15 Medical Programs for High School Students in Ohio
Participating in a medical program while still in high school gives you the chance to take your learning beyond the classroom. These programs often expose you to clinical environments and research labs and introduce you to the realities of healthcare work. You’ll also gain relevant practical skills through activities and have the opportunity to build a network of mentors and peers who share your interests. Several hospitals, universities, and institutions across the U.S. offer solid medical programs for high school students, giving you the chance to shadow physicians, conduct experiments in research labs, and learn to perform CPR and other health diagnostics.
Why should you attend a program in Ohio?
Ohio offers medical programs at institutions such as The Ohio State University, Cleveland Clinic, and Nationwide Children's Hospital, giving you access to hospitals, research labs, and university medical centers. Depending on the program you choose, you could shadow physicians, conduct lab-based research, or take part in workshops covering topics like clinical medicine, public health, or medical informatics. Some programs are geared toward Ohio residents or students within a specific county or region, while others accept applicants more broadly.
With that, here are 15 medical programs for high school students in Ohio that you should check out!
If you’re looking for research programs in Ohio, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 15 programs span neuroscience, cancer research, pediatric medicine, clinical shadowing, public health, AI in medicine, and biomedical informatics, so students with a wide range of medical interests can find a relevant option in Ohio or online.
Several programs are paid or offer stipends, including Cleveland Clinic CYCE ($15 per hour), OSU Explorations in Neuroscience (paid), CREATES-HS ($3,900 stipend), and Nationwide Children's Hospital Career Academy (paid), while many volunteer and shadowing programs are free to attend.
Many programs prioritize Ohio residents or students from specific counties or regions, including Cleveland Clinic CYCE, Nationwide Children's Career Academy (Franklin County), CREATES-HS (Columbus), and UH Cleveland Medical Center Volunteer Program, so local students should take note of these targeted opportunities.
Programs vary significantly in format, from half-day to two-day shadowing experiences, such as Nationwide Children's Shadowing and Beacon Orthopaedics, to eight-week full-time research internships, such as OSU Explorations in Neuroscience and CREATES-HS, so students can choose based on their availability and depth of interest.
Application deadlines for the most competitive programs fall early, including Cleveland Clinic CYCE (February 2), CREATES-HS (February 8), Nationwide Children's Mechanisms of Human Health (February 13), and OSU Explorations in Neuroscience (March 13), so students should begin preparing materials in the fall.
1. Explorations in Neuroscience Research Internship Program
Location: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Rising 11th-12th graders who are U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents; Must have an interest in a biomedical research career
The Explorations in Neuroscience Research Internship Program allows you to explore the world of biomedical research through a mentored eight-week internship. As a participant, your research work will particularly focus on neuroscience, neurological injury, or neurodegeneration. In addition to working with your mentors, you will also attend sessions taught to you by graduate students and technicians working within the lab. The goal of the program is to prepare high school students who are educated and skilled to succeed in careers focused on neurological disease research and related fields.
2. Veritas Deep Dive: AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies, depending on program type; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple 10-week sessions throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort. You can apply here
Eligibility: High school students
The Veritas AI program offers high school students the chance to work on 1:1 guided research with mentors from top universities like Harvard, Stanford, MIT, and more. The program also creates an environment for high school students to learn artificial intelligence and machine learning. During the Veritas AI + Medicine Deep Dive program, which explores the use of AI in the healthcare and medical industry, you will work on hands-on projects that use AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients.
3. CYCE High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: $15 per hour
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: June 8 – July 28
Application Deadline: January 5 – February 2
Eligibility: 9th-12th graders (15+) who are U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or legal permanent residents; Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and live and attend school in one of these locations in Ohio
Cleveland Clinic offers high school students the opportunity to explore career opportunities in a hospital environment through internships across clinical, non-clinical, and advanced technology roles. You’ll get to work next to healthcare workers and equip yourself with the skills needed to be prepared for careers in healthcare. If you choose to participate in a clinical internship, you will work in roles that involve patient interaction and be placed in departments such as laboratory medicine, nursing, OB/GYN, pharmacy, radiology/imaging, respiratory care, and others. Regardless of placement, you will be expected to work 30 hours per week.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Varies by cohort (multiple in a year)
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is an intensive program for ambitious high school students who are curious about pursuing a research career or who want the experience of writing a research paper. As a participant, you will be able to work on an independent research project in a subject area of your choice, including medicine. You will work with a Ph.D. mentor who will supervise you throughout the 12 weeks of the program and help you complete your research project. You will also meet with a writing coach twice during the program, gaining the additional support needed to write a publication-worthy academic paper. You can find more details about the application here; check out other students’ reviews of the program here and here.
