15 Medical Programs for High School Students in Florida
If you are a high school student interested in medicine or healthcare, participating in a structured program can be a valuable way to explore and develop your interests at an early stage. Medical programs often combine classroom learning with lab work, simulations, hospital visits, and mentorship, helping you understand what a real career in medicine entails. These experiences allow you to strengthen your scientific knowledge, develop clinical and communication skills, and gain confidence as you begin exploring college and career paths in healthcare and medicine.
Why should you participate in a medical program in Florida?
Florida is home to top hospitals, medical schools, and research institutions that all offer opportunities for motivated students. From shadowing physicians and participating in public health projects to conducting biomedical research or learning patient-care fundamentals, these programs give you the chance to step into the world of healthcare early. Whether you’re drawn to surgery, neuroscience, or community health, there’s a program in Florida to match your interests.
To help you with your search, we’ve compiled 15 medical programs for high school students in Florida.
If you are looking for internships in Florida, check out our blog here.
1. Kenan Fellows High School Internships at the University of Florida Health
Location: Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, Jupiter, FL
Stipend: $4,480
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 1 – July 30
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors (16+) from Palm Beach or Martin County with a minimum 3.0 GPA
This intensive nine-week internship places you in real biomedical research settings at UF Scripps Institute, where you’ll work alongside scientists on cutting-edge projects in areas like biotechnology, drug discovery, immunology, or neuroscience. The internship begins with an introductory training week to teach lab techniques and safety protocols, setting a strong foundation for the remaining eight weeks of research. You’ll engage in experimental design, data collection, and analysis, attend weekly seminars with research faculty, and participate in mentor-guided work that contributes to a larger research agenda. The experience ends in a symposium where you present your findings and receive recognition for your work.
2. Veritas AI's AI + Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type; Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students who have completed the AI Scholars program or have Python experience
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, you learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. You get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain your outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
3. Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience High School Internship
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL
Stipend: $13/hour
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 6 weeks, generally between June and July
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: High schools entering their junior or senior year (16+) from Palm Beach or Martin County
The MPFI High School Internship is a six-week research experience in modern neuroscience for rising juniors and seniors from Palm Beach and Martin Counties. At MPFI, you’ll choose a track—Neuroscience, Scientific Programming, or Mechanical Engineering—and work closely with lab mentors on real projects such as gene expression in neural circuits, data software tools for neuroimaging, or designing custom lab components. During the internship, you’ll spend full days in a research environment and engage in hands-on techniques like microscopy or coding. You’ll also attend career seminars and conclude the program with a formal presentation of your findings.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program: Medicine Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum GPA of 3.3
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a selective and intensive research experience designed for high school students. You will be paired one-on-one with Ph.D. mentors to design and complete independent research projects over 12 weeks, culminating in a full research paper. You can explore a wide range of topics across disciplines such as medicine, neuroscience, health sciences, and life sciences, gaining valuable academic and analytical experience through guided mentorship. You can find more details about the application here.
5. JJ Vance Memorial Summer Internship
Location: University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: December 1 – January 31
Eligibility: Rising seniors from Miami & Broward County high schools
During the JJ Vance Memorial Summer Internship, you will experience real biomedical research in the fields of genomics and computational biology at the University of Miami. Over eight full weeks, you will be paired with faculty and post-doctoral mentors to participate in ongoing laboratory projects. You will be conducting experiments, analyzing genetic data, and contributing to research in areas such as human disease genomics. The program includes structured instruction, laboratory work Monday through Friday, and ends with an oral presentation at a student/faculty luncheon.
6. Mayo Clinic’s Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK)
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 2 – December 3
Application Deadline: November 1 – December 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors in Duval County or St. Johns County (FL); Must have a minimum 3.5 GPA
In the SPARK Research Mentorship Program, you will gain direct research experience at Mayo Clinic Florida’s advanced labs under the mentorship of faculty and professionals. Over the summer and into the academic year, you will commit to at least 25 hours per week in the lab during the summer, where you work on real research in areas such as immunology, cancer biology, neuroscience, AI in medicine, or drug development. You will then attend a mandatory orientation, participate in weekly “Lunch & Learn” sessions with guest speakers, and lab tours. The program ends with you presenting your findings in oral and poster formats at a year-end awards session.
7. Cleveland Clinic Summer Scholars Program
Location: Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital, Weston, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – July 4, Session 2: July 2 – 25
Application Deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a GPA of 3.6+
The Summer Scholar Program at Cleveland Clinic Florida gives you a full-time, immersive glimpse into medical careers and clinical environments. Over a three-week session, you will rotate through specialties such as internal medicine, radiology, surgery, and emergency medicine, stepping into a hospital setting and interacting with staff physicians. The curriculum includes lectures on medical ethics, the professional pathway in healthcare, and structured rounds alongside clinical teams. You will be expected to dress in professional attire, attend the mandatory orientation, and fully commit to the hours and schedule as if they were part of the healthcare team. At the end of the session, you will deliver a case presentation, reflecting the real-world work they observed and took part in.
