8 Medical Summer Programs for High School Students in Georgia
- Stephen Turban
- Sep 20, 2024
- 7 min read
Exploring the medical field through summer programs is a great way for high school students in Georgia to build advanced skills and gain hands-on experience beyond the classroom. Early exposure to healthcare professions develops critical skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and empathy, and can meaningfully strengthen college applications by demonstrating commitment and genuine interest in medicine.
Quick Summary: Free programs include Mercer Medical Camp (virtual, Georgia students), Grady Memorial Hospital TELP (volunteer shadowing, Atlanta, ages 14-19), PCOM Georgia Opportunities Academy (Gwinnett County students, clinical simulations), and SGMC Health Volunteen (rising 9th-12th graders, southern Georgia). Paid programs include Georgia Tech Emergency Medicine ($3,198-$5,498) and Emory Pre-College ($3,135-$4,803, need-based scholarships available). Virtual options include Veritas AI + Medicine ($2,290, financial aid available) and the Lumiere Research Scholar Program (need-based aid, open to all high school students worldwide).
For high school students in Georgia looking to explore medicine, we’ve compiled a list of 8 exceptional medical summer programs.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a prestigious online research opportunity designed for high-achieving high school students interested in conducting original research. In our flagship program, we pair talented high-school students with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1. This experience culminates in the production of an independent research project, offering a rare opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge scholarship while still in high school.
Participants gain valuable insights into advanced research methodologies, sharpen their critical thinking skills, and tackle complex issues under expert guidance. Whether your interests lie in AI, biomedical engineering, or political science, the program equips you with the skills needed to excel in both college applications and future academic pursuits. You can apply here!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Need-based scholarship available.
Lumiere Individual Research Program – $2,990
Lumiere Premium Research and Publication Program – $5,900
Lumiere Research Fellowship – $8,900
Application Deadline: Rolling, cohort-based. Applications for the summer cohort are open till May.
Program Dates: Varies based on the cohort. June for the summer cohort.
Eligibility: High school students
The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at Mercer University offers a week-long virtual medical camp that covers pertinent health topics. Led by doctors, scientists, and medical students from Mercer University School of Medicine, this camp is designed to be educational and interactive. Each day includes a teaching session followed by an activity, with all necessary supplies, including games and experiments. This camp is an excellent opportunity for students to learn from medical professionals. The camp is limited to 100 participants, ensuring a focused experience.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 15 - 19
Application Deadline: TBA.
Eligibility: Georgia high school students
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs geared toward high school students who want to build their foundations in computer science and AI. The AI + Medicine Deep Dive is an intensive 10-week program tailored for driven students keen on exploring the intersection of AI and medicine. Participants will interact with AI specialists, attend lectures, work with programming notebooks, and undertake a practical project focused on AI's role in healthcare and medicine.
This course offers a deep exploration of how AI is revolutionizing the medical field. You'll engage in projects that leverage AI and machine learning models to diagnose diseases, enhance medical imaging, and interpret results to support healthcare professionals and patients. The curriculum is crafted to provide insights into AI applications across various domains such as genomics, hospital management, drug development, neuroscience, and more. You can apply here!
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,290. Need-based financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Varies based on the cohort. May for the summer cohort.
Program Dates: Summer dates to be decided. The duration of the program is 25 hours over 10 weeks.
Eligibility: High school students in grades 8-12. Completion of AI Scholars or a background in coding is required.
Grady’s Teen Experience and Leadership Program (TELP), sponsored by the Office of Health Equity, offers high school students aged 14-19 an opportunity to gain firsthand experience in the healthcare field. You will shadow professionals in the hospital during 4-hour shifts, with a minimum commitment of one shift every two weeks. The program allows you to earn volunteer hours by working in a healthcare system, gain exposure to various health professions, and develop leadership skills. Additionally, TELP aims to strengthen community partnerships and build a healthcare workforce pipeline.
Location: Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June - July each year
Application Deadline: Information on applications will be updated here.
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 14-19.
The PCOM Georgia Opportunities Academy offers Gwinnett County high school students the chance to explore healthcare careers and connect with mentors through a free summer STEM camp. This program is aimed at students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in medicine. You will engage in clinical skills simulations, anatomy labs, and CPR training while gaining insights into the college application process. The program helps you understand the steps needed to pursue a career in healthcare. Additionally, the curriculum covers nutrition, heart and brain anatomy, and trauma simulation. You will have the chance to shadow healthcare professionals and explore careers such as physicians and physician assistants.
Location: PCOM Georgia, Suwanee, GA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June of each year
Application Deadline: Applications are due in April of each year.
