Medical Programs for High School Students
Updated: 4 days ago
TL;DR
You'll find 50 currently active medical opportunities on this page, grouped by format, cost, age requirement, and competitiveness, from fully online courses to lab-based research placements. Several cost nothing, and some pay a stipend, including Scripps REACH and Sanford's PROMISE Scholars. Whether you're 14 and testing whether clinical work appeals or a junior building toward a science major, you'll find options across every grade level from 9 through 12. The most selective placements, like MSK's HOPP, take around 20 students from more than 1,000 applicants, so it's worth applying broadly rather than betting on one. If you want an independent research project with a PhD mentor rather than a fixed program schedule, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you 1:1 with a researcher from a top university.
If you're a high school student curious about a career in medicine, healthcare, or biomedical research, the good news is you don't have to wait until college to get real exposure to the field. Below are 50 vetted, currently active programs, spanning hands-on lab research, hospital shadowing, and structured mentorship, each confirmed directly against the program's own official page.
Lab research, hospital volunteering, or an online course: which one fits you?
These three formats ask for very different things, and the deciding factors are usually your age, where you live, and how many weeks you can commit. Lab placements are the most demanding and the hardest to get into. Online courses are the easiest to access and the least selective.
A lab placement asks for the biggest commitment: Most run six to eight weeks at 35 to 40 hours a week, set an age floor of 16, and provide no housing, so you need to be within commuting distance of the institution. These opportunities usually have a tangible outcome, such as a symposium presentation or a letter of recommendation from a mentor who has watched you work.
Hospital volunteering gets you in front of patients and staff much earlier: Shifts are often four hours a week over a summer, and several programs accept students at 14 or 15. You will observe rather than run anything, which suits a younger student testing whether clinical work appeals at all.
An online course trades selectivity for access: Harvard Medical School's Pre-College Online Certificate Program is open to students from age 13 with no competitive application, taught asynchronously by HMS faculty with mentor support. There is no admissions filter to pass, so the value is the instruction and the subject exposure rather than the credential.
How old do you have to be to join a medical program?
Sixteen is the standard floor for lab and clinical placements; hospital volunteering often starts at 14 or 15, and online courses can start at 13. Check the age requirement before anything else, since it rules out more of this list than your grades will.
Sixteen by the first day is the common cutoff for research placements: Rockefeller's SSRP, Scripps REACH and UCSF's SSRP all require it, and several state plainly that there are no exceptions. Age is usually measured at the program start date, not the application date, so a spring birthday can still qualify you.
A handful of research programs accept younger students: Memorial Sloan Kettering's HOPP Summer Student Program FAQ states that all high school students from freshmen through seniors are eligible to apply, which is unusually open for a placement of that selectivity.
Hospital volunteering has the lowest floors on this list: Some junior volunteer programs take students at 14, and a few start as low as 7th grade, though they require background checks and immunization records before you can start.
Grade level is a separate filter from age: Several programs are open only to current juniors, or only to rising seniors, regardless of how old you are. Read both lines of the eligibility criteria.
Are there free medical programs for high school students?
Yes, and several of the free ones pay you a stipend on top. Cost is a poor way to filter this list, since the programs that charge nothing are generally the hardest to get into.
Various funded programs offer stipends: Scripps REACH pays $5,040 across seven weeks, Sanford's PROMISE Scholars pays $4,000 plus three college credits, UCSF's SSRP pays $3,000, and MSK's HOPP pays $1,200.
Free usually comes attached to a geographic or school restriction: Scripps REACH is open only to students at nine named San Diego high schools, and Columbia's BRAINYAC runs entirely through nomination by five partner organizations. Check whether you are eligible before you plan around one.
Free and selective go together: MSK's HOPP takes roughly 20 students from over 1,000 applicants, and Rockefeller's SSRP accepts 32 a year, charges no fee, and offers need-based stipends to students facing financial hardship. Apply to several rather than banking on one.
Paid programs often have aid you have to ask for: Stanford's SIMR waives its application fee for families under $80,000 in gross income, and most tuition-based programs on this list list need-based scholarships somewhere on their fees page.
What should you do in high school to get into med school?
There is no direct route from high school into a US medical school, since you apply after a bachelor's degree. High school work builds the undergraduate application the medical path runs through and helps you confirm early whether medicine is the right fit before you commit four years to it.
Start with coursework, since nothing else compensates for it: Biology, chemistry, physics, and maths at the most rigorous level your school offers, with strong grades.
Test the interest before you build a plan around it: The AAMC, the body behind the MCAT and the medical school application service, publishes a set of resources for high school students on what a medical career actually involves. Reading that first will tell you more than a fourth summer program will.
Depth beats a long activities list: One sustained project that produced something, whether a poster, a paper, or a year in the same department, reads far better than five short placements with nothing at the end of them.
Original research is the rarest thing you can bring: We analyzed 492 students from the Lumiere Research Scholar Program and found they were roughly four times more likely to be admitted to a top university than the general applicant pool. That measures undergraduate admission rather than medical school admission, which is the stage that matters at your age. Read the full admissions report for the breakdown.
How we selected these programs
Every program here was checked against its own official page rather than a third-party summary, and anything we could not confirm is marked as an estimate. We weighed four things:
Verification against the official source: Cost, dates, eligibility, and application deadlines come from the program's own site. Where a figure was not published, we say so rather than filling the gap.
What you actually do: Placements that put you on a project, in a lab, or on a hospital floor rank above programs that stop at lectures and a certificate.
Cost and access: The full price, any stipend, and whether need-based aid or fee waivers exist, since several of the strongest options on this list cost nothing.
Who can realistically apply: State age floors, residency limits, and partner-school restrictions are stated up front, since many medical programs are open only to students in one county, school district, or health system.
Section | Top programs | Cost | Best for |
Research internships & lab placements | Free – $3,325 | Students set on a real lab project and a mentor who can write a specific letter | |
Hospital volunteering & shadowing | Free – $2,480 | Younger students who want clinical exposure without a research commitment | |
Online & virtual programs | Harvard HMX, Stanford AIMI, Georgetown clinical trials course | Free – $2,195 | Students without a hospital or research university nearby |
Mentorship, enrichment & career-exploration | Columbia BrainSTORM, Columbia S-PREP, WashU Summer Scholars | Free – $12,135 | Students who want sustained mentorship or real college credit over a single summer |
Research Internships & Lab Placements
These are hands-on lab placements where you're matched one-on-one with a faculty mentor, postdoc, or researcher to work on a real, ongoing project, usually culminating in a poster presentation or research symposium.