8. Baptist Health South Florida: Observer Program
Location: Baptist Health, South Florida, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Flexible schedule determined by the clinician/sponsor and department
Application Deadline: Rolling basis, year-round
Eligibility: High school students (16+)
The Observer Program at Baptist Health South Florida allows you to gain firsthand insight into clinical and healthcare environments by shadowing physicians or healthcare professionals in hospital departments. You’ll observe patient care teams, attend rounds or procedures (depending on sponsor permission), and participate in educational programming such as departmental conferences or case discussions. The program emphasizes professionalism, patient privacy, infection control, and understanding the roles of various healthcare team members. While you do not undertake direct clinical tasks, you’ll gain exposure to how care is delivered, how decisions are made in medical settings, and what a career in healthcare entails.
9. FIU Junior Doctors of Tomorrow Summer Program
Location: FIU Modesto Maidique Campus, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: 30 students per session
Dates: June 23 – 27
Application Deadline: January 1 – May 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.0+
The Junior Doctors of Tomorrow program is a free one-week summer enrichment course for high school students who are considering careers in healthcare and medicine. During the program, you will spend the week on the FIU campus engaging in clinical workshops, simulation labs, and interactive sessions with physicians, medical students, and healthcare professionals. You’ll explore anatomy, medical ethics, problem-solving in healthcare settings, and gain exposure to what medical training and patient care look like in real life.
10. Mayo Clinic Pathways into Healthcare Careers Program
Location: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science, Jacksonville, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: 60 students
Dates: July 10 – 12
Application Deadline: March 1 – May 15
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors
The Pathways into Healthcare Careers program at Mayo Clinic in Florida is a short-form career exploration experience for high school students interested in a broad range of healthcare professions. Over the course of the program, you’ll participate in hands-on simulations, tours of healthcare facilities, and panels with professionals across different roles, such as nursing, allied health, pharmacy, therapy, and clinical laboratory science. The goal is not only to help you understand what it takes to become a doctor, but introduce you to the many pathways in healthcare beyond the physician role.
11. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Summer Youth Internship Program
Location: Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 1 – August 2 (as per previous year)
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: Miami-Dade County rising 10th-12th-grade students (ages 15-18)
The Summer Youth Internship Program at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital gives you an introduction to the world of healthcare and pediatric medicine. Over five weeks, you will work approximately 30 hours each week within hospital settings, partnering with mentors and workplace supervisors who support your real-world learning. The program emphasizes hands-on exposure to clinical and administrative functions in a children’s hospital, allowing you to observe, assist, and reflect on healthcare careers. You will receive academic credit (if your evaluation and assignments are completed successfully) and gain insight into workplace professionalism, teamwork, and patient-oriented care.
12. University of Florida: Gator Pharmacy Exploration Camp
Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: Application fee of $20
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 8 – 14
Application Deadline: December 15 – March 17 (tentative)
Eligibility: Florida high school students entering grade 12
The Gator Pharmacy Exploration Camp gives you a week-long experience on the University of Florida campus, exploring the field of pharmacy and its many career paths. You’ll engage in interactive simulations, labs covering pharmacy calculations and compounding, and discussion panels with pharmacists working in different practice settings. You’ll also learn about wellness, self-care, and how to plan for college and health-profession tracks. The program emphasizes experiential learning and mentorship from current PharmD students and faculty, helping you decide if pharmacy is a fit for your future.
13. High School Summer Internship Program at FIU’s Center for Translational Science
Location: Florida International University, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Not mentioned
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive; Around 20 students
Dates: June 9 – July 10
Application Deadline: Generally in March
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from St. Lucie County
The High School Summer Internship Program at FIU’s Center for Translational Science gives you the opportunity to work side-by-side with research scientists in fields like aging and wellness, neuroscience, metabolism, immunity, and drug discovery. Over the five-week summer session, you’ll spend time in a real research lab, completing experiments, analyzing data, and attending professional development workshops that sharpen your scientific communication and analytical thinking. You’ll also present your findings in a poster or oral session at the program’s conclusion, gaining experience in how scientific research is conducted and shared.
14. FIU’s Summer Research Internship in Cardiovascular Health
Location: Florida International University, Miami, FL
Cost/Stipend: Not mentioned
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June 12 – August 7
Application Deadline: Applications open in Spring
Eligibility: High school juniors or graduated seniors (16+) with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher
The Florida International University Summer Research Internship is an eight-week summer internship. During the program, you’ll team up with faculty and graduate student mentors to carry out original research in areas such as cardiovascular health and biomedical science. The experience blends research with training in experimental design, data analysis, communication skills, and leadership. You’ll participate in lab meetings, perform experiments or data processing, and contribute to a group project that leads to a presentation or report.
15. FSU College of Medicine Summer Institute
Location: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Cost: $1,650; Need-based scholarships available
Cohort Size: 20 students per session
Dates: 3 sessions: June 8 – 13; June 22 – 27; July 13 – 18
Application Deadline: December 1 – January 15
Eligibility: Rising high-school juniors or seniors with a minimum 3.3 unweighted GPA
The Florida State University (FSU) College of Medicine Summer Institute is a one-week, residential pre-college program that introduces you to the life of a medical student. You’ll participate in faculty-led workshops, shadow physicians, visit anatomy labs, and explore topics like ethics, rural medicine, and clinical practice. You’ll also attend seminars on college admissions and financial aid, collaborate on a team research project, and present your findings. The program balances hands-on experience, professional development, and peer interaction to help clarify career paths in healthcare.
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