12 Free Online Medical Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in medicine, consider participating in a free online medical program. These programs introduce you to topics such as biology, public health, neuroscience, and clinical research while helping you build foundational knowledge and academic skills. You may also engage in guided projects, attend lectures by professionals, and gain insight into various healthcare careers.
What are the benefits of a medical program?
Medical programs allow you to develop research, analytical, and communication skills through activities such as case studies, scientific discussions, and collaborative projects. You may explore areas like cancer research, biochemistry, or epidemiology while learning how scientific knowledge is applied in healthcare settings. These experiences can help you better understand potential academic and career paths in medicine while also strengthening your college applications through demonstrated interest and initiative.
To help with your search, here are 12 free online medical programs for high school students.
If you’re looking for free online programs, check out our blog here.
1. Summer Healthcare Experience in Oncology
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; $500 taxable stipend
Cohort Size: 20 participants
Dates: July 13 – 25
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: High school students residing in Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage counties in Illinois or Lake County in Indiana; Must have a solid interest in scientific research or medicine
During the Summer Healthcare Experience in Oncology program, you will get to explore biomedical career paths, especially those within the field of cancer. As a participant, you will receive a home laboratory kit and explore cancer science and treatment. The program offers practical experience with a genetics-focused research project and a patient case study. Additionally, you'll attend daily lectures by faculty, participate in panel discussions, and join workshops aimed at developing skills and supporting your career, all led by experts in cancer research and care.
2. Veritas AI: AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; full financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students with coding experience or those who have completed the AI Scholars program
Veritas AI is an artificial intelligence program designed for motivated high school students, founded and operated by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, you will explore how AI is applied within the healthcare and medical industries. You will have the opportunity to work on real-world projects that utilize AI and machine learning models to diagnose diseases, enhance medical imaging, and interpret results to support healthcare professionals and patients. Here are the program brochureand theapplication form.
3. Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Location: Virtual (in-person options available)
Cost/Stipend: Free; one $500 scholarship offered Cohort Size: 80-100 students per year (virtual programs)
Dates: July 6 – 16 (Session 1) | July 20 – 30 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Current 11th-12th graders (specified requirements vary by facility) from Los Angeles and its adjacent counties
The Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program is a mentoring program designed to inspire students to explore a future in healthcare. As a participant, you'll join daily virtual or in-person sessions featuring presentations from pediatricians and specialists. You'll learn about various careers in nursing, pharmaceuticals, infectious diseases, radiology, and more. By the end of the program, you'll get a certificate of completion.
4. Immerse Education’s Online Research Programme
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies by program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: Flexible; Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; Varying deadlines throughout the year. You can find more details about the applications here.
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 (accredited options require age 14+)
The Online Research Program offers you the opportunity to participate in rigorous research projects under the guidance of tutors from Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities. As a participant, you will collaborate with your tutor to explore a subject of your choice in depth and develop an academic research paper. The program is available in one-on-one and small-group formats, with the option to earn college credit from universities in the United States and the United Kingdom. The virtual research program covers over 20 subjects, including artificial intelligence, chemistry, psychology, economics, computer science, creative writing, philosophy, and more. Upon completion, you will receive a written evaluation from your tutor, have the opportunity to publish your research, and be invited to present at the Immerse Online Symposium. Examples of papers created by Immerse students are available here.
5. University of Utah’s Cancer Research High School Program
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Up to $500 compensation for participation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly specified
Dates: July 6 – 17
Application Deadline: April 25
Eligibility: High school students from Utah, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, or Wyoming who have completed freshman or sophomore year and can commit to all virtual sessions
The Cancer Research High School Program (CRHS) offers a two‑week virtual summer experience focused on cancer research and medicine for rising high school sophomores and juniors. Participants take part in live online laboratory instruction using an at‑home experiment kit sent before the program, along with professional development workshops and career panels that explore scientific and medical career pathways. Over the course of the virtual sessions, students connect with peers and scientists from partnering universities, gaining structured exposure to research concepts, scientific discussions, and hands‑on activities.