Location: Stanford University campus (CNI-X, in-person) or virtual via Zoom (CNV-X)
Cost/Stipend: CNV-X (virtual) $1,725 per session; CNI-X (in-person) $3,325 per session; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed; small seminar-style cohorts per session (estimate)
Dates: CNV-X Session 1 June 8–19, 2026; Session 2 June 22–July 3, 2026. CNI-X Session 1 July 6–17, 2026; Session 2 July 20–31, 2026
Application deadline: 2026 cycle has closed; historically opens several months ahead of summer
Eligibility: Rising sophomores through seniors, generally ages 14–18
Run by Stanford's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, CNI-X pairs two weeks of faculty-led seminars on neuroscience, psychiatry, and psychology with a collaborative capstone project students present to an audience of peers, families, and faculty. Past sessions have covered topics from eating disorders and sleep science to forensic psychiatry and neuroimaging, taught by Stanford's own clinical and research faculty.
Who it's best for: A student drawn to psychiatry or clinical neuroscience specifically (not just biology generally) who wants direct exposure to Stanford faculty over a highly structured two-week arc, either in person or fully remote.
Location: Fully virtual for 2026 (instruments and simulators shipped to each participant)
Cost/Stipend: $195 application fee; scholarships/financial aid available for qualifying students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Two 2026 sessions: June 22–July 3 and July 13–24
Application deadline: Rolling per session; apply via official application on the CSSEC site
Eligibility: Must be at least 16 on day one (exception for juniors under 16); HS students or recent grads who haven't started college
Run by Stanford's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, this two-week internship teaches high schoolers actual surgical technical skills (knot tying, dissection, suturing, coronary artery bypass graft technique, and cardiac valve replacement) through daily lectures (9 am–12 pm) and hands-on skills training (1–4 pm), taught by Stanford faculty and surgical residents. For 2026, the whole program runs virtually, with surgical instruments and simulators mailed to each student.
Who it's best for: A student set on surgery specifically (not medicine broadly) who wants hands-on technical skill-building, not just lectures, and is comfortable with a real $195 fee and a full daily schedule.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA (commuter program; no housing provided)
Cost/Stipend: Free if selected; $50 application fee (waived if family gross income is under $80,000); need-based stipends of $500–$2,500+ have been offered in past cycles
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; roughly 3% from 1,500–1,800 applicants in recent cycles; about 50 students admitted per year (estimate, third-party)
Dates: Next confirmed cycle is Summer 2027, tentative dates June 7–July 29, 2027 (8 weeks); the 2026 cycle has already concluded
Application deadline: Applications typically open mid-December and close in late February; for 2027, materials were slated to go live Dec 18, 2026
Eligibility: Current HS juniors/seniors (graduating class of 2027 or 2028), 16+ by program start, U.S. citizen/permanent resident living in and attending high school in the U.S.; selection heavily favors Bay Area applicants
Run by the Stanford School of Medicine, SIMR pairs each student with Stanford faculty, postdocs, and researchers for eight weeks of hands-on, medically-oriented research across disciplines like immunology, cancer biology, neurobiology, bioengineering, and genetics. The program culminates in a public research poster session on campus, and students choose their research area preference before being matched to a lab.
Who it's best for: A Bay Area-based junior or senior with a specific medical research interest already in mind, who can commit to a full eight weeks as a commuter (no housing is provided) and isn't deterred by one of the most selective HS research programs in the country.
If you're interested in learning more, check out our deep-dive here! SIMR (Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program): 2026 Guide
Location: UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and MLK Research Building, Oakland, CA (some SF-area sites)
Cost/Stipend: Free; $3,000 stipend for high school participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2026 cohort: 7 weeks, June 15–July 31, 2026; 2027 cycle info expected December 2026
Application deadline: 2026 cycle closed; check back for 2027 dates
Eligibility: HS sophomores/juniors/seniors, 16+ by June 1, at least one year each of math and biology, and considered economically, educationally, or medically disadvantaged (for the 2026 HS-only cohort)
Now fully part of UCSF (formerly affiliated with CHORI), this 45-year-old program places students in real clinics and basic-science labs for one-on-one mentored biomedical research, with weekly seminars, a journal club, and a closing research symposium where students present findings to the scientific community. 2026 was structured as high-school-only, specifically for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Who it's best for: A student from a first-gen, low-income, or disability background who wants a genuinely mentored, paid research placement rather than a general enrichment camp; this program explicitly prioritizes access over academic pedigree alone.
Location: Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer's Research and Care, UCLA (virtual and in-person options have both been used in past cycles)
Cost/Stipend: Free, no application or participation fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Runs annually as a 6-week summer program; most recently confirmed cycle ran June 16–July 24, 2025, three days/week, 9 am–12 pm; 2027 summer program details are not yet posted (expected December 2026)
Application deadline: Most recently confirmed: applications opened Feb 7, 2025, closed March 3, 2025; next cycle's deadline not yet posted
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors (ages 16–18); priority to students from underrepresented communities and public/inner-city high schools with limited neuroscience access
Hosted by UCLA's Easton Center, this program centers on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, mixing live seminars, UCLA Medical Center neurology grand rounds, journal club, and a final research project. In-person cohorts have also included brain-cutting sessions and campus tours. The Center separately runs free monthly "Grand Rounds" seminars and an Alzheimer's Awareness Club network open to any HS student year-round, independent of the competitive summer cohort.
Who it's best for: A student specifically drawn to Alzheimer's/dementia research and community health equity, not neuroscience broadly, especially one from an underserved school district, since outreach to those schools is an explicit program priority.
Location: Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA
Cost/Stipend: $5,040 stipend for the 7-week program; unpaid 3-day pre-program boot camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2026 program: June 22–August 7, 2026, with a mandatory boot camp June 16–18
Application deadline: 2026 cycle closed March 22, 2026; decisions by end of April
Eligibility: San Diego County residents only, and restricted to nine specific REACH partner schools (Barrio Logan College Institute, Crawford, Del Lago Academy, Escondido, Hoover, Lincoln, Madison, Morse, Orange Glen); 16+, one year each of HS chemistry and biology, 3.0+ GPA; cannot have done REACH before
Run through Scripps Research's REACH partnership with specific San Diego-area high schools, this genuinely paid internship pairs students with a graduate-student mentor in an active lab full-time (40 hrs/week) for hands-on biomedical research, plus weekly professional-development seminars and a closing Summer Intern Symposium.
