13 Medical Programs for High School Students in New York State
If you are a high school student interested in medicine, a summer program can give you the chance to explore the field. These programs can have you work in various labs and research centers, helping you grow in areas such as lab techniques, communication, and data analysis. You’ll also learn directly from medical professionals and collaborate with peers who share your interest in healthcare, giving you both knowledge and community.
New York provides an excellent environment to discover your interests and build valuable experience. The state is home to universities, hospitals, and research centers that offer opportunities for you to engage with medicine. From programs that introduce you to clinical practices and public health to those that emphasize research and biomedical science, you can explore different aspects of medicine that interest you.
To make it easier, we’ve highlighted 13 medical programs for high school students in New York State that stand out for their strong focus on medicine and their ties to respected organizations.
1. The Rockefeller University Hospital – Summer Science Research Program
Location: The Rockefeller University, NY
Cost: No cost
Dates: June 23 – August 7
Application deadline: January 3
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are age 16+ at program start
At Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program, you become part of a small cohort of just 32 students who join research teams for seven weeks of intensive lab work. After an initial week of training in lab techniques, you’ll work with a group under the guidance of PhD-level scientists on projects spanning fields like neuroscience, genetics, or immunology. Each team chooses a research question, collects data, and prepares findings for a symposium at the program’s close, where you present your work in poster format. Beyond the lab, electives and workshops broaden your perspective on biomedical science and its applications. The program is fully funded, and scholarships are available; however, you will need to arrange your own housing if necessary.
2. Veritas AI - AI + Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 12–15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python
The AI + Medicine Deep Dive at Veritas AI gives you ten weeks to explore how artificial intelligence is changing modern healthcare. Guided by researchers and mentors, you’ll examine how machine learning can be applied to areas like genomics, diagnostics, neuroscience, or drug discovery. The program mixes interactive lectures with group projects, so you not only learn the theory behind AI but also practice building models and applying them to real medical challenges. Past projects have included analyzing medical images, predicting hospital admissions, and using transfer learning methods to improve clinical tools. Since this is a technical program, you’ll need some prior coding experience or completion of Veritas’s introductory AI Scholars program to fully participate. You can apply to the program here.
3. Weill Cornell Department of Pediatrics – Summer Internship
Location: Weill Cornell Medicine, NY
Cost: No cost; stipend paid
Dates: 6 or 10-week program from June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: January 5
Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students
Through the Summer Internship at Weill Cornell’s Department of Pediatrics, you can gain direct exposure to child health by working within one of the division’s many specialties, such as epilepsy research, policy advocacy, or patient education. Each intern is carefully matched to a division that aligns with their interests and receives consistent guidance from faculty and staff mentors. Your role may include reviewing scientific literature, collecting and analyzing data, shadowing providers during clinical rounds, or contributing to advocacy projects. By participating, you stand to gain a thorough understanding of how research and clinical practice intersect in pediatrics.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program - Medicine Track
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies based on the program
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June).
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school, high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
If you want to take on a research project without leaving home, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program connects you with a PhD mentor who guides you over a 12-week period. You’ll design a research question in medicine, neuroscience, or related health fields, then gradually turn your ideas into a formal paper. Along the way, you’ll practice essential skills like reviewing academic literature, designing methods, and interpreting results while receiving consistent feedback. Many participants use their final papers for science competitions or to submit to journals, giving their work a tangible outcome. You can find more details about the application here.
5. Zuckerman Institute’s Brain Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia (BRAINYAC)
Location: Columbia University, NY
Cost: Free
Dates: Winter/Spring training + 7–10 weeks summer research
Application deadline: Applications typically open in October
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors residing in New York City and enrolled in a partner school (preference is given to students in Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx)
Through Columbia University’s BRAINYAC program, you step into the world of neuroscience research by working alongside a mentor in a Columbia laboratory for several weeks during the summer. Rather than simply observing, you’ll carry out experiments, analyze results, and gain a firsthand understanding of how research questions in brain science are investigated. The medical program for high school students in New York State also covers skill-building workshops and group sessions that strengthen your lab techniques and connect you with other students who share an interest in neuroscience. At the end of your project, you’ll have completed a research experience that mirrors the process followed by professionals in the field.
6. Science Enrichment Program (SEP) – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY
Stipend: $4,200
Dates: November 15 – August 26
Application deadline: September 1
Eligibility: High school juniors who have completed a full year of biology courses and are members of groups historically underrepresented in medicine and science
The Science Enrichment Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering spans nearly a full year, starting with after-school sessions on cancer biology, lab techniques, and professional skills from November through June. This leads to an intensive eight-week summer research placement, where you work one-on-one with a mentor on a biomedical or computational project in fields such as genomics, pharmacology, or immunology. Alongside your research, you complete assessments like pre- and post-program quizzes and deliver a poster presentation to showcase your findings. The program is available to students nominated by their schools and offers a stipend of $4,200 for your participation. By the time you complete the program, you’ll have carried out a self-directed project that directly ties into ongoing cancer research at MSK.
