12 Medical Research Opportunities for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 7, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: May 26
Experience with medical research is one of the best tools to help students navigate their path into the medical profession. It can give them a head-start in their journey toward college by offering them experience and early exposure to their field of interest. Students can learn in various venues, including universities, hospitals and clinics, and research centers, as well as meet industry professionals. Conducting independent research while in high school can also help you stand out in college admissions.
In this article, we list 12 of the best medical research opportunities for high school students:
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high-school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Duration: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
Students at SIMR collaborate with Stanford faculty and researchers to conduct medical research. Students select one of eight study fields and are then allocated to a lab where they will be mentored one-on-one. SIMR is an 8-week program open to current juniors and seniors that gives a $500 stipend to participants.
Cost: None
3. Veritas AI (AI+Medicine) Deep Dive
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine program, 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.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
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: Ambitious high school students located anywhere in the world.
At MISA, students learn about healthcare through research, skills training (EKG, suturing, CPR, splinting, and taking vitals), shadowing, mentorship, and clinical immersion. They also participate in VIP lunches with health professionals, observe patients and medical procedures, and engage in patient-case workshops and discussions with physicians.
The five-day program is open to all high school students in grades 9-12. Students must be at least 15 at the time of applying.
Cost: $900
Hosted by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado, the program provides rising high school seniors the opportunity to work with faculty on child health research. Interns will also have the option to take part in a lecture research series and will present their findings at the end of their internship. Interns receive a $3,500 stipend to help with travel and housing expenses.
Cost: None
This six-week internship is for high school juniors and seniors who are interested in brain structure, function, and development. This program explores sophisticated imaging techniques and technology utilized in neuroscience. Interns in neuroscience gain experience with genetic engineering, microbiological preparations, histological staining, and microscopy by participating in laboratory research. Students will prepare a scientific abstract and give a short presentation at the end of the internship.
Cost: None
NSLC provides a forum for high school students to learn about medical issues, current healthcare concerns, and scientific research in areas like cancer and HIV/AIDS. Students will engage in clinical research, study medical examination and surgical methods, and participate in diagnosis and treatment.
Cost: $3695
This five-week online program provides coursework in medicine and health science, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities with health professionals. The program also offers college admissions guidance and mentorship to high school sophomores and juniors. Students will also complete a college-level research project and gain experience in navigating the medical profession.
Cost: None
This 8-week research program is organized by the Rheumatology and Immunology Laboratories at Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco. The program is open to high school juniors and seniors. Selected students work in top research and clinical laboratories at Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco, under the guidance of experts. Students work 40 hours per week in either basic laboratory research or clinical epidemiological/translational (patient-focused) research. The program offers a $1500 stipend.
Cost: None
HS-SIP allows students to do full-time biomedical research at NIH facilities, working alongside professionals. Applicants must be juniors or seniors at the time of application and 17 years old at the commencement of the program to be considered. The program is 8 weeks long and offers selected students a stipend of $2080 per month.
Cost: None
This is a four-week virtual internship for high school juniors and seniors that allows them to participate in basic, translational, or clinical scientific research at MWRI and Magee-Womens Hospital. Students work under the supervision of an investigator and their team. Interns also take part in sessions where investigators talk about their own experiences and perspectives in biomedical science. Interns will report their findings to other program participants as well as MWRI instructors and staff at the program's completion.
Cost: None
Participants in this six-week online program are partnered with mentors and spend 40 hours per week on laboratory research, database research, or clinical research. They also attend weekly workshops and professional development sessions on issues such as seeking admission to graduate and professional programs of study. The program offers a stipend to participants.
Cost: None
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best medical research program for high school students? The NIH High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP), Stanford SIMR, and the Children's Hospital Colorado Summer Child Health Research Internship are widely considered the most prestigious. NIH HS-SIP is federally funded with a $2,080/month stipend and ~15% acceptance rate. SIMR is free with a $500 stipend at Stanford. Children's Colorado offers a $3,500 stipend and explicit travel/housing support.
Are there free medical research programs for high school students? Yes, several. Stanford SIMR, Children's Hospital Colorado, Max Planck Florida Institute, Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, Arthritis Foundation Summer Science Internship, NIH HS-SIP, Magee-Womens Research Institute, and IU Simon Cancer Center are all free. Some also provide stipends.
Are there virtual or online medical research programs? Yes. Lumiere Research Scholar Program, Veritas AI + Medicine, Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, Magee-Womens Research Institute Summer Internship, and the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center Summer Research Program are all fully virtual or online. These are particularly accessible for international students and students who can't relocate for in-person programs.
Key Takeaways
12 medical research programs span federal (NIH HS-SIP), university-affiliated (Stanford SIMR, Children's Colorado, IU Simon Cancer Center), institute-based (Max Planck, Magee-Womens, Arthritis Foundation), and remote (Lumiere, Veritas) options.
Stipends range from $500 (SIMR) to $2,080/month (NIH HS-SIP); the most prestigious programs (NIH, Children's Colorado) pay the most.
Several programs target specific medical specialties — pediatrics (Children's Colorado), neuroscience (Max Planck), rheumatology (Arthritis Foundation), women's health (Magee-Womens), oncology (IU Simon).
Most programs require junior or senior standing — Stanford Medical Youth Science, MISA, and Lumiere are the most accessible to younger students.
Application deadlines cluster in February and spring; international students should focus on Lumiere, Veritas, and Magee-Womens.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD 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.