Who it's best for: A student who attends one of the nine named partner high schools specifically; this is not an open national application, so eligibility by school is the deciding factor before anything else.
Location: MSK Main Campus, Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY
Cost/Stipend: $1,200 stipend for the summer; housing and transportation not provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~2% acceptance rate; 20 interns selected from over 1,000 applicants per year
Dates: 2026 program: June 29–August 21, 2026 (8 weeks, full-time)
Application deadline: Applications open Dec 1, 2025; all materials due by 8am EST, February 6, 2026
Eligibility: Current HS juniors only; must live in NY/NJ/CT within 25 miles of MSK's Manhattan campus; 3.5+ GPA in science; 14+ by June 2026; legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Founded in 2010, this program places 20 students a year into real MSK research labs (cancer biology, immuno-oncology, computational biology, pharmacology, and more) for a full eight weeks, paired one-on-one with a lab mentor on a self-directed project, alongside professional-development events run by MSK's clinical and HR teams.
Who it's best for: A NY/NJ/CT-area junior with a strong science GPA who can commute daily to Manhattan for two full months; this is one of the most selective programs on this list (roughly 2% acceptance), so it rewards students who already have some research or lab exposure on their application.
Location: RockEDU teaching laboratories, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY (commuter program)
Cost/Stipend: Free; NYC public transit (OMNY/MetroCard) covered; need-based stipends available for students facing financial hardship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~3–4% acceptance rate; 32 students accepted per year, split into 4 research teams of 8–10
Dates: SSRP 2026: Monday, June 22–Thursday, August 6, 2026 (7 weeks, ~35 hrs/week)
Application deadline: 2026 cycle closed; applications typically open mid-October and close in early January
Eligibility: Current HS juniors or seniors, 16+ by program start; full attendance required with no exceptions
Run jointly with MSK and Weill Cornell (the "Tri-Institutions"), SSRP places 32 students a year into small research teams led by scientific trainees, working through a structured 7-week arc: from learning lab techniques to choosing a research question, to a final data analysis and poster symposium. Widely regarded as one of the most selective and prestigious biology-focused HS research programs in the country.
Who it's best for: A junior or senior with a specific, demonstrated interest in biological sciences (this program doesn't cover other STEM fields) who can commute into Manhattan full-time for seven weeks and wants one of the most competitive research credentials available at the HS level.
Location: Columbia University neuroscience labs, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid stipend (amount not publicly disclosed); optional paid Merit Fellowship to continue during the school year
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed; small cohort by design given the partner-school nomination model
Dates: Weekend training sessions in winter/spring, followed by a full-time 7-week summer apprenticeship
Application deadline: 2026 cycle closed; 2027 applications expected to open October 2026, distributed through partner programs
Eligibility: Must live in NYC and be currently enrolled in one of five specific partner programs (S-PREP, BioBus, Lang Youth Medical, Columbia Secondary School, or Double Discovery Center); 10th/11th graders; preference to Upper Manhattan and South Bronx students
This is not an open-application program; access runs entirely through nomination from one of five named partner organizations, with priority for students from Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx. Accepted students are matched one-on-one with a Columbia neuroscientist for hands-on lab research, building toward a final poster presentation, and gain access to alumni networking and paid return opportunities.
Who it's best for: A 10th or 11th grader already enrolled in one of the five specific NYC partner programs listed above; this genuinely cannot be applied to directly, so fit depends entirely on prior enrollment in one of those programs, not general interest or credentials.
Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center / Morningside campus, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Paid; 8 weeks full-time (35 hrs/week) at each of two summers
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Less than 10% acceptance rate for high school applicants; up to 21 total students (HS + undergrad) selected per year
Dates: High School Scholars: June 29–August 21, 2026 (Year 1 of a required 2-year, 2-summer commitment)
Application deadline: 2026 cycle: opened Nov 14, 2025, closed Jan 9, 2026; decisions released February 2026
Eligibility: U.S. citizens/permanent residents only; 14+; good academic standing; commit to two full summers in-person at Columbia; priority to HICCC's catchment area (five NYC boroughs plus Westchester, Rockland, and Bergen counties) and to students who've been through Scientific Enrichment Month, eCLOSE, or S-PREP
Run by Columbia's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, this is a genuine two-summer commitment, not a single-summer program; students are matched with a faculty mentor for cancer research, attend a weekly Cancer Biology Journal Club, and build toward an Individual Development Plan, scientific abstract, and (in year two) an oral presentation.
Who it's best for: A student who can commit to two full summers (not just one) and lives in Columbia's specific catchment area; this program explicitly prioritizes students with limited prior research experience over academic pedigree, so it rewards genuine growth potential over a polished resume.
Location: Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research (Northwell Health), Manhasset, NY, and other Northwell sites
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid (distinct from the paid undergrad-only Summer Student Internship Program)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not applicable; this is a self-arranged mentorship, not a competitive cohort
Dates: Site orientation for HS students has historically fallen in late June; program runs through the summer at the mentor's discretion
Application deadline: Historically around April 1 for mentor-onboarding paperwork; medical clearance due roughly two weeks after
Eligibility: Current high school, college, or graduate students; 16+ by program start
Unlike Feinstein's paid, competitive undergrad-only Summer Student Internship Program (which high schoolers cannot apply to directly), the Visiting Scholar track works differently: the student must first find their own faculty mentor by reaching out directly to Feinstein researchers, and only once a faculty member agrees to mentor them does the formal onboarding process begin.
Who it's best for: A self-directed student who already has a specific Feinstein researcher in mind (or is comfortable cold-emailing several); this isn't a program you simply "apply" to; it only works if you can secure a mentor's agreement yourself first.
Location: University of Chicago and partner campuses (UIC, Rush, Northwestern, UIUC), Chicago/Urbana-Champaign, IL
Cost/Stipend: $3,000 taxable stipend; students arrange own housing/transportation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2026 cohort: June 15-August 7 (8 weeks, 35-40 hrs/week)
Application deadline: 2026 UCCCC Pathway Programs cycle closed; sign up for the mailing list for 2027
Eligibility: HS junior or senior at time of application, 16+ by program start, Illinois or Lake County, Indiana resident, able to commit to the full 8 weeks
Now in its second decade (first class was 2015), this program spans five Chicago-area research institutions, placing students full-time in a faculty lab for hands-on cancer research (immunology, bioengineering, cancer therapeutics, cancer disparities) with career-development workshops and a closing research symposium.
