and faculty. This mentorship and exposure will help you understand what a future career in science can look like and give you the confidence and skills to pursue it.
8. Achieve in Medicine (AIM-High) Day Camp
Location: NSU Davie/Fort Lauderdale Campus and NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus, Clearwater, Florida
Cost: $1,600 + $50 fee (Non-refundable)
Dates: NSU Davie/Fort Lauderdale Campus: July 7 – 11 (Session 1); July 14 – 18 (Session 2) | NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus: June 23 – 27
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: High school rising freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors; Minimum GPA of 3.2
Achieve in Medicine (AIM) High is a five-day summer medical day camp offered by Nova Southeastern University for high school students who are passionate about careers in healthcare. If selected, you will take part in hands-on sessions that boost your medical and scientific knowledge. You will learn skills in suturing, dissection, pharmacy, sports medicine, cancer detection, and emergency care techniques like Stop the Bleed. You will also explore how technology can help improve community health.
In addition to labs and workshops, you will connect with NSU medical students through social events, giving you a real glimpse into life in the health professions. By the end of the program, you will be certified in First Aid and CPR, giving you a strong head start in your medical journey.
9. Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, New York
Cost/Stipend: None; Stipend offered (Amount unspecified)
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: U.S. high school juniors; 16+ by program start
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University provides prestigious six-week research summer programs for high school students interested in science, mathematics, or engineering. The program pairs selected students with faculty mentors to conduct hands-on, independent research in university labs. You will learn lab techniques, attend weekly research talks, and participate in workshops and field trips, all while gaining real experience in scientific inquiry.
Beyond lab work, you build academic and professional skills, explore future careers in STEM, and connect with like-minded peers from across the country. The program culminates in a rewarding experience where you present your research in a formal scientific setting and receive a stipend in recognition of your work and contributions.
10. Cleveland Clinic Summer School Program
Location: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, Florida
Cost: $100 application fee
Dates: June 16 – July 4 | July 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a GPA of 3.6 or higher
The Cleveland Clinic Summer School Program is designed for high school students who are passionate about a career in medicine to gain hands-on experience in both hospital and outpatient clinical settings, where you will learn directly from real doctors. The program lets you explore a wide range of medical specialties, including Internal Medicine, Radiology, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, and other sub-specialties.
Throughout the program, you will work closely with staff physicians, observing their daily tasks and learning about the challenges they face in a clinical environment. This practical experience is designed to give you a clear understanding of healthcare and what medical professionals do each day. At the end of the program, you will present a case you worked on during a graduation ceremony.
11. Medicine and Healthcare – NSLC
Location: Varies as per program, but in prestigious universities in the U.S.
Cost: $4,195
Dates: Varies based on location
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-12; Ages 14-18
The National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) on Medicine & Health Care offers 9-day hands-on summer programs for high school students interested in a career in medicine. If you are selected, you will join a group of passionate students to explore the medical field through immersive experiences and expert guidance.
You will take part in hands-on medical training, including organ dissection, clinical diagnosis labs, surgical techniques, and medical simulations. You will also work alongside healthcare professionals to understand the fast-paced environment of emergency rooms and the precision required in surgical settings.
Throughout the program, you will attend guest lectures, take part in leadership sessions, and receive mentorship to build both academic and professional skills. By the end of the program, you will leave with a better understanding of the medical field and a strong head start toward your future career in healthcare.
Image Source - Stanford University