5. Cancer Research Experience for the Advancement and Training of Emerging Scientists (CREATES-HS)
Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Stipend: $3,900
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: February 8
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders (16+) from Columbus
The CREATES High School Summer Program is an eight-week program that aims to encourage more students to consider a career in cancer research. As a participant, you will be placed in a research facility where you will work with a team of college students, physicians, and others. As a member of the research team, you will engage in hands-on cancer research and gain experience in a laboratory. Given that this is purely lab-based research, you will not conduct any clinical trials or use human subjects. CREATES also allows you to build your network and supports your professional development.
6. Akron Children’s Hospital Research Internships
Location: Akron Children’s Hospital – Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute, Akron, OH
Stipend: Paid and unpaid opportunities available
Cohort Size: Limited cohort
Dates: Project-dependent and may vary each term
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school and college students
Offered by the Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute at Akron Children’s Hospital, these research internships ensure that students considering a career in medicine can gain experience in pediatric healthcare and research. During the program, you will work alongside researchers, physicians, and healthcare professionals and have the opportunity to contribute to real-world projects in the field. You will also get to explore research fundamentals and public health impact, and enhance your skills in project management, digital literacy, and professional communication. Ultimately, this program ensures that you benefit from professional development, academic growth, and career exposure as a participant.
7. Nationwide Children’s Hospital High School Career Academy
Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Education Center, Columbus, OH
Stipend: Paid
Cohort Size: Typically, up to 35 students
Dates: November – April (2 sessions per month)
Application Deadline: Typically opens in the spring
Eligibility: 11th-12th graders from Franklin County and surrounding areas
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital High School Career Academy will introduce you to various medical careers, including dentistry, infectious disease, pharmacy, respiratory therapy, radiology/ultrasound, and more. You will also meet with professionals across these medical departments and learn various medical terminologies. You will also receive HIPAA and CPR training while gaining hands-on field experience. The six-month program will also equip you with the professional skills listed in the Ohio Means Job Readiness seal.
8. UH Cleveland Medical Center Summer Youth Volunteer Program
Location: UH Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 8 – August 14
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students (15+)
The UH Cleveland Medical Center encourages hardworking, responsible high school students who want to gain experience working in a hospital environment to join its volunteer program. For around 10 weeks, you will be expected to have one four-hour shift per week. Some of the activities you can expect to do as a volunteer include engaging with patients in the Seidman Cancer Center or Acute Care areas with discussion and activities. Though the program welcomes high school students who are 15 and older, you should be at least 16 to take up outpatient clinic or activity cart roles, and at least 17 years old and a high school senior to volunteer in an inpatient pediatric unit.
9. Nationwide Children’s Hospital Job Shadowing
Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Education Center, Columbus, OH
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Multiple sessions in a year
Application Deadline: At least 4 weeks before the shadowing dates
Eligibility: High school students (14+) who attend a school covered by an affiliation agreement; Must apply as part of your school and not individually
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers a shadowing program that allows you to step into clinical settings where you can observe and learn the different skills needed in different areas of medicine. You will get insight into the hospital environment and the day-to-day activities of the healthcare workers you shadow. As this is exclusively a shadowing experience, you will not be involved in any kind of work in the hospital, including patient care. Given that many students apply to shadow at the hospital, you will get to shadow for as short as half a day to as long as two days only. If you are older than 14, you can gain shadowing experience in outpatient clinics and office settings, and if you are older than 16, you can also shadow inpatient areas.
10. Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Shadowing Program
Location: Various Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine locations, including in Ohio
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: Multiple 1-month cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students (18+)
Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine invites highly motivated high school students with a strong passion for a career in medicine to shadow its staff. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to observe the work of the physicians, the physician’s assistants/nurse practitioners, or the physical therapists. You will learn about the work medical staff do in clinical settings and surgery centers. Your placement in the program will be determined based on the staff schedule and availability.
11. Nationwide Children’s Hospital Mechanisms of Human Health and Disease
Location: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Education Center, Columbus, OH
Cost: $130
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: June 8 – July 20
Application Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders + other high school students who meet the prerequisites (enrolled in high school biology and chemistry, and have access to a personal computer)
Designed for academically talented high school students, this program gives you insight into what the college curriculum would be like if you decide to pursue a career in medicine or biomedicine. It covers topics in cellular and molecular biology, genetic engineering, physical and medicinal chemistry, immunology, virology, biomedical information, and pathophysiology. In addition to the lecture sessions, you will also spend your time working on an independent project in molecular pathophysiology, as well as a group project. The program will also introduce you to the different career options available to you in medicine and biomedical research. Aside from this, you will have the choice of participating in hospital-based activities in clinical medicine. Past experiences have been held in the Nationwide Children's Simulation Lab, the Columbus State Simulation Center, and others.