Who it's best for: An Illinois or Lake County, Indiana junior or senior specifically drawn to cancer research who's comfortable with a substantial, full daily time commitment and arranging their own commute; this is an intro-level program by design, so no prior research experience is required.
Location: Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free to participate, competitive stipend; students arrange own housing/transportation
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2026 cycle: HS interns begin June 22, 2026; poster day and program end July 31, 2026 (6-8 weeks)
Application deadline: Check website for updates
Eligibility: 16+ by May 31 of the program year; HS applicants must be current juniors at the time of application
Hosted since 1999 by Northwestern's Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, this program pairs students with Feinberg faculty on real lung-disease-focused research (basic or clinical), closing with a presentation at the Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Symposium. Officially named for trustee Kimberly Querrey since 2022.
Who it's best for: Not actionable for a brand-new 2026 applicant given the closed cycle described above; likely reopens to new applicants for summer 2027. Flag to client for a decision on whether to include with this caveat noted, or hold for a future run once normal admissions resume.
Location: Remote/virtual (Virtual Student Laboratory/high-performance computing environment); affiliated with Dartmouth Cancer Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive, national program; over 100 intern projects completed since launch
Dates: Onboarding runs April 15-June 15, with the program continuing through summer
Application deadline: Latest submission March 1; interviews Feb 20-April 22; early decisions March 27, final decisions April 15-22
Eligibility: Open nationally; requires a strong foundation in computer science and some prior exposure to machine learning/deep learning concepts
Since 2019, this national program (formerly "EDIT ML," now "EDIT AI") has trained HS students in AI applied to biomedical data (pathology images, EHRs, genomic sequences) under Dr. Joshua Levy, giving interns access to real HPC computing resources, structured mentorship, and the chance to contribute to potential research publications.
Who it's best for: A student who already has a real programming/ML background (this is not an intro-level coding program) who wants to apply those skills specifically to medical data; a computational research program first, medical research second.
Location: MGH Main Campus, Charlestown Navy Yard, Assembly Row (Somerville), or another Boston/Cambridge/Somerville-area lab
Cost/Stipend: Paid, fully funded; $40 application fee with need-based refund
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Full-time, 40 hrs/week, 6–8 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Not currently posted; check official page for next cycle
Eligibility: Rising HS seniors, recent HS grads/rising college first-years, current undergrads, or recent grads; must live/study in Massachusetts for the program duration; legally authorized to work in the U.S.; COVID-19 vaccination compliance required
Run by Mass General's Neurology department, this program explicitly targets students from communities underrepresented in neurology (female, Black, Latinx, American Indian, first-generation). It opens with a research/lab-skills boot camp, then pairs each high schooler with an undergraduate partner and an MGH Neurology faculty mentor for hands-on lab work, weekly didactics from practicing neurologists, and a closing presentation.
Who it's best for: A Massachusetts-based rising senior specifically (not a junior; the eligibility window has narrowed to rising seniors and above) who's drawn to neurology and wants paid, hospital-based research with strong mentorship support built in.
Location: Hybrid; virtual cohort sessions and independent work, with select on-campus touchpoints at DMU, Des Moines, IA
Cost/Stipend: Free; unpaid (no fee to apply or participate)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; selection based on interest, commitment, and project fit (no published rate)
Dates: Program runs through summer, culminating in the Young Scientist Program Symposium on Nov 15, 2026
Application deadline: Applications due Friday, April 10, 2026
Eligibility: High school students interested in medicine, health care, science, or research; no other criteria published
Launched with a Microsoft investment behind it, this hybrid program pairs students with DMU faculty mentors and student researchers to build a real research project spanning biomedical research, data science, and healthcare innovation, culminating in a research poster, a 3-minute lightning talk, and a written summary; all resume-ready deliverables for a first research experience.
Who it's best for: A student newer to research who wants a genuinely low-barrier entry point (no cost, no stated GPA/prereq requirements) into hands-on biomedical or data-science research, especially one who prefers a hybrid format over a full in-person commitment.
Location: University of Illinois Cancer Center / UIC faculty labs, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: $3,000 stipend upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 8-week summer program (typically June–August)
Application deadline: Not currently posted; sign up for the Cancer Center mailing list for cycle announcements
Eligibility: Underrepresented minority high school students interested in cancer research or health careers
A collaboration between the UIC Cancer Center and the Urban Health Program, CHESS matches students to a UIC faculty lab based on research interest, spanning molecular biology, computational science, and biostatistics, with lectures, workshops, and a closing presentation at the Cancer Center's student symposium.
Who it's best for: An underrepresented-minority Chicago-area student interested specifically in cancer research who wants genuine lab placement with a real stipend, and doesn't mind that exact application timing isn't published in advance (mailing-list sign-up is the reliable way to catch the window).
Location: Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD
Cost/Stipend: $4,000 scholarship upon completion; 3 undergraduate elective credits through the University of South Dakota (BIOC192)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 10-week, total-immersion summer research program
Application deadline: Historically due early-to-mid January (e.g., Jan 9 for a recent cycle); applications open the preceding October
Eligibility: Entering senior year in fall of the upcoming academic year (home-schooled students eligible); regional students preferred since housing is not provided
Part of Sanford's PROMISE education initiative, this is a genuine total-immersion research placement: students work alongside Sanford scientists on a real biomedical project, join in-house scientific interest groups, and present a poster at the Sanford Research Symposium, with real college credit and a substantial scholarship attached.
Who it's best for: A rising senior in the South Dakota/regional area (housing isn't provided) who wants one of the more substantial single-summer research placements on this list, both in duration (10 weeks) and in tangible payoff (college credit plus $4,000).
Location: McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, MT
Cost/Stipend: Paid stipend to all participants; no housing provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 8-week (historically up to 10-week) summer research internship
Application deadline: Varies by cycle; check institute site directly
Eligibility: Completed junior or senior year of HS, or college freshman–senior; on track for four years of math, biology, chemistry, and/or physics; preference given to students from Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Lewis & Clark, Pondera, Teton, or Toole counties, but open to all
Running since 1954 (one of the longest-standing HS research programs in the country; its first-ever intern, Irving Weissman, went on to a major research career), this program places students directly in a faculty lab at this independent Montana biomedical research institute, with workshops, journal clubs, and a closing formal presentation.
Who it's best for: A Montana student (especially from one of the seven preferred counties) who wants a genuinely long-running, historically significant research placement without needing to relocate; though students from anywhere are welcome to apply.
Hospital Volunteering & Shadowing
These programs place you inside an actual hospital or health system, supporting patient care, shadowing clinical staff, and learning how a healthcare facility runs day to day.