Eligibility: Gwinnett County high school students
SGMC Health's annual Volunteen Summer Program allows high school students to explore the daily operations of a healthcare environment while gaining volunteer experience. You will be placed in a specific department to observe patient-centered care and essential administrative support roles. The program runs from June to July each year, with students working two four-hour shifts per week. This experience provides a deeper understanding of healthcare. Additionally, the volunteer hours earned through this program can be beneficial for future academic and career opportunities.
Location: Various SGMC Health campuses in Georgia
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 10 – July 26
Application Deadline: May each year.
Eligibility: Rising 9th-12th graders with a B or higher GPA.
The Emergency Medicine program at Georgia Tech offers a hands-on experience in the medical and healthcare fields. This two-week program covers everything from emergency medicine to the medical school admissions process. In the first week, you will learn essential skills such as taking vital signs, performing CPR, and mastering wilderness medicine techniques. You will also visit a simulation lab where medical students and faculty are trained and evaluated. The second week challenges you to apply these skills in a mass casualty incident simulation, where you must triage and stabilize victims. Simulations provide practice in wound care, bleeding control, suturing, and the use of splints and slings. Working in small groups, you will research patient histories, analyze symptoms, make diagnoses, and develop treatment plans.
Location: Georgia Tech University, Atlanta, GA
Cost: Residential: $5,498 tuition | Commuter: $3,198 tuition + $250 medicine course supplement
Program Dates: June 16 - June 28
Application Deadline: Dates will be released by September.
Eligibility: High school students
The Emory Pre-College Program is a two-week summer academic experience for high school sophomores and juniors. It provides a preview of the academic rigor and campus life at a prestigious national university. The program offers a range of courses in Pre-Health and STEM/Sciences, including Concepts in Biology, Human Genetic Diseases, Human Physiology, Medical Microbiology, Neuroscience, and many more. Beyond the academic rigor, you will experience campus life at Emory University, interacting with peers from across the country and gaining insights into the college application process. The program is designed to help you explore your academic interests while developing the skills and confidence needed for future success in higher education.
Location: Emory University, Atlanta, GA or virtual
Cost: Need-based scholarships available. Residential: $4,803 | Commuter: $3,435 | Online: $3,135
Program Dates: Session A: June 16 - June 29 | Session B: June 30 - July 13 | Session C: July 14 - July 27 (On Campus) | Session C: July 15 - July 26 (Online)
Application Deadline: Sign up here to receive the latest announcements.
Eligibility: High school students
Key Takeaways
If you want a free program: Mercer Medical Camp (virtual, all Georgia students), Grady Memorial TELP (Atlanta, ages 14-19, volunteer shadowing), PCOM Georgia Opportunities Academy (Gwinnett County, clinical simulations and anatomy labs), or SGMC Health Volunteen (southern Georgia, rising 9th-12th graders).
If you want hospital or clinical exposure: Grady Memorial TELP (shadow professionals during 4-hour shifts at one of Atlanta's largest hospitals), PCOM Georgia (CPR training, anatomy labs, trauma simulation), or SGMC Health Volunteen (placed in a specific department for patient-centred care).
If you want hands-on simulation experience: Georgia Tech Emergency Medicine (mass casualty simulation, suturing, wound care, triage over 2 weeks) or PCOM Georgia (clinical skills simulations with physicians and PAs).
If you are a sophomore or junior: Emory Pre-College (2 weeks on campus, courses in human physiology, neuroscience, medical microbiology, need-based scholarships available).
If you need a virtual or remote option: Mercer Medical Camp (free, virtual, Georgia students), Veritas AI + Medicine (virtual, AI in healthcare, financial aid available), or Lumiere Research Scholar Program (fully remote, 1-on-1 PhD mentorship, need-based aid, open to all high school students worldwide).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there free medical summer programs for high school students in Georgia? Yes. Mercer Medical Camp is free and fully virtual, open to all Georgia high school students. Grady Memorial Hospital TELP is free and open to students aged 14-19 in Atlanta. PCOM Georgia Opportunities Academy is free for Gwinnett County students. SGMC Health Volunteen is free for rising 9th-12th graders with a B average or higher in southern Georgia.
Can freshmen apply to medical summer programs in Georgia? Several programs accept students from grade 9 onwards. SGMC Health Volunteen accepts rising 9th graders. Grady Memorial Hospital TELP accepts students aged 14-19, which includes most freshmen. Emory Pre-College targets sophomores and juniors specifically. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is open to all high school students regardless of grade.
Are there Georgia medical programs available to students outside Atlanta? A few programs serve students across the state. Mercer Medical Camp is fully virtual and open to all Georgia high school students. SGMC Health Volunteen operates across multiple campuses in southern Georgia. PCOM Georgia is based in Suwanee in Gwinnett County. For students outside these areas, Veritas AI and Lumiere are both fully virtual with no location restrictions.
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.