16 Summer Pre-Med Programs for High School Students
If you’re a high school student interested in medicine or healthcare, summer is a great time to get practical experience in the field. Pre-med programs can give you an early look at subjects like anatomy, physiology, public health, and medical research. You might shadow doctors, learn basic clinical skills, work on case studies, or assist with research alongside faculty and healthcare professionals. Many programs also include lab work, simulation exercises, and opportunities to present your findings at the end.
Participating in a pre-med summer program can help you stand out in college admissions, especially if you’re applying to competitive undergraduate programs. Many of these summer programs involve a final presentation, which gives you a finished product that you can use in college admissions and future applications.
Here’s a list of 16 pre-med summer programs for high school students that can help you explore the medical field and build skills for college.
16 Summer Pre-Med Programs for High School Students
1. Stanford University - Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stipend: $500 minimum stipend. Stipends of $ 2,500 and above are awarded on a needs-based system through special grants.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 50 students
Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the program start
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) is an eight-week biomedical research internship at Stanford, during which you will work closely with graduate students or postdoctoral fellows on a project within a faculty member’s lab. Research areas include immunology, cancer biology, and bioinformatics. You’ll be engaged in full-time lab work, attend joint lectures, and present your research in a final poster session. SIMR also offers a Bioengineering Bootcamp, where instead of lab work, you collaborate in teams to build medical prototypes. You’ll conduct user interviews, study scientific literature, and learn how to conduct patent searches.
2. Veritas AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, students learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. Students get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
3. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: High School Research Immersion Program
Location: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Stipend: $4,800
Dates: June 2 – July 25
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Current high school juniors in the Memphis-Shelby County area and immediate surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas; 16+ with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
The St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program is a full-time summer program for current juniors in the Memphis area and nearby counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Organized by the STEMM Education and Outreach Program, this eight-week program introduces high school students to biomedical research. Participants work in pairs with a research mentor on hands-on projects in lab science, psychology, epidemiology, clinical research, or data science. You’ll also work with a science educator to reflect on representation in science and develop your college personal statement. You’ll spend the first few weeks training with lab equipment and techniques, then present your findings through a scientific poster. Past projects have included research in chemical biology, neurobiology, and cancer.
4. Ladder Internships — Healthcare and Medicine Track
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships offers high school students the opportunity to intern with nonprofits and startups around the world in an entirely virtual setting. A fairly selective program founded by Harvard alumni, Ladder Internships allows students to choose the field they wish to work in from a wide range of industries, including healthcare and medicine. As an intern, you will work on projects that contribute to the organization’s mission and present your work at the end of the program. This internship program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, among other skills, and group training sessions with fellow interns. You will be paired with a manager at the startup and with a Ladder coach, who serves as a second mentor. Here is the application form.
5. Stony Brook University - Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: 5%
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school students in grade 11 who are 16 years and older
The Simons Summer Research Program is a six-week research opportunity at Stony Brook University that offers hands-on research under the mentorship of a university faculty member. Before the program begins, you will connect with your assigned mentor and review any recommended pre-reading materials. During the first week, you'll undergo mandatory lab safety training. Afterward, you’ll be matched with a lab and assigned a specific research project, and you can expect to spend at least four hours a day on your work. By the end of the program, you’ll submit a formal abstract and present your findings in a poster session. Check past research projects here.
6. Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK)
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 3 – December 2
Application Deadline: December 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in Duval or St. Johns counties with a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA
The Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK) is a year-long research experience for rising high school juniors and seniors in Duval or St. Johns counties, Florida. You’ll spend the summer working at least 25 hours per week in a Mayo Clinic laboratory, guided by researchers in areas like biochemistry, drug development, epidemiology, immunology, cancer biology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and regenerative sciences. During the school year, you'll work on your project, join lab meetings, have one-on-one mentoring sessions, and attend weekly “Lunch and Learn” events with guest speakers. Important milestones include an oral presentation of your progress at the end of summer and a final research poster for the year-end SPARK awards ceremony. See past research projects here.
7. Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program
Location: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Stipend provided
Dates: June 23 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 26
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are 16 or older by program start
The Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program provides a paid research experience lasting six to eight weeks at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in downtown Chicago. The program is for rising high school seniors interested in biological sciences, pairing each intern with a faculty mentor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care. Interns will work full-time on either basic or clinical research projects that directly support the lab’s efforts to understand lung disease. Alongside research, you’ll join activities designed to prepare you for college and careers in science or medicine. The program culminates with a presentation at the annual Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Symposium.
8. Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) Summer Research Internship
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, FL
Stipend: $13/hour
Dates: June 17 – July 26
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old, live in Palm Beach or Martin County, and have U.S. work authorization
The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) Summer Research Internship is a six-week program for rising high school juniors and seniors. As a participant, you’ll work alongside MPFI researchers on a project in one of three tracks: neuroscience, scientific programming, or mechanical engineering. Throughout the internship, you’ll gain hands-on experience in MPFI labs, and at the end of the summer, you’ll present your research to the community. See past intern presentations here.
9. The Rockefeller University - Summer Science Research Program
Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, 32 students
Dates: June 23 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 3
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old at the program’s start
The Summer Science Research Program is a seven-week biomedical research experience hosted by RockEDU. You’ll join one of four research teams of 8–10 peers and be mentored by scientists from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell. The program begins with lab safety training and then proceeds to project work, including designing experiments, collecting data, and analyzing results. You’ll conclude with a formal poster presentation. Beyond lab work, you’ll participate in elective courses, guest lectures, workshops, and social events designed to build community and expose you to careers in science.
10. MD Anderson Cancer Center - High School Summer Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $6,800
Cohort size: 12 students
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school seniors in a Texas public, private, charter, or home high school who are 18 or older by the first day of the program. For full details, check here.
The Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation sponsors the ten-week High School Student Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences for Texas students. During the program, you will have the chance to work at MD Anderson Cancer Center, widely recognized as one of the top cancer research and treatment institutions in the country. You learn the founding principles for scientific investigation and get a firsthand preview of the career options available at MD Anderson. In addition to lab work, you will attend seminars on diverse research topics and take part in poster, abstract, and elevator speech competitions.
11. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
Location: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 24 students
Dates: June 23 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: First-generation and low-income high school juniors in Northern California
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP) is a five-week academic enrichment experience for low-income, first-generation high school juniors from Northern California. A key component of the program is your internship at Stanford Hospital, where you’ll shadow healthcare professionals, engage in lab and department activities, observe patient care, and gain firsthand experience of healthcare delivery. You will also collaborate with peers on a public health research project, and attend weekly seminars and career development workshops.
12. Texas Tech University - Anson L. Clark Scholars Program
Location: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
Stipend: $750
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective, 12 students
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 17 years of age
The Anson L. Clark Scholar Program at Texas Tech University offers academically talented high school students a seven-week immersive research experience. Participants work on campus and at the Health Science Center with Texas Tech faculty, engaging in seminars, group discussions, and field trips. You’ll receive a $750 stipend after completing your research project report. Check the list of research areas available here.
13. MD Anderson Division of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine (DACCPM) - Summer Research Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: High school students who are 18 years or older
The DACCPM Summer Program at MD Anderson is a ten-week intensive internship for high school students, where you learn core research skills such as bench techniques, clinical protocols, data collection, and literature reviews. You will work 20 hours per week, full-time, on an ongoing research project assigned by faculty mentors. You’ll learn techniques in lab safety and scientific data analysis. Finally, you will showcase your research findings to the larger MD Anderson research community and submit your abstracts for the CATALYST Summer Program abstract book.
14. Memorial Sloan Kettering - Summer Exposure Program
Location: Remote and in-person at Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-11 interested in pursuing a career in STEM
The Summer Exposure Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering is a six-week, hybrid research program for underrepresented and under-resourced high school students interested in a career in the health professions. You’ll spend eight hours a day learning about clinical cancer care under the mentorship of an MSK faculty member or an MSK Summer Pipeline Medical Student. The program includes career talks, scientific lectures, and 18 hours of Kaplan SAT courses. At the end, you’ll present a five-minute summary of your research to the MSK community.
15. UCSF’s Summer Student Research Program
Location: UCSF Mission Bay, UCSF Parnassus Heights, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital of Oakland, MLK Research Building in Oakland, or UC Berkeley
Stipend: $3,000 for high school students
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from underrepresented backgrounds, 16 years old by the program start date.
The Summer Student Research Program at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital is a nine-week, in-person experience where high school students collaborate with UCSF healthcare providers and researchers on active biomedical research projects. Participants work closely with a mentor, attend weekly seminars led by UCSF MDs and PhDs, participate in a journal club to discuss scientific papers, and take part in networking events. You’ll complete a personal statement, research abstract, and full proposal, and you’ll present your findings at the end-of-summer Research Symposium.
16. MD Anderson Cancer Center - UPWARDS Summer Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $6,800
Cohort size: 10 students
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Local high school seniors who are 18 years or older by the program start date. Applicants must identify as economically and educationally disadvantaged, with disabilities, or as a first-generation student.
The UPWARDS Summer Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center is a demanding ten-week research training program designed for underserved high school students interested in cancer research and biomedical careers. Participants gain lab experience by collaborating with faculty on research projects. The program also includes coursework, lectures, and professional development activities. At the conclusion of summer, students present their research at the CATALYST poster symposium.