15 Free Medical Programs for High School Students in NYC
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 10 min read
If you're a high school student considering a future in medicine, summer medical programs can offer an affordable and practical way to test that interest early. These programs often provide access to college-level coursework, hands-on lab activities, clinical observations, and seminars led by healthcare professionals. You also get a feel for campus life, build connections with mentors in the field, and start developing key skills in biology, anatomy, research, and patient care. For students looking to understand what a career in medicine entails, these programs offer focused exposure without long-term commitment.
New York City, home to major hospitals, medical schools, and public health institutions, offers numerous high-quality, free programs specifically designed for high school students. Below, we’ve curated a list of the top free medical programs for high schoolers in NYC to help you get started.
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Dates: June 30 – August 22
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: Students who have completed at least 9th grade by June, at least 14 years old, with a 3.5+ GPA in science courses
Cost/Stipend: Free; $1,200 stipend provided
This selective 8-week program offers high school students hands-on exposure to cancer research in a professional biomedical lab. You'll be matched with a mentor, such as a postdoc, grad student, or technician, and carry out an independent research project tied to cancer biology or computational oncology. The program includes weekly journal clubs, lab tours, and luncheons with principal investigators, designed to build both technical understanding and scientific communication skills. You'll also participate in team-building and networking activities with peers and researchers. The program culminates in a poster presentation of your findings.
Location: Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Dates: June 23 to August 7
Application deadline: January 3
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, age 16 or older at the time of application
Cost or stipend: Free, need based stipends available
The SSRP offers a structured, research-intensive experience focused on biomedical science fields such as genetics, immunology, neuroscience, and stem cell biology. You’ll work in a small cohort under the guidance of a Rockefeller trainee, gaining hands-on experience with lab equipment and experimental design. After selecting a research question, you’ll analyze data and develop a project throughout the program. The experience concludes with a poster presentation at a formal symposium. The program emphasizes collaborative learning and foundational lab skills in a mentored research environment.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type; financial aid is available | None
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June) | Summer cohort: June 1
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November) | Summer cohort: May 10
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in high school | Must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement (Note: accepted students have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. It offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs you with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. You can choose research topics from subjects such as medicine, psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can find more details about the application here. Even though the program isn’t run by a university, completing it may make you eligible to receive UCSD credit.
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: February 23 for the Spring cohort. The summer cohort regular admission deadlines are April 27 and May 25. The Summer II program’s deadline is June 22, and the Winter program is in November
Dates: March 16 — May 18 (Spring cohort)
Eligibility: Grades 8-12 with a background in coding, or who have either completed the AI Scholars program or have a coding background
Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Track, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers programs for high school students that deep dive into the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and medicine. You will learn complex topics such as the Fundamentals of Clinical Evolution, Image Segmentation and Regularization, and Transfer Learning. You will gain an insight into the application of AI in hospital admissions, genomics, neuroscience, and drug discovery, among others. You will interact with AI experts, and be part of lectures and a hands-on project where you will use AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to help doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form!
Location: Columbia University labs, New York, NY
Dates: TBA
Application Deadline: Applications open in October
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors residing in NYC, preference for students from Upper Manhattan and the South Bronx
Cost/Stipend: Free, stipend provided
BRAINYAC offers high school students mentored research experience in neuroscience at Columbia University. You’ll be paired with a neuroscientist and conduct a project in a university lab, gaining hands-on exposure to experimental design, lab protocols, and data analysis. The program begins with technical training and continues with immersive lab work guided by your mentor. Past participants can apply for continued research funding through a Merit Fellowship or return as paid interns in future cohorts. The program is designed for students seriously exploring neuroscience or medicine.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: April 15 for Summer, September 15 for Academic Year
Program Dates: July 28 to August 8 for Summer, November 9 to May 17 for Academic Year
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 12 with at least an 80 percent GPA, especially in math and science
S-PREP is a no-cost enrichment program for students from underrepresented backgrounds who are exploring careers in medicine or STEM. You’ll attend weekend or summer classes in topics like anatomy, statistics, and test prep. You will also participate in college readiness workshops, advising sessions, and campus visits. You'll gain exposure to university-level expectations while building a network of mentors and peers who share similar goals.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: Free tuition. Students cover housing and transportation. Stipend awarded after completion.
Application Deadline: February 7
Program Dates: June 30 to August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and at least 16 years old
The Simons Summer Research Program allows you to conduct intensive, full-time research under the guidance of Stony Brook faculty in fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, math, and engineering. You'll be integrated into a working lab team, participate in meetings, and build foundational skills in areas such as data analysis, lab protocols, and scientific writing. Over six weeks, you’ll contribute to an ongoing research project and produce both an abstract and a poster to present your work. The program is a strong fit if you're looking for advanced lab experience and exposure to academic research before college.
