15 Free Medical Summer Programs for High School Students
If you are a high school student interested in medicine, a summer program can be a great option to learn more about your interest. Free summer programs serve as one of the most accessible ways to gain that experience, blending skill-building with mentorship while eliminating financial barriers. These programs often connect you with professionals, research opportunities, and activities, making them a strong addition to both knowledge and future applications. You can learn from experts, engage with case studies, and sometimes even participate in patient-focused activities—all without cost.
To help narrow the search, we’ve curated a list of the top 15 free medical summer programs for high school students.
1. Houston Methodist’s Summer Internship Program
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application deadline: December 2 – January 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with a minimum 3.5 GPA who will be at least 16 years old by the start of the program are eligible to apply
At Houston Methodist, the High School Emerging Researcher Experience introduces you to the field of translational research by pairing you with faculty mentors in hospital labs. Over the summer, you will learn how research is designed, conducted, and presented, while also practising skills such as data analysis, lab techniques, and scientific writing. The program includes career and professional development sessions, as well as opportunities to attend lectures and team events with college-level interns. Each participant completes a mentored project that concludes with a symposium presentation. By the end of this free medical summer program for high school students, you will have gained both scientific training and insight into how research contributes to advances in medicine.
2. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Dates: Multiple 10- to 15-week cohorts in a year, including winter, fall, spring, and summer
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Application deadline: Rolling basis | Spring sessions have a January deadline, Summer programs have a May deadline, Fall programs have a September deadline, and Winter cohort has a November deadline
Eligibility: High school students | AI Fellowship applicants should either have been AI Scholars participants or have some familiarity with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI gives you the chance to explore how artificial intelligence is being applied to the medical field through its AI + Medicine program. During this virtual experience, you will work on projects that use machine learning models to analyse medical data, improve diagnostic accuracy, or interpret scans in ways that support doctors and patients. The program is taught by mentors with advanced academic backgrounds, and the curriculum is designed to combine theory with applied work. Depending on your level, you might participate in group-based sessions or one-on-one research under faculty guidance. Full financial aid is available, allowing motivated students from any background to participate. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
3. Boston Medical Center – Junior Summer Volunteer Program
Location: Boston Medical Centre
Cost/Stipend: No cost; unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx 70 students
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application deadline: Applications open in March
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who can volunteer weekly
Through the Junior Summer Volunteer Program at Boston Medical Center, you’ll spend eight weeks gaining a close look at how a hospital functions day to day. After an initial orientation, you commit to at least one three-hour shift each week in a patient-facing or support role, which may include working in paediatrics, food services, or as a patient ambassador. Alongside this hands-on service, you will attend a weekly lecture led by professionals such as physicians, nurses, surgeons, or administrators, giving you insight into the many career paths within healthcare. By the end, you’ll walk away with documented service hours that count toward college applications.
4. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project over 12 weeks. This program is individualised, giving you the chance to explore topics in fields such as medicine, bioengineering, health technology, or biology. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper.
5. Summer Student Program – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, NY
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2% acceptance rate, about 20 interns per year
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school juniors who are 14 years or older by June, have a 3.5 grade point average in science subjects, are legally authorized to work in the U.S., and live within 25 miles of the main campus
The Summer Student Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering places you in a biomedical or computational research lab for eight weeks, where you will work closely with a mentor on a self-directed project. Research areas range from cancer biology and immunology to computational biology, pharmacology, or structural biology, giving you exposure to the many directions medical research can take. Alongside lab work, you attend program sessions and lab meetings that connect you with scientists, physicians, and other professionals across the MSK community. A stipend of $1,200 is provided for your work during the summer. The program helps you gain technical research skills while giving you a unique view into how discoveries in the lab link to progress in patient care.
6. High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences at MD Anderson Cancer Center
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, TX
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive, up to 12 students per cohort
Dates: June 2 - August 8
Application deadline: November 18 - January 20
Eligibility: Current Texas high school seniors who will be over 18 years of age by the program's start and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or work-eligible visa holders
This 10-week program at MD Anderson Cancer Center is designed for high school students in Texas who want to gain exposure to biomedical research and allied health careers. If selected, you’ll work full-time in one of the centre’s laboratories under the mentorship of faculty, participating in a project that introduces you to the process of scientific discovery. You will also attend seminars led by MD Anderson researchers, and you may take part in competitions such as abstract writing, poster sessions, or elevator pitches. At the end of the summer, you will present your project at a concluding event with peers and mentors. A stipend of $6,800 is awarded to participants for their work during the internship.
7. Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 30–August 8
Application deadline: November 1–January 31
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and recent high school graduates living or studying in Massachusetts during the program who have work authorization in the U.S.
Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program places you in neurology-focused research labs for the summer, combining mentorship with structured learning. The program begins with a multi-day boot camp that introduces lab safety, research ethics, and professional expectations. After this, you and a peer are paired with a faculty mentor to contribute to an active project in neuroscience or clinical neurology. Weekly didactic sessions led by physicians and researchers help deepen your understanding of the field and give you access to diverse role models. Interns also prepare a final presentation for the hospital community to showcase their work. The program continues to support alumni afterward with career advising, networking, and application guidance.
8. Massachusetts Life Science Center – High School Apprenticeship Challenge
Location: Various life‑science workplaces across MA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx 150 placements each year
Dates: Internships must occur between May 1 – April 30
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: MA high school students who are at least 16 years old by the internship start date and from underrepresented or low‑income schools
Through the High School Apprenticeship Challenge, you can apply for a subsidised, paid internship at a life sciences company or academic lab across Massachusetts. The program prioritizes students from underrepresented or economically disadvantaged backgrounds and creates over 150 placements each year. Interns earn $17 per hour for up to six weeks of work, with host organisations reimbursed by the program to make hiring possible. Before placements, some districts offer a pre-internship training course that teaches biotechnology lab techniques and workplace skills to prepare you for your role. Internships may involve tasks like assisting with lab experiments, conducting data entry, or supporting ongoing biomedical research.
