9 Medical Courses for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 8
If you're a high school student looking to explore medicine in a short, structured, and accessible manner, consider a medical course!
What are medical courses? Why should I do one as a high school student?
Medical courses, specifically, can help you explore specific subfields, such as anatomy, public health, or artificial intelligence in medicine in a flexible and self-paced format, without the logistical hassles of an in-person program. Additionally, getting a medical course certificate can demonstrate interest and commitment in the field outside of the classroom - something that admissions officers love!
You should note that simply doing medical courses in high school will not guarantee a spot in an undergraduate program of your choice. Instead, it is important to pair this theoretical experience with an internship or research project in medicine to add and may make it easier to get future internships or research projects.
Medical courses, like the ones in the list below, are offered by reputable platforms like Coursera and EdX as standalone courses, or by universities as part of their pre-college roster!
Provider: Doane University
Cost: $500 (for credit earned after passing the course with a C or better)
Eligibility: Learners must enroll in the Verified Certificate option and receive a passing grade of a C or better
Format: Virtual, 5 hours/week
This course offered by Doane University is for students pursuing careers in medicine and Allied Healthcare. It provides training in medical vocabulary, focusing on root words, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations. Throughout the course, you will gain a foundational understanding of medical terms related to anatomy, physiology, pathology, and diagnostic tests. This course is credit-eligible through Doane University's Open Learning Academy, offering 3-4 credit hours. You will have to work with your high school to see if these credits can be applied to your record.
Cost: $2,290 (financial aid available)
Eligibility: High school students with prior coding experience or completion of the AI Scholars Program
Format: Virtual, 10 sessions (2.5 hours per session)
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Program Dates: Varies according to cohort
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.
Although this isn't a traditional course like the ones you may find on Coursera or EdX, it follows a similar weekly structure and learn-test format that mirrors a course!
Provider: University of Michigan
Cost: Free (optional paid certificate for $49)
Eligibility: High school students interested in neuroscience or medicine
Format: Virtual, self-paced (17 hours)
This course explores the anatomy of the human brain and explains how neural structures correspond to behavior and cognition. It can be useful for students interested in neurology or psychology.
Provider: University of Copenhagen
Cost: Free (optional paid certificate for $49)
Eligibility: Open to high school students
Format: Virtual, self-paced
Duration: 19 hours (3 weeks at 6 hours a week)
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to global health challenges and how healthcare systems operate in developing countries. It covers infectious diseases, maternal health, and global healthcare systems.
Provider: University of Toronto
Cost: Free (with optional paid certificate)
Eligibility: High school students interested in psychology and medical applications
Format: Virtual, self-paced
Duration: 22 hours (3 weeks at 7 hours a week)
This course provides a scientific approach to understanding human behavior, focusing on psychology's role in health and mental well-being. It serves as a foundation for students exploring careers in psychiatry or psychology.
Provider: Harvard University
Cost: Free (optional certificate for $90)
Eligibility: High school students
Format: 7 weeks, 3–5 hours per week
This course explores how climate change affects global health. Topics include heat-related illnesses, respiratory issues, and vector-borne diseases, making this course ideal for students interested in public health.
Cost: $34.99
Eligibility: High school students interested in emergency care and first aid
Format: Virtual, self-paced
Duration: 4 hours
Through this course, you will learn the basics of first aid, CPR, and trauma care. This course will teach you life-saving techniques that are applicable in real-world emergencies.
Provider: Johns Hopkins University
Cost: Free (with an optional paid certificate for $49)
Eligibility: High school students interested in oncology
Format: Virtual, self-paced
Duration: 8 hours
This course introduces the biology of cancer, covering its causes, diagnosis, and treatment. It’s ideal for students considering careers in medical research or oncology.
Provider: St. George's, University of London
Cost: Free 2-day trial, and then $39/month
Eligibility: High school students interested in genetics, genomics, and personalized medicine
Format: Virtual, self-paced
Duration: 4 weeks (4 hours/week)
This course will introduce you to the emerging field of genomic medicine, exploring how genetic information is used in diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases. It could be helpful for students who want to pursue careers in genetics or medical research.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research in medicine, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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.
Image Source - Harvard Logo