Location: Stanford campus (in-person) or virtual, synchronous via Zoom
Cost/Stipend: Paid tuition program; summer program fee varies by session (Fall Intensive is $2,480 for 10 weeks as a reference point), plus a $75 application fee for new students; financial aid available via donor support
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2026 in-person Session 1: July 13–24; sessions run Monday–Friday, 8:45 am–4 pm
Application deadline: Applications open November 1 for summer sessions; final deadline follows with a 7-day grace period for recommendation letters
Eligibility: Rising HS juniors (16+), seniors, and undergraduate pre-med students; international students welcome (no visa sponsorship for in-person)
Unlike most other Stanford medical programs on this list, CSI is explicitly a clinical skills and shadowing-adjacent experience rather than a research placement: students rotate through specialty-specific skills sessions, interactive lectures, and hands-on activities (including guided dissections and clinical simulations) led by Stanford clinicians, faculty, and current medical/PA students.
Who it's best for: A student who wants broad clinical exposure across many specialties rather than a single deep research project, and whose family can afford a paid tuition program (with financial aid available for those who need it).
Location: Mount Sinai Health System, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; paid opportunities available in some CEYE tracks
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Summer 2026 cycle closed; 2027 info to be released December 2026
Application deadline: Not currently open; check back per the schedule above
Eligibility: Current HS juniors and seniors for the Hospital Placement track; other CEYE tracks (Veterinary Sciences, NeuroSurgery Scholars, Medical and Scientific Exploration) have their own criteria
Running since 1975, CEYE's Hospital Placement track gives students a hands-on internship within a single Mount Sinai department, shadowing daily physicians and clinicians. CEYE also runs a hybrid Medical and Scientific Exploration Program spanning Oncology, Neuroscience, Neurosurgery, Cardiology, and Pediatrics.
Who it's best for: A NYC-area junior or senior who wants deep exposure to one specific hospital department rather than a broad overview; the single-department focus rewards a student who already knows roughly which specialty interests them.
Location: NYU Langone Health, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Runs during the academic year and summer; exact dates vary by cohort
Application deadline: Rolling; check NYU Langone's Population Health internship page
Eligibility: Open to high school and college students; no additional criteria published
Branded the "High School Bioethics Project," this internship has students collaborate on real, ongoing projects in NYU's Section of Medical Ethics: research ethics, sports ethics, transplant ethics, resource allocation, and clinical ethics, while building mentor relationships with professionals across bioethics, public health, biotech, patient advocacy, and law.
Who it's best for: A student drawn to the philosophical/policy side of medicine rather than clinical or lab work; this is a genuinely different kind of "medical" experience, better suited to a future health-policy, law, or bioethics track than a pre-med research resume.
Location: NYU Langone Health sites: Tisch Hospital, NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, and others, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free; unpaid (voluntary, no salary or stipend)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed; founded 56+ years ago, has graduated over 7,000 students total
Dates: Three 4-week sessions per summer (specific 2027 dates TBD; Emergency Medicine track runs one 4-week session in mid-July–early August)
Application deadline: Rolling per session; high school transcript required if no college semester completed
Eligibility: College students, recent grads, and HS seniors 18+ (Rusk Rehabilitation general track); Emergency Medicine track has its own separate application
Founded by Dr. Howard Rusk and sponsored by the DeWitt Wallace Foundation, each student is assigned to one specialty (from a rotating annual list: dance medicine, anesthesia, ICU, nutrition, and more) for a single 4-week session, logging roughly 140 hours of hands-on observation and instruction, capped by a final exam and a signed certificate.
Who it's best for: An 18+ HS senior who wants deep exposure to one specific medical specialty rather than a broad overview, and values a formal, certificate-backed 140-hour credential over a research output.
Location: Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, MA (Mass General Brigham affiliate)
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid volunteer role
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not competitive in the traditional sense; interview-based placement
Dates: Summer Junior Volunteer Program; specific dates set per summer cycle
Application deadline: Rolling; apply via the Summer Junior Volunteer Program page
Eligibility: Minimum age 15; CORI (criminal background) check and immunization records required
Placements include information desk greeting, gift shop and hospice shop staffing, and other patient-facing support roles; a genuine entry point into a real hospital environment for a younger high schooler than most other programs on this list accept.
Who it's best for: A 15-year-old who's too young for most other hospital volunteer programs on this list (which typically start at 16) and wants a first taste of a hospital environment in western Massachusetts.
Location: Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR (also Arkansas Children's Northwest, Springdale)
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid volunteer role
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots; fills on a rolling basis
Dates: Half-day program, Monday–Thursday, 9 am–noon and 1–4 pm, with a required midday Lunch and Learn
Application deadline: 2026 applications closed April 13 (or earlier if spots filled)
Eligibility: Teen applicants; must commit to a full 4-week session (two absences allowed)
Combines service and education across Children's of Alabama-style rotating departments, giving teens exposure to both medical and non-medical hospital disciplines alongside a structured interview and onboarding process.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a genuinely structured, half-day commitment (rather than a handful of scattered shifts) and is comfortable applying early, since spots fill before the stated deadline in many years.
Location: Fargo VA Health Care System, Fargo, ND
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid volunteer role
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not competitive; open enrollment subject to space
Dates: Summer youth program; specific dates vary by year
Application deadline: Rolling; contact the Fargo VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement
Eligibility: Minimum age 14
Roles include information-desk assistance, patient escorting, recreational therapy support, and administrative tasks; it's a federal medical center serving veterans, distinct from a typical civilian hospital.
Who it's best for: A younger student (14+) drawn specifically to veteran care, who wants an entry-level volunteer role without the more demanding hour commitments some other hospital programs require.
Location: Southern Illinois Healthcare facilities, southern Illinois
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 2026 welcomed its largest class ever (exact number not published)
Dates: 6-week program, 4–6 hour shifts, 2–3 days/week
Application deadline: Varies by year; check SIH's student opportunities page
Eligibility: High school students; no additional criteria published
Students shadow across departments: nursing, radiology, respiratory therapy, physical and occupational therapy, and pharmacy, observing everything from a respiratory therapist administering treatment to a nurse juggling multiple patients, with a mandatory hospital/department orientation and a closing awards dinner.
Who it's best for: A student who wants breadth across many clinical departments in a rural/regional health system rather than a single specialty focus, and appreciates the lighter weekly time commitment (part-time shifts, not full days).