7. New York Bioforce
Location: Columbia University, NY
Stipend: Paid
Dates: May – August
Application deadline: Typically in March
Eligibility: Students attending NYC public high school during the academic school year who demonstrate economic or educational need based on set criteria
New York Bioforce is a four-month medical program for high school students in New York State that combines training and a paid internship to prepare you for work in biomedical research and biotech labs. From May through June, you’ll complete about 100 hours of weekend training, learning lab techniques like PCR, gel electrophoresis, and microscopy, along with communication and networking skills. Once trained, you transition into a full-time summer internship in July and August, where you’ll conduct about 120 hours of mentored research in labs at institutions such as Columbia University, Weill Cornell Medicine, or local biotech companies. The internships place you directly in the environments where cutting-edge biomedical research takes place, giving you a clearer picture of lab careers.
8. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center HOPP Summer Student Program
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY
Stipend: $1,200
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
Through the HOPP Summer Student Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, you spend eight weeks working on an independent research project in areas tied to cancer biology, such as immunology, computational methods, or pharmacology. You’ll be matched with a mentor, usually a graduate student, postdoc, or research technician, who will help guide your work and introduce you to the daily routines of a professional lab. You also have the opportunity to join journal clubs, lab tours, and luncheons with principal investigators, providing a deeper insight into the culture of biomedical research.
9. Mount Sinai CEYE Internship Placement Program
Location: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY
Cost: Free
Dates: July 1 – August 9 (tentative, based on previous cohort)
Application deadline: Typically opens in late Fall
Eligibility: Current 11th-grade NYC high school students with a minimum GPA of 85 (strongly preferred) who belong to an underrepresented minority and/or are economically disadvantaged
Mount Sinai’s CEYE Internship Placement Program allows you to spend your summer inside the hospital environment, learning how health systems operate while working on academic and research-related projects. High school juniors and seniors are placed in departments across the Mount Sinai Health System, where daily activities may involve shadowing staff, assisting with research, or supporting ongoing clinical tasks. You’ll also participate in seminars that explore health disparities and attend sessions on science communication and library research skills. This medical program for high school students in New York State covers both professional growth and exposure to a range of health careers, from specialized medicine to general hospital operations.
10. Health Care Careers Exploration Program at RIT
Location: Rochester Institute of Technology, nY
Cost: $850
Dates: July 26 – 31
Application deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Deaf or hard-of-hearing students who are entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in the fall and are in excellent academic standing
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and interested in health sciences, the week-long Health Care Careers Exploration Program at Rochester Institute of Technology introduces you to multiple fields through interactive demonstrations and labs. Over the course of the program, you’ll explore subjects like nursing, nutrition, microbiology, and exercise science while also earning CPR and First Aid certification. The experience is residential, so you’ll stay in campus housing, participate in supervised evening activities such as bowling or swimming, and get a sense of college life. Sessions are held in RIT’s specialized facilities, including the Center for Bioscience Education and Technology, with some activities taking place through off-campus field trips.
11. Mount Sinai Center for Excellence in Youth Education Medical and Scientific Exploration Program
Location: Virtual, with 3 mandatory in-person events (Orientation, ODI Fun Day, and Closing Ceremony)
Cost: None
Dates: July 1 – August 9 (tentative, based on previous cohort)
Application deadline: Typically opens late Fall
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in an NYC public school or charter school with a demonstrated interest in biomedical sciences, and belonging to an underrepresented minority group and/or are economically disadvantaged
At Mount Sinai’s Medical and Scientific Exploration Program, you’ll gain weekly exposure to different areas of healthcare and biomedical science through a mix of virtual sessions and scheduled in-person experiences. Each department you interact with introduces you to its work through case studies, guided discussions, and virtual lab tours, illustrating the connections between biology and clinical practice. Alongside this, you’ll engage with faculty, postdocs, and medical students while exploring broader issues like health disparities and college readiness. This medical program for high school students in New York State utilizes platforms and incorporates interactive games, such as Kahoot, to reinforce key concepts. Further, access to Mount Sinai’s Levy Library and structured rotations helps you build both knowledge and academic skills.
12. NYU Langone – High School Medical Ethics Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: Varies by semester
Application deadline: Varies by semester
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in New York City
The High School Medical Ethics Internship at NYU Langone introduces you to the questions that shape medicine beyond the science, such as how to fairly allocate resources, how to evaluate new technologies, or how to balance patient rights and medical needs. Over eight weeks, you’ll commit about four hours per week to remote activities that include group discussions, readings, and writing assignments centered on real ethical dilemmas. You’ll interact with faculty and professionals in areas such as public health, patient advocacy, law, and clinical medicine, developing an interdisciplinary perspective on healthcare ethics. While this program doesn’t involve direct lab or clinical work, it strengthens your ability to think critically about issues every doctor, researcher, or policymaker must confront. Interns also receive a stipend for their participation.
13. CDC Museum Public Health Academy Online Summer Course
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 9 – 13
Application deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old
The CDC Museum Public Health Academy Online Summer Course is a fast-paced, weeklong experience that introduces you to the science and practice of public health. As a participant, you’ll balance daily live sessions with independent assignments covering areas like epidemiology, global health, health disparities, and environmental health. You’ll work with real case studies, examine how outbreaks are investigated, and learn about the policies that guide public health decisions. Live discussions connect you with CDC professionals and other students, giving you a chance to ask questions and see how the field addresses real-world challenges. The course requires active participation, with assignments due each day and attendance in synchronous sessions.
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