An internship in medicine is a valuable tool for high school students considering a future in the medical profession. Such experiences offer early exposure to the field, allowing you to explore its facets and determine if it is the right fit for you. Internships also serve as a first step to studying medicine, as they can facilitate skill and knowledge building as you participate in research-based lab internships or hospital-based healthcare internships.

Early exposure through internships can give you an edge in the competitive college application process. It demonstrates a proactive approach to learning and a genuine interest in the field. Admissions committees look for applicants who have gone the extra mile to explore their chosen field outside the school curriculum, which tells them a student is committed to personal and professional growth.  

If you’re a high school student in Florida, here are 10 of the best medical internships available to you! Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.

1. Ladder Internships

A fairly selective virtual program, Ladder Internship offers high school students the chance to intern with start-ups and non-profit organizations around the world. The organizations are spread across a range of industries, with a number of intern positions in healthcare, medicine, health tech and digital health products. You can choose the field you wish to work in! As an intern, you will work on a real-world project and present your work at the end of their internship. You will work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach – who serves as a second mentor, helping you navigate the startup environment. This internship program allows you to apply theoretical knowledge in real world scenarios. The startups you’d have the chance to intern with are based all across the world, with the majority being in the United States, Asia, and then Europe and the UK. You can explore all the options here on their application form.

Location:  Virtual! You can work from anywhere in the world. 

Cost: $1,990. Financial assistance is available.

Program dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year. 

Application deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year.

Eligibility: Open to all high school students, who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. These internships are also open to undergraduates and gap-year students! 

2. JJ Vance Memorial Summer Internship at UMiami’s School of Medicine

The JJ Vance Memorial Summer Internship is ideal for students interested in the biological and computational sciences, open to high school juniors in the Miami and Broward areas. Interns spend 8 weeks in this intensive research program at the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics (HIHG) laboratories. You will be paired with a staff member, post-doc student, or faculty member. You will work with cutting-edge tech, hone your research and presentation skills, and explore the subject in depth. The HIHG is dedicated to identifying genes involved in human diseases to diagnose, intervene, and prevent illness.

Location:  John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics (HIHG), Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL

Stipend/Cost: No cost. A stipend will be provided. 

Internship Dates: June 17 -  August 9

Application Deadline: Jan 31

Eligibility: Current high school juniors who have the right to work in the US can apply. For further details on eligibility and other program info, check this out. 

3. Max Planck Florida Institute of Neuroscience High School Internship

This six-week internship, designed for juniors and seniors in Palm Beach or Martin County high schools, explores brain structure, function, and development while providing experience with advanced imaging techniques and technologies. You can choose from three specialized tracks: neuroscience, scientific programming, and mechanical engineering. You will work with MPFI scientists. The program culminates with you writing a scientific abstract and delivering a concise presentation—see past intern presentations here. This full-time opportunity requires 40 hours a week.

Location:  Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL

Stipend/Cost: No cost. Students will be paid $12.50 per hour

Internship Dates: June 17 - July 26

Application Deadline: March 4

Eligibility: Juniors or seniors attending a high school in Palm Beach or Martin County.

4. High School Summer Internship Program at FIU’s Center for Translational Science

This 5-week program, offered by Florida International University’s Center for Translational Science (FIU-CTS) is ideal for high school juniors and seniors looking to explore research in biomedical science. Interns will be guided by scientists at CTS who work in the fields of neuroscience, aging and wellness, and drug discovery. During the program, you will work in the center’s laboratories, conducting experiments and analyzing data and your research results. You will network with professionals, showcase your achievements at a luncheon, and receive a scientific poster for future competitions. Completing the program earns you a certificate, a letter from the Program Director, and over 100 volunteer hours.

Location: Florida International University, Miami, FL

Stipend/Cost: TBA

Internship Dates: The program will be held in June. Exact dates are yet to be announced. 

Application Deadline: Dates are yet to be announced!

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors. More information will be announced by March.

5. The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS): Project Pipeline Baltimore

A program aimed at making neurological sciences more inclusive, the Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program is an 8-week summer research program for high school students from underrepresented communities. During the program, you will participate in research under the guidance of researchers. You will participate in projects, discussions, scientific seminars, weekly personal and professional development sessions, and interactions with neuroscientists at JHU. The program is also offered virtually, for students who cannot attend the program on campus. At the end of the program, you will present your research via an oral or poster presentation. Get an idea of past projects here! To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.

Location: There are virtual and in-person options. The in-person program will be held at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology on the East Baltimore campus.

Stipend: In-person participants receive an hourly stipend (amount varies), while virtual interns receive a stipend of $500.

Internship Dates: 8 weeks, June - August (in-person); 5 weeks, July - August (virtual)

Application Deadline: March 1, every year.