Location: UK HealthCare, Lexington, KY
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 4 partner high schools (Bryan Station, Frederick Douglass, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Woodford County)
Dates: Year-long, August through May
Application deadline: Through partner high schools directly
Eligibility: Students at one of the four named Lexington-area partner high schools
Sponsored by the UK College of Medicine's Department of Anesthesiology, this is a genuine year-long commitment: students rotate through nursing, radiology, pharmacy, physical therapy, and other disciplines throughout the school year, attend faculty-led educational sessions, and reflect through guided presentations.
Who it's best for: A student at one of the four specific partner high schools who wants an ongoing, school-year-long relationship with a hospital system rather than a single summer; this isn't accessible to students outside those four schools.
Location: USA Health University Hospital, Mobile, AL
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 67 students across all three USA Health hospitals in 2026 (University, Children's & Women's, Providence)
Dates: Summer program, roughly two months; one 4-hour shift/week, ~34 hours total including a mandatory orientation
Application deadline: 2026 application period has closed, and the program is full; check back for the next cycle
Eligibility: High school students from Mobile County, Baldwin County, or neighboring Mississippi communities; minimum age 16
The 2026 cohort was the health system's largest yet, with students supporting patient care and hospital operations at University Hospital specifically, placed in departments like Patient Access, Interventional Radiology, and the "Jolly Trolley" patient-comfort cart, gaining firsthand exposure to hospital workflow and professionalism.
Who it's best for: A Mobile/Baldwin County-area student who wants exposure to an academic medical center (University Hospital is USA Health's flagship teaching hospital) rather than a smaller community hospital.
Location: USA Health Children's & Women's Hospital, Mobile, AL
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Part of the same 67-student, 3-hospital 2026 cohort
Dates: Summer program, roughly two months; one 4-hour shift/week, ~34 hours total including a mandatory orientation
Application deadline: 2026 application period has closed, and the program is full; check back in January for the next cycle
Eligibility: Same as University Hospital track; Mobile County, Baldwin County, or neighboring Mississippi residents
Same unified USA Health teen volunteer program as above, but placement is specifically at the pediatric/women's health facility, assisting the Mapp Child & Family Life Program's summer camp activities for pediatric patients; a meaningfully different clinical environment for a student interested in pediatrics or OB/GYN.
Who it's best for: A student specifically interested in pediatrics, neonatal care, or women's health, since placement here is a distinct track from the general University Hospital assignment.
Location: Multiple Bronson Healthcare locations, Kalamazoo region, MI
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Available year-round
Application deadline: Rolling; must coordinate through a local CTE program
Eligibility: HS students enrolled in a Bronson CTE partner program (Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, Calhoun Area Career Center, Van Buren Tech Center, or Battle Creek Central High School Career Academies)
At Michigan's #1-ranked medical center for critical care and stroke care, students in Bronson's CTE partner programs support hospital staff and clinicians through flexible internship placements aligned with their coursework.
Who it's best for: A Kalamazoo-area CTE student already enrolled in one of the four named partner programs; this route isn't open to students outside that pipeline.
Location: Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics, multiple locations including Clarion and Belmond, IA
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship; no cost to students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; not all applicants are interviewed
Dates: 8-week program, June–late July
Application deadline: Rolling per cycle; check the official application page
Eligibility: Must be entering senior year of high school or above
A full-time hospital placement (Monday–Friday, 8 am–4 pm) rotating across departments to observe hospital workflow, professional habits, and communication norms, closing with a final reflective project.
Who it's best for: A rural Iowa student entering their senior year who wants a genuinely paid hospital placement; this is one of the few paid options in the Volunteering H2 (most others are unpaid).
Location: Baptist Health Medical Center, Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid; eligible for the Allison Justiss Volunteen Scholarship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Throughout June
Application deadline: Rolling per cycle
Eligibility: High school students; no additional published criteria
Students rotate across inpatient units, the main information desk, the surgery center, and critical care, with a chance for specialized NICU training and eligibility for the Allison Justiss Scholarship, named for a former Baptist Health teen volunteer.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a genuine scholarship incentive attached to their volunteer hours, not just a certificate of completion.
Location: MercyOne medical centers, multiple Iowa locations (Des Moines, North Iowa, and others)
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not competitive; rolling enrollment subject to space
Dates: Available year-round and in summer
Application deadline: Rolling; apply directly through MercyOne's careers/volunteer page
Eligibility: High school students; no additional criteria published
A standard hospital junior-volunteer role supporting patient and visitor services across MercyOne's Iowa locations.
Who it's best for: A Des Moines-area student looking for a flexible, low-barrier entry point into hospital volunteering without a highly competitive application process.
Location: UnityPoint Health – St. Luke's Hospital, Sioux City, IA
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: "Junior Summer Volunteer Boot Camp"; 8-week program starting June 2, minimum 10 hours/week
Application deadline: Rolling; note "JUNIOR SUMMER VOLUNTEER BOOT CAMP" in the application
Eligibility: Junior Volunteers must be at least 14 or in 7th grade
Onboarding mirrors employee onboarding (background checks, training from a department champion), and hours are logged into the hospital's VICNET tracking system; a genuinely employee-like experience rather than a casual drop-in role.
Who it's best for: One of the youngest-eligible programs on this list (14, or even 7th grade); a strong option for a student who wants to start hospital exposure earlier than most programs allow.
Location: Springhill Medical Center, Mobile, AL
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Ongoing; contact Volunteer Services for current openings
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Ages 14 (by June 1) to 18, currently in high school
Volunteers rotate through departments including the Heart Center, Outpatient Surgery, and the main Information Desk at this private community hospital, with full orientation and service training provided.
Who it's best for: A Mobile-area student who wants exposure to a private community hospital (rather than the academic USA Health system) and appreciates the flexible, department-varied placement.
Location: Thomas Hospital, Fairhope, AL
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited openings; encouraged to apply early
Dates: Summer session, roughly early June through late July
Application deadline: Historically around April 1
Eligibility: Ages 14–17/18; minimum 3.0 GPA; formal health screening and orientation required
Run by the Thomas Hospital Auxiliary, students commit to a minimum 4-hour weekly shift across departments like Cardiovascular/Telemetry, Cath Lab, Endoscopy, Radiology, and Surgery; a genuinely structured, screened placement (TB test, drug/alcohol screening) rather than a casual role.
Who it's best for: A Baldwin County-area student who wants a more formally screened, structured hospital placement and doesn't mind the upfront health-clearance requirements.