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: 5,500 dollars for commuters, need-based financial aid available
Application Deadline: March 2
Program Dates: June 30 to August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors in the U.S. with strong academic records and an interest in STEM
NYU GSTEM is a selective six-week summer research program where you'll work closely with a mentor on an independent project in STEM fields such as biology, data science, engineering, or physics. Hosted at NYU’s Brooklyn campus, the program prioritizes students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in the STEM fields. It caps enrollment at 40 participants. You’ll gain experience in lab work, coding, data analysis, and research communication. Weekly seminars and site visits complement the research component, giving you insight into academic and industry careers, especially those led by women in STEM.
Location: NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
Stipend: Amount not specified
Application Deadline: Opens in August
Internship Dates: Summer
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
This selective internship explores real-world ethical questions in medicine, public health, and biotechnology through weekly seminars and independent reflection. You’ll examine issues such as resource allocation, patient autonomy, and medical research ethics while engaging with professionals in healthcare, law, and advocacy. The program involves reading and discussing articles on bioethics, attending guest lectures, and completing a short research paper. You’re expected to commit 10–15 hours per week across the semester. This is a great option if you’re interested in the intersection of medicine, ethics, and policy.
Location: Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY
Stipend: Amount not specified
Application Deadline: Closed currently, check back in the Fall
Program Dates: TBA
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a minimum GPA of 85 who are underrepresented minorities or economically disadvantaged
Mount Sinai’s CEYE program offers you exposure to medical careers through clinical rotations, seminars, and hands-on learning in hospital settings. You’ll shadow healthcare professionals, attend sessions on patient care and ethics, and engage with faculty across specialties. Over six weeks, you’ll complete a logbook, pre-/post-assessments, and develop a final research paper and presentation. The program emphasizes reflection, research, and real-world experience. It’s ideal if you're interested in exploring healthcare from both academic and clinical perspectives.
Location: Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY
Stipend: Hourly stipend provided
Application Deadline: December 13
Program Dates: June 30 to August 22 over two summers
Eligibility: High school students and college students
Through the YES in The Heights Program, you’ll spend the summer conducting cancer research alongside scientists and clinicians at Columbia’s medical campus. The program is designed for students historically underrepresented in biomedical research and includes an orientation, lab placement, and one-on-one mentorship. Over 8–12 weeks, you’ll learn about academic professionalism, develop an Individual Development Plan, and participate in workshops and training sessions. You’ll wrap up your experience by submitting a scientific summary of your work. This internship offers a focused introduction to cancer research and academic pathways in medicine.
Location: NYU Langone Health, various NYU locations
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Application Deadline: December 22
Program Dates:Clinical Observation: May 19 to June 13, June 16 to July 11, or July 14 to August 8Research: May 19 to July 11 for Sessions 1 and 2, or June 16 to August 8 for Sessions 2 and 3
Eligibility: High school seniors who are at least 18 years old
This program gives you structured exposure to clinical practice and health careers through rotations in rehabilitation medicine and related specialties. You’ll spend several weeks observing a single specialty, attend lectures on healthcare topics, and join panels and seminars on professional pathways. Weekly ethics conferences explore challenges faced by patients with mobility limitations. For research or emergency medicine placements, you’ll gain additional hands-on learning. The program concludes with a final exam, and successful participants receive a signed certificate from NYU Langone Health.
Location: Feinstein Institutes, Northwell Health, various facilities in NY
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid, no cost to participate
Application Deadline: Must confirm a faculty mentor by April 1; medical clearance due April 1
Program Dates: Orientation on May 28 for college/graduate students or July 1 for high school students; dates vary by site
Eligibility: High school, college, and graduate students, at least 16 years old; mentor required
This program offers you the chance to assist in biomedical or clinical research at the Feinstein Institutes, a major center for health research within the Northwell Health system. To join, you must reach out directly to a Feinstein faculty member and request their mentorship—only students with confirmed mentors can enroll. Once onboarded, you’ll be placed in a lab or clinical research setting, depending on your mentor’s focus, and may assist with literature reviews, data collection, or observational work. This self-initiated program is ideal if you want a flexible, early exposure to medical research. Orientation and scheduling are coordinated through your assigned site.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: February 28
Program Dates: June 16 to 27
Eligibility: U.S. high school students aged 14 and older
This two-week virtual program introduces you to the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare, with a focus on medical imaging and machine learning. You'll attend research talks, career panels, and small group mentoring sessions led by Stanford researchers and professionals in AI and medicine. The program emphasizes ethical issues in AI, real-world applications in clinical care, and emerging research areas. You’ll also gain exposure to academic research culture and potential career paths in biomedical data science. Only about 25 students are selected, making it a small, focused cohort.
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Dates: June 30 to August 8
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: High school juniors with strong academic records and interest in STEM; preference for students from underrepresented backgrounds
Cost/Stipend: 5,500 dollars tuition; optional housing and meals at 3,840 dollars; need-based aid available
GSTEM is a 6-week summer research program that places you in a STEM lab at NYU or a partner institution to pursue an independent research project. You'll work under the guidance of a mentor in areas such as math, biology, engineering, or computer science, and gain practical lab experience throughout. Weekly workshops cover scientific writing, data analysis, programming, and other technical and communication skills. The program ends with a research symposium where you'll present your findings to faculty and peers. The program is designed for students ready to explore STEM in a rigorous university research setting.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, 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, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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.
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