Eligibility: Juniors and seniors from around the country are eligible to apply to the 5-week, virtual program. Juniors and seniors residing in Baltimore City and the metro area who are from underrepresented groups are eligible for the in-person program.

6. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Teen Academic Year Program

This program is for high school juniors and seniors who are enrolled in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Academic Internship Program. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital collaborates with M-DCPS to offer academic year internships (that run from August to May). This program allows you to learn valuable healthcare administration skills and gain experience while earning academic credit. Students are expected to commit to 5–10 hours weekly, with a flexible  virtual, hybrid, or in-person schedule. Weekly timesheets and quarterly grade evaluations provide ongoing support and assessment during the internship.

Location: Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL. Virtual and hybrid options are also offered.

Stipend/Cost: No cost or stipend. Students earn credit.

Internship Dates: Year-round, from August to May.

Application Deadline: No information available. Check the M-DCPS internships page.

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with an unweighted GPA of 2.5 or higher and an excellent school attendance record who are enrolled in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Academic Internship Program.

7. FIU’s Summer Research Internship in Cardiovascular Health

The Florida International University offers a Summer Research Internship for local area high school and FIU transfer students to engage in cardiovascular health research over 8 weeks. This program will hone your research, analysis, writing, and presentation skills. Before the internship begins, you will be matched with an FIU faculty research mentor and complete online safety courses. As an intern, you will attend weekly professional and academic development workshops and participate in intern meetings featuring journal clubs and case study discussions. The program will culminate with interns submitting research abstracts and delivering presentations at an awards ceremony. The top presenters will be recognized with awards and will be invited to showcase their work at the December MARC U*STAR symposium.

Location: Florida International University, Miami, FL

Stipend/Cost: No cost. There is no stipend information available. 

Internship Dates: June 17  -  August 9

Application Deadline: TBA

Eligibility: High school juniors or graduated seniors who have committed to attend FIU or are accepted as FIU transfer students. Applicants must be at least 16 years old by the start of the program and hold an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher.

8. Medicine Encompassed

Medicine Encompassed is a student-run nonprofit organization that assists with accessibility in the medical field. The organization offers multiple positions across its 18 committees. Applications for each of these positions are open on a rolling basis. As an intern with Medicine Encompassed, you can work across any of the following departments: writing, editing, sponsorships and partnerships, graphic design, and marketing and social media, along with resource creation. This may involve researching medical topics, writing informative articles or guides, and developing educational materials that others can use to learn about various medical fields. Additionally, you can contribute to the ‘Project Cultivation’ outreach initiative, which aims to increase awareness and accessibility of medical education.

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: No stipend is provided. You may receive a certificate. 

Internship Dates: Internships with ME are open year-round.

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Eligibility: All high school students can apply.

9. Kenan Fellows High School Summer Internships at the University of Florida Health

This 9-week summer internship at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute laboratories in Jupiter, Florida, is for rising juniors and seniors in Palm Beach and Martin County. This internship exposes you to biological and chemical research, offering insight into careers in academic research, drug discovery, biotechnology, or biomedical engineering. This program helps you develop your lab skills while you learn how to do research planning and data analysis, engage in experimental design work, and interact with scientists. Before you start the program, you must attend a one-week introductory course that covers techniques and applications standard in biomedical research. In addition to attending weekly seminars, you will be expected to submit a written scientific abstract at the end of the program and present your work!

Location: Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, Jupiter, FL.

Cost/Stipend: No cost. Students will receive a total stipend of $4,480, which will be paid biweekly during the program.

Internship Dates: June 3 - August 2

Application Deadline: March 17

Eligibility: Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, will begin their junior or senior year in a Palm Beach or Martin County high school in the fall, have a minimum grade point average of 3.0, and are at least 16 years old by the first day of the program.

10. Observer Program at Baptist Health Academics

While not a traditional internship program, the Baptist Health Academics’ Observer Program is part of their externships and shadowing opportunities for students. This program allows you to shadow and observe Baptist Health clinicians during patient care activities. You can opt to shadow under the supervision of a Baptist Health employee or medical staff member, including physicians. This program allows you to participate in rounds, witness medical procedures, and attend teaching conferences. The program aims to give you an insider’s view of healthcare careers. The duration of the observership is determined by the clinician and can extend up to four weeks.

Location: Baptist Health, South Florida, FL

Stipend/Cost: No cost for high school students. No stipend is offered.

Internship Dates: Decided by the clinician you’re paired with, can extend up to 4 weeks.

Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis year-round.

Eligibility: Participants must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program.

One other option — Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are interested in a selective, structured research program in medicine and healthcare, consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, an online high school program for students founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers. The program pairs you with a full-time researcher to develop your own independent research project, in any discipline of your choice. Last year over 4000 students applied to 500 slots in the research program! You can find the application form here.

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image Source: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience logo