6. UCLA Neuroscience High School Virtual Summer Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 15 – July 23
Application Deadline: December 8 – February 9
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The UCLA Neuroscience High School Summer Program is for high school students interested in learning more about science, medicine, or psychology. It offers a solid introduction to the brain and nervous system with many hands-on, interactive activities. Over six weeks, you’ll explore topics such as Alzheimer’s and related dementias through live seminars on various neuroscience subjects, guest lectures from medical and research professionals, and online lab activities that demonstrate research tools and methods. There’s also a “Neurology Grand Rounds” session where clinicians and researchers discuss current issues in neurology. By the end of the program, you’ll have developed a research project on a topic you’re interested in and will be expected to present your findings.
7. Camp Zon
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipend offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 14 – 25 (tentative)
Application Deadline: April 27 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students (16+) residing in Massachusetts
As a participant in Camp Zon, you will gain research experience and learn about cancer biology and blood development. For two weeks, you will act as a scientist in the Zon lab, where you will learn about their research on zebrafish and collaborate with others to design a research project that studies anemia using zebrafish as a model organism. This gives you the chance to learn about essential steps in the research process, including generating a hypothesis, designing experiments, and analyzing data. In addition, you will attend lectures led by renowned scientists on topics such as basic biology and the clinical translation of research. By the end of the program, you will submit your research project and will get to see your zebrafish experiments performed live in the lab.
8. EDIT ML High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: 91 participants annually
Dates: June 13 – August 31
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students with experience in Python and an interest in biomedical research
The EDIT ML High School Summer Internship Program aims to encourage students from diverse socio-economic and geographic backgrounds to explore the intersection of medicine and AI. During the program, you will gain technical expertise and get to explore medical specialties. You will also use AI to address complex biomedical challenges, such as cancer-related challenges, and gain hands-on learning experience. The program offers three different tracks: the Skills Track, which focuses on foundational programming and ML techniques; the Advanced Track, where you will explore research, publications, and innovative projects; and the Peer Mentor Track, which combines research and mentorship responsibilities. You will be mentored by biomedical researchers and clinicians across various Dartmouth medical departments, including Pathology, Oncology, and Radiology.
9. UT Southwestern: Internship for High School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – 5 | June 8 – 12
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders
UT Southwestern offers internships for high school students that allow you to explore careers in mental health, including neuroscience, psychotherapy, community psychiatry, and more. Before the program starts, you’ll be expected to do some topical readings from prepared packets, covering articles from mass media to scientific journals. During the program, you will attend virtual sessions led by psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and physician assistants.
10. APA Internships
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid and unpaid options available
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Varies by internship Eligibility: High school students residing in a state where APA is a registered employer; Applicants under 18 must submit an official District of Columbia Work Permit
The APA Internships are for students interested in psychology and in how it can benefit society and improve lives. This program allows you to explore non-traditional career paths in psychology, develop the necessary skills needed to succeed in this field, and build a valuable professional network. Some of the available internship positions include operations, communications, research, and more. As an intern, you will attend workshops, participate in discussions, and work on group projects. You will also gain insight into the professional psychology workplace environment. You can explore the available positions here.
11. CDC Museum Public Health Academy: Online Summer Course
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; 75 spots per year
Dates: June 9 – 13 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Not mentioned; Opens on February 9 (tentatively)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors (16+)
The CDC Museum Public Health Academy offers the Online Summer Course to high school students interested in public health and epidemiology, as well as potential careers in the field. You will learn about the collection and analysis of data and how that data can be used to improve people’s health, as well as the CDC’s role in the process. Topics may vary by course, but typically include global health, infectious diseases, injury prevention, public health interventions, epidemiology, public health law, data analysis, and more. As a participant, you will attend asynchronous and synchronous lessons and discussions, complete assignments, interact with CDC experts, and more. You will receive a certificate of completion (and a course shirt) if you complete all assignments satisfactorily and on time.
12. Stanford Online: AI in Healthcare Specialization
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None (paid certificate available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: 4 weeks (flexible)
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Eligibility: High school students
The AI in Healthcare Specialization course allows you to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can transform healthcare. You'll explore current AI applications and potential future uses in healthcare, with an emphasis on safety and ethics. You'll identify existing healthcare challenges that machine learning can address and observe how AI influences patient care safety, quality, and research. The program gives you a chance to understand how AI can help with the science, practice, and business side of medicine.
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