9. Harvard Medical School’s Project Success
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Acceptance rate/cohort size: NA
Dates: June 30 - August 15
Application deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Boston/Cambridge high school juniors and seniors who will be over 16 years of age by June 30, are from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds, have a GPA of 2.7+, and have completed courses in biology, algebra, and chemistry
Harvard Medical School’s Project Success program runs for seven weeks and places high school students from Boston and Cambridge into biomedical research labs at Harvard-affiliated hospitals or institutes. Under the supervision of scientists and clinicians, you will work on projects that may relate to disease biology, treatment development, or other areas of medical research. Alongside lab work, you will take part in weekly seminars on topics such as public health and career development, as well as site visits to hospitals and biotech companies. Mentorship is a key component, with researchers guiding you not only in lab skills but also in college and career planning. The free medical summer program for high school students concludes with presentations of your research experience, and you will receive a stipend for your participation.
10. Brigham and Women's Hospital – Youth Summer Program
Location: BWH campus
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Applications typically open in March
Eligibility: Boston residents enrolled in high school who are at least 16 years old by June 1
At Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Youth Summer Program, you will spend six weeks working about 30 hours a week in departments such as radiology, transport, materials management, or research labs. This paid experience is structured like a real job, so you develop workplace habits while being exposed to different areas of healthcare. In addition to departmental work, you participate in sessions focused on career development and community health. This free medical summer program for high school students is designed to help you understand how a large hospital operates and to give you early exposure to patient-centred care. A stipend is provided, making it accessible while also rewarding the time you put into the experience.
11. Pathmaker Scholars
Location: University of Utah - Huntsman Cancer Institute, UT
Dates: May 26 - July 31
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their junior year before the start of the program, are members of a historically underrepresented group, and are citizens or non-citizen nationals of the USA, or have a valid Alien Registration Card I-551
The PathMaker Scholars Summer Research Program gives you the chance to spend 10 weeks living on campus at the University of Utah while working in a biomedical cancer research lab. Under the guidance of a faculty investigator, you’ll gain experience in laboratory techniques, data collection, and scientific analysis while also participating in weekly seminars and program events. The program is full-time, with an expectation of 40 hours per week, and provides housing, meals, and financial support of up to $4,000. At the end of the summer, you will present your findings at a campus-wide symposium and may even have the opportunity to attend a national research conference with full expenses covered. Students who complete the program successfully are invited back the following summer without reapplying.
12. Mayo Clinic SPARK Research Mentorship Program
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
Dates: June 3 - December 2
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Application deadline: November 1 - December 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors enrolled in Duval or St. Johns counties in Florida with a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA
The Mayo Clinic’s SPARK Research Mentorship Program lets motivated students work in state-of-the-art labs on biomedical projects ranging from cancer biology to neuroscience. Over the summer, you will spend at least 25 hours per week working with a faculty mentor, and your research often continues into the school year. The free medical summer program for high school students is designed to teach you critical lab skills, research ethics, and scientific reasoning while letting you contribute to active projects. Many participants use their work to enter science fairs, with several going on to win awards at the regional or state level. You will also gain exposure to clinical applications of research and can indicate your research interests during the application process, helping match you with an area that fits your goals.
13. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Dates: June 30 - August 8
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Application deadline: November 13 - January 22
Eligibility: Rising MA high school seniors with a B or better in science and math who are U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents, or non-US citizens with work authorisation
The Broad Summer Scholars Program brings you into one of the nation’s leading biomedical research centres for six weeks of lab experience. You will be paired with a Broad scientist to work on a project in areas such as infectious disease, psychiatric disorders, computational biology, or cancer research. Beyond lab work, the program includes scientific talks, college and career preparation activities, and training on how to present research in a professional setting. You receive a stipend of $3,600 and partial reimbursement for transportation, as well as access to tutoring and workshops that strengthen your science background. The program concludes with a poster session where you share your findings with peers and the Broad community.
14. High School Research Immersion Program – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Location: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Dates: June 2 - July 25
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: High school juniors from the Memphis-Shelby County area and surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas who are 16 years or older with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
At St. Jude’s High School Research Immersion Program, rising seniors from the Memphis area and nearby counties spend the summer working in labs or research departments on projects related to pediatric medicine, psychology, epidemiology, or data science. You will be paired with a mentor and also guided by an educator who helps you reflect on your experience and connect it to your academic and personal goals. The program covers both scientific skill development and understanding how science influences health care, particularly for children with serious illnesses. Participants receive a stipend of $4,800 for 40 hours of work per week, and the experience concludes with a community exhibition where you present your project in poster format.
15. Mayo Clinic CARES Program
Location: Mayo Clinic campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ; Virtual options available
Dates: 4 weeks (In-person) or 1 week (Virtual) from June to July
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive selection
Application deadline: February 1 (In-person); May 31 (Virtual)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11; Must be from Arizona;
Applications from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged
If you are an Arizona high school student curious about different healthcare careers, the Mayo Clinic CARES Program introduces you to the broad spectrum of opportunities within medicine and health sciences. Over the summer, you will participate in interactive sessions that include simulations and discussions with professionals from across Mayo Clinic’s clinical, research, and education divisions. Rather than focusing on shadowing one individual, you will engage with a wide variety of specialists—from physicians and nurses to biomedical researchers, radiologists, and social workers. The program also covers life skills such as public speaking, resume writing, wellness, and interview preparation. A distinctive feature is the year-long mentorship component that pairs you with a Mayo Clinic professional after the summer ends, giving you continued guidance.
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