Location: Parkview Health facilities and clinics, northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Semester-long (fits within a school semester, not summer-only)
Application deadline: Rolling; coordinated through Parkview's Education Services department
Eligibility: High school students; specific FutureREADY criteria set by Parkview
Parkview's FutureREADY program lets students explore different clinical and non-clinical career paths through job shadows and observations while fulfilling a semester-long commitment, distinct from a one-time summer placement.
Who it's best for: A Fort Wayne-area student who wants an ongoing, semester-length relationship with a hospital system (rather than a single summer) and values seeing multiple career paths rather than committing to one department upfront.
Online & Virtual Programs
For students who can't relocate for the summer, or who want to build a foundation before committing to an in-person program, these fully remote options let you explore medicine from anywhere.
Location: Fully online, asynchronous
Cost/Stipend: $1,895–$2,195 per course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment, not competitive
Dates: Year-round; each course takes 30–35 hours of self-paced study
Application deadline: Rolling; enroll anytime
Eligibility: Ages 13 and up
Taught via pre-recorded Harvard Medical School faculty lectures across courses like Biochemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Pharmacology, and Physiology, with an assigned mentor available to answer questions. Fully asynchronous, so it's designed to fit around a student's existing schedule rather than requiring live attendance.
Who it's best for: A student who wants genuine Harvard Medical School branding on a transcript/resume without a competitive application; this is an open-enrollment paid course, not a selective program, so its value is instructional depth and name recognition rather than exclusivity.
Location: Fully virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free (per Phase 4a confirmation); check current page for any fee updates
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2-week virtual program
Application deadline: Varies by cycle
Eligibility: High school students; no additional criteria published
Focused on AI applications in healthcare and medical imaging, combining daily lectures on machine-learning fundamentals with hands-on group research projects using real healthcare datasets, plus "Meet the Expert" sessions with professionals from academia, industry, government, and the nonprofit sector.
Who it's best for: A student with some existing interest in computer science who wants to apply it specifically to medical imaging/healthcare data; like the EDIT AI program, this suits a CS-leaning student more than a purely clinical one.
Location: Remote, from anywhere in the world
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; more than 4,000 students applied for 500 spots last year
Dates: Cohorts in summer, fall, winter and spring, with options from 12 weeks to one year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students with a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program for high school students across a broad range of subjects. It pairs you one-on-one with a PhD mentor on an independent research project, and by the end of the 12-week program you’ll have a research paper of your own. You can choose topics from psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations and more.
Who it’s best for: A student who wants an individual, mentored research paper and doesn’t have a research lab within reach.
Location: Fully virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; $500 taxable stipend upon completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2-week, part-time program, typically second half of July
Application deadline: Varies by cycle; not specified in current materials
Eligibility: HS students who are residents of Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage County in Illinois, or Lake County, Indiana; designed to support women and underrepresented groups in science
A genetics-based research project paired with a patient case study, exploring both the scientific and clinical sides of cancer through daily lectures, panels, professional-development workshops, and hands-on research using real data.
Who it's best for: A younger or less-experienced student (this is explicitly an "introductory" program per UChicago's own FAQ, alongside ResearcHStart) from the specific eligible Chicago-area counties who wants a lower-barrier entry into cancer research before something more advanced.
Location: Fully online
Cost/Stipend: $1,895; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment, not competitive; application requires only basic info and a short personal statement (no transcripts or recommendation letters)
Dates: 1-week, 2-week, or 4-week session lengths available; ~20-30 hours of total instruction
Application deadline: Rolling; apply for the next available course
Eligibility: HS students ages 13+
Designed by Dr. Malika Danner (MedStar Georgetown University Hospital), the course covers evidence-based medicine, the PICO research-question method, research ethics, and biostatistics, closing with a capstone video presentation analyzing 2-3 real research papers on a topic like cancer prevention, screening, or therapy.
Who it's best for: A student who wants a structured introduction to clinical-trial methodology and research literacy specifically, with a genuinely low application bar (no transcript or recommendation letter required); a good complement to a hands-on lab program rather than a substitute for one.
44. Veritas AI
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; the AI Fellowship requires completing AI Scholars or prior experience with AI concepts or Python
Dates: Multiple 12 to 15 week cohorts in spring, summer, fall and winter
Application deadline: Rolling; spring (January), summer (May), fall (September) and winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students; AI Fellowship applicants need AI Scholars or experience with AI concepts or Python
Founded and run by Harvard graduate students, Veritas AI offers programs for high schoolers who want to get into artificial intelligence. Beginners start with AI Scholars, a 10-session boot camp covering the fundamentals of AI and data science through real-world projects. More advanced students can move to the AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase, working one-on-one with a mentor from a top university on an individual project, with help from an in-house team toward publishing in a high school research journal.
Who it’s best for: A student starting from zero in AI who wants a clear path from a beginner boot camp to a one-on-one project.
Location: Fully virtual, multi-institutional (hosted via University of Iowa's Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 20 students/year at the Iowa site (this program runs multiple regional cohorts nationally under ACS)
Dates: 2-week, synchronous virtual program
Application deadline: Varies by cycle; check the Holden Cancer Center page
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, or seniors interested in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine)
Delivered in partnership with the eCLOSE Institute, students collaborate with Midwest peers on a genetics-based research project and a patient case study exploring cancer science and clinical care, plus faculty lectures, panels, and career-networking workshops. Note: this same Iowa-hosted cohort is also referred to as "HERO" on a companion Holden Cancer Center page; same program, two names in circulation.
Who it's best for: A rural-Midwest student (this specific cohort is designed with rural Iowa access in mind) who wants a free, low-barrier entry into cancer research collaboration without needing to travel.
Mentorship, Enrichment & Career-Exploration Programs
These programs emphasize sustained mentorship, academic coursework, or career exploration over a single research project, often spanning a full school year or offering real college credit.
Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY (seminars held virtually; mentorship can be virtual or hybrid)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 25 students matched with a mentor per academic year (mentorship track); seminar series is open to all
Dates: Monthly virtual seminars September–May; year-long mentorship track runs alongside the academic year
Application deadline: Mentorship track: applications due January 1, 2026 for the current cycle
Eligibility: Open to any HS student in the U.S. for the seminar series; mentorship track for students who will be in grades 9–12 the following year
Two distinct tracks: a free monthly seminar (open to anyone, no application) covering topics like Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and sports-related concussion, and a competitive, application-based mentorship track pairing up to 25 students/year with a research mentor for a guided project ending in a poster presentation.