12. MD Camp at Ohio State
Location: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Cost: $325; Need-based full and partial scholarships available
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June 8 – 26
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Rising 10th through 12th graders with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and a math and science GPA of 3.3 or higher
MD Camp is a three-week camp offered by The Ohio State University Area Health Education Center, during which you will gain insight into what it is like to be enrolled in a medical school. You will get to shadow healthcare professionals and researchers working at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and gain a better understanding of different careers in medicine. Some of the components in the program include lectures on medical terms and pathologies, discussions on complex medical cases, clinical workshops, diagnosing and treating common diseases, and more. You will also attend sessions led by industry experts where they talk about what it is like to be a medical professional.
13. John Carroll University Health for the Whole Person
Location: John Carroll University, University Heights, OH
Cost: $500 (commuter); $1,000 (residential); Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 12 – 17
Application Deadline: March 16
Eligibility: 10th-12th graders
The Health for the Whole Person program is aimed at high school students who are curious about careers in healthcare or simply interested in being well-informed about personal health and wellness. During the program, you will receive CPR training, develop a scientific understanding of nutrition and infection control, and learn about the various social factors that affect community health. In addition to learning from presentations hosted by industry experts, you will also go on field trips. Moreover, you will become skilled at administering comprehensive fitness tests and at putting together a personalized resiliency toolkit for managing stress.
14. City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department Camp Public Health
Location: Blackburn Community Center, Columbus, OH
Cost: $100 (residents); Non-resident fees apply; Additional fees apply
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 27 – 31
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students ages 13-18
This one-week camp, hosted by the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, gives you the chance to explore topics across health, environmental, and social sciences. As a camper, you will be introduced to the different ways professionals, like doctors, nurses, social workers, and environmental health specialists, take care of people’s health. Through this program, you will also learn how these professionals play a crucial role in improving people’s lives and advocating for better health outcomes for all. You will also get to learn directly from public health professionals at Columbus Public Health. The program also takes students on site visits to the Ohio State University College of Public Health and OSU Extension at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory.
15. Medical Sciences Summer Institute
Location: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Cost: $1,100; Limited financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple sessions in the summer
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Current 10th-11th graders (16+)
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine invites high school students to its summer workshops, where you can explore medical and other healthcare-related roles. As a participant, you will also have the option to conduct biomedical research at the university’s advanced lab settings. You will be able to choose from cellular, molecular, and medical informatics. The cellular sessions cover topics such as cell biology, cell-based assays, gene expression, and more, whereas the molecular sessions will focus on molecular biology, recombinant DNA, protein chemistry, and other topics. The medical informatics session, on the other hand, will introduce you to data visualization and data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning using healthcare data.
Frequently asked questions
1. What medical programs are available for high school students in Ohio?
Options include biomedical research internships, such as OSU Explorations in Neuroscience, CREATES-HS, and Akron Children's Hospital Research Internships, hospital-based programs, such as Cleveland Clinic CYCE and UH Cleveland Medical Center Volunteer Program, shadowing experiences, such as Nationwide Children's Shadowing and Beacon Orthopaedics, career exploration programs, such as Nationwide Children's Career Academy and MD Camp, AI in medicine programs, such as Veritas AI, and independent research programs, such as Lumiere.
2. Are there paid medical programs for high school students in Ohio?
Yes, Cleveland Clinic CYCE pays $15 per hour, CREATES-HS provides a $3,900 stipend, OSU Explorations in Neuroscience is a paid internship, and Nationwide Children's Hospital Career Academy is a paid program, while most volunteer and shadowing programs are free with no financial compensation.
3. Which Ohio medical programs are best for students interested in research?
OSU Explorations in Neuroscience, CREATES-HS, Akron Children's Hospital Research Internships, and Nationwide Children's Mechanisms of Human Health and Disease all place students in active research environments, while Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers virtual one-on-one mentorship for producing an independent research paper.
4. Are there medical programs in Ohio that offer clinical exposure or patient interaction?
Yes, Cleveland Clinic CYCE includes clinical placements with patient interaction, UH Cleveland Medical Center Volunteer Program involves direct patient engagement in cancer and acute care settings, Nationwide Children's Shadowing allows observation in inpatient and outpatient settings, and MD Camp includes shadowing at OSU Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital.
5. Which medical programs are open to students outside Ohio?
Lumiere Research Scholar Program and Veritas AI are fully virtual and open to students anywhere in the world, and University of Cincinnati Medical Sciences Summer Institute accepts applications from students outside Ohio, though many in-person programs prioritize local or regional applicants.
6. When should I apply to medical programs for high school students in Ohio?
Cleveland Clinic CYCE closes February 2, CREATES-HS closes February 8, Nationwide Children's Mechanisms of Human Health closes February 13, and OSU Explorations in Neuroscience closes March 13, so students should begin researching options in the fall and preparing applications over winter break.