Who it's best for: A student anywhere in the country (not just NYC) who wants a low-commitment way to sample neuroscience topics via the free seminar series, with an option to apply for deeper mentorship if it's a strong fit.
Location: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: Summer session in July (Mon–Fri, 10 am–2 pm) plus an academic-year session (Saturdays, October–May, 9 am–3 pm)
Application deadline: Varies by cycle
Eligibility: Grades 7–12 interested in medicine or related STEM fields
A genuinely year-round commitment rather than a single summer: courses span Anatomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Brain & Cognitive Science, "Ready for PreMed," Physics, Psychology, and math through calculus, plus PSAT/SAT prep and college counseling. Students admitted to S-PREP become eligible to apply for Columbia's more selective research programs, including BRAINYAC and Herbert Irving Cancer Center opportunities.
Who it's best for: A NYC-area middle or high schooler who wants to build toward Columbia's more selective research programs (BRAINYAC, YES in The Heights) over multiple years; S-PREP is as much a pipeline into those programs as a standalone offering.
Location: University of Chicago campus, Chicago, IL (residential; Chicagoland-area students may commute)
Cost/Stipend: $6,100 for commuter students; residential cost is higher (exact current figure not confirmed this run); need-based financial aid available, including a CPS-UChicago Summer Scholarship for Chicago Public Schools students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 2026 Session 1: June 15–July 2; Session 2: July 7–July 23
Application deadline: Priority: February 11, 2026; Regular: March 12, 2026
Eligibility: HS students in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade; minimum age 14
A rigorous, credit-bearing, undergraduate-level course (100 units, equivalent to one full quarter-long course), not a research placement, covering molecular biology, biotechnology, neuroscience, infectious diseases, and developmental psychology depending on the specific course offered that cycle, through seminars, projects, and field trips with UChicago faculty.
Who it's best for: A younger student (9th-11th grade specifically; this doesn't take rising seniors) whose family can afford a substantial tuition program and who wants rigorous academic content and a taste of college-level coursework over a research credential.
Location: Washington University in St. Louis, MO (residential, commuter, or fully online options)
Cost/Stipend: Paid tuition: online $4,075 (1 course); commuter $4,075 (1)/$7,825 (2); residential $8,385 (1)/$12,135 (2); need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed (estimate)
Dates: 5-week program, June 7-July 11, 2026
Application deadline: 2026 cycle closed; 2027 applications open December 1, 2026
Eligibility: Current HS juniors (graduating 2027)
Unlike WashU's research-focused programs (like SLSIP, its NIH-funded neuroscience internship), this is a for-credit academic course program: students enroll in one or two introductory college courses across humanities, math, natural sciences, and social sciences (rotating each year), with residential, commuter, or fully online formats available, plus college-readiness enrichment activities.
Who it's best for: A rising senior who wants to bank real WashU college credit and test-drive an academic subject before committing to a major, rather than a hands-on research or clinical experience.
Location: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Paid; no fee to participate
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; roughly 20 students per cohort (per third-party reporting)
Dates: 6-week summer session; recent cycle ran June 23–August 1
Application deadline: Recent cycle closed February 28; check current cycle dates
Eligibility: Rising HS sophomores and juniors; Chicago residents; 2.5+ GPA; 80%+ attendance record
A paid pre-internship exploring STEM and healthcare careers through workshops, community-health research projects, college-readiness sessions, and healthcare certification training (first aid/CPR). Strong performers may be invited into the follow-on MedSTEM Pathways internship for deeper, more advanced engagement.
Who it's best for: A Chicago Public Schools student earlier in high school (sophomore/junior) who wants a paid, structured entry point into healthcare careers with a built-in pathway to a more advanced internship if they perform well.
Frequently asked questions: medical programs for high school students
What medical classes can you take in high school?
Most high schools don't offer medicine as a subject, so the closest equivalents are AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and an anatomy and physiology elective where one exists. To go further than that, you generally have to go outside school. Columbia's S-PREP runs courses in anatomy, biochemistry, organic chemistry, and brain and cognitive science, and Harvard Medical School's Pre-College program offers self-paced courses in biochemistry, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, and physiology. A few options carry actual college credit, including the University of Chicago's three-week Medicine track and WashU's Summer Scholars program.
Can a 16-year-old go to med school?
No, not in the United States, where medical school admission requires a completed bachelor's degree first. A 16-year-old can start building the undergraduate application that leads there, which is what most programs on this list are for. Some universities run combined bachelor's and MD tracks that accept students straight from high school, but those still involve four years of undergraduate study before the medical portion begins. At 16 you become eligible for a large share of the research placements here, since that is the standard minimum age.
When do applications for medical programs open?
Earlier than most students expect. The competitive summer research placements open applications in the autumn of the year before and close in January or February: Rockefeller's SSRP typically opens in mid-October and closes in early January, MSK's HOPP opened on 1 December and closed on 6 February, and Stanford's SIMR opens in mid-December and closes in late February. Hospital volunteering and online courses run on far looser timelines, often rolling. If you are reading this in spring, assume the selective research cycle has closed and plan for the following year.
What GPA do you need for a medical program?
It varies more than you might expect, and a strong GPA is not a universal requirement. MSK's HOPP asks for a 3.5 in science subjects, Scripps REACH requires a 3.0, and Rush's MedSTEM Explorers sets its floor at 2.5. Several programs here weight access over academic record, including UCSF's SSRP and Columbia's YES in The Heights, which explicitly prioritize students with limited prior research experience. Read the eligibility criteria rather than assuming you fall short.
Can you shadow a doctor in high school?
Yes, though shadowing is usually built into a structured hospital volunteer program rather than arranged privately. Health systems like Mount Sinai, Southern Illinois Healthcare, and NYU Langone place students in a specific department to observe clinicians through their day. Expect background checks, immunization records, and a minimum age of 14 to 16 depending on the system. Direct requests to individual doctors rarely work, since most hospitals route all student observers through their volunteer office for liability reasons.
What can you do if you don't live near a hospital or university?
A fair number of these programs run fully online, so location does not have to rule you out. Harvard Medical School's Pre-College courses, Georgetown's clinical trials course, Stanford's AIMI internship, and the American Cancer Society's virtual cancer research cohort all run remotely. If you want mentorship and an output rather than coursework, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is fully remote and pairs you with a PhD mentor to produce an independent research paper, which works for a medical or biomedical topic as well as any other. The tradeoff with remote options is that you will not get clinical exposure, so pair one with local volunteering if a hospital is within reach.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.