15 Healthcare Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 12 min read
For high school students, internships in healthcare can provide early exposure to a variety of pre-health pathways—including public health, healthcare administration, community outreach, clinical support, and patient services. These experiences are especially valuable for students who want to explore the broader healthcare system and understand how different roles contribute to patient care and public health outcomes.
We’ve compiled a list of 15 healthcare internships for high school students that offer hands-on learning through job-shadowing, observational experiences, and exposure to the daily operations of hospitals, clinics, and medical centers. These opportunities can help you build essential skills such as communication, professionalism, teamwork, confidentiality, and medical ethics, all of which are critical in healthcare careers and attractive to college admissions officers.
15 Healthcare Internships for High School Students
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Up to 70 were accepted for the summer cohort
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November)
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth start-up on an internship. Start-ups that offer internships range across a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. You can explore all the options here on their application form. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies on average raising over a million dollars. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present their work to the company. Here is the application form. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
Location: Multiple internship placement sites
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: 100 - 150 overall
Cost/Stipend:Â Free with $13.50/hour stipend
Dates: Typically starts on June 16 (6 weeks, 20 - 25 hours/week)
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 12 with a GPA of 3.0 or higher; age 14 – 18 years; must be a resident of Cuyahoga County (check other requirements here) Â
The Youth Opportunities Unlimited (Y.O.U.) internship program for high school students in Cuyahoga County is an immersive, hands-on learning experience to explore a career in their field of interest. You will complete 120 hours at the internship placement site and get paid for the hours you work! You will meet with an Internship Specialist for an initial one-on-one introductory meeting and attend professional skills training virtual sessions after school and on weekends (March - August).
You will be matched with a clinic/company/organization associated with your specific career interest, including in the fields of medicine & healthcare. Earlier interns have been placed at the Cleveland Clinic (medicine), Hudec Dental (dentistry), CVS (pharmacy), Lake Humane Society (veterinary science), and more! You will submit reflection assignments after each training session, a career research project, and a final presentation.
Location: Multiple in local counties
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Up to three from each school
Cost/Stipend: Information not available
Dates: Spring semester (exact dates not known)
Application Deadline: Information not available
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors registered in a Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, or Yancey county public school should have a minimum weighted GPA of 3.0
Mountain Area Health Education Center's Project PROMISE (Providing Rural Opportunities in Medicine through Inspiring Service and Education) offers high schoolers in Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, and Yancey county public schools the opportunity to intern with a local clinical/healthcare practitioner with a minimum of 135 credit hours.
You will shadow healthcare professionals in various disciplines like public health, physical therapy, palliative care, pharmacy, geriatrics, and more! You will also learn key aspects of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) policies, gain competency in online research skills, enhance communication skills, and develop professional etiquette. You will attend MAHEC programs on college prep and get guidance on healthcare careers from medical students of the UNC School of Medicine, Asheville.
Location: Multiple in local counties
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: Information not available
Dates: Vary (available throughout the year)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors of Asheville City, Buncombe County or Henderson County public schools with a minimum weighted GPA average of 3.0
Mountain Area Health Education Center's Medical Mentoring Program (M3P) is a solid opportunity for high school seniors keen to pursue a healthcare career. The immersive internship program with 135 credit hours for one semester will allow you to zero in on a future career in a niche area of healthcare.
You will participate in rotational sessions at various private clinics, hospitals, etc, shadowing community health workers, physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and other allied health professionals in both inpatient and ambulatory settings. You will also attend lectures of resident physicians, healthcare administrators, and leaders who have launched initiatives to develop the healthcare workforce. You will have access to MAHEC’s Virtual Library and Knowledge Services and attend college planning programs.
Location: Multiple, at KP medical centers/business organizations in Northern CA
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: $24/hour minimum wage
Dates:Â June 16 - August 1 (8-hour daily schedule, with a maximum of 40 hours/week)
Application Deadline: Typically in the first week of January
Eligibility: Current high school students and/or graduating seniors of the current year; age 16 - 19 by June 1; should be a permanent resident in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area (check all requirements here)
Healthcare organization Kaiser Permanente (KP) offers high school and undergraduate students full-time paid internship opportunities to explore non-clinical careers in the healthcare industry through the KP Launch summer program. You will be placed at one of KP's Medical Centers or business offices closest to your residence and get networking opportunities with healthcare professionals, administrative officials, lab technicians, facilities management teams, and more!
Your 7-week internship will include work that has little or no patient interaction and no medical treatment or procedures. Earlier interns have worked in administration, finance, patient care services, etc. You will also attend weekly workshops for college readiness and careers in non-clinical and allied-health professions, and participate in community service projects and/or social events. You will develop social skills and enhance employability skills such as punctuality, time management, and professionalism.
Location: Multiple locations across LA/neighboring counties/remote
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: 100 - 180 across all facilities (60 - 90 for online programs)
Cost/Stipend: Free (flyer of an earlier program mentions $75/week stipend); $500 scholarship award for one student
Dates: Vary by facility for in-person programs (1 - 4 weeks, Monday-Friday, 8 hours/day); Online programs - Session 1: July 7 - 17, Session 2: July 21 - 31
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Current 11 – 12 grade high school students from Los Angeles and adjacent counties (some in-person programs may be restricted to an LA County residency); must meet the age and any requirements of the facility where the internship is taken up (check locations and criteria here)
The Eve & Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program offered by the Los Angeles Pediatric Society (LAPS) is a medical mentor/internship program for high schoolers in LA and neighboring counties, offered both in-person and remotely. You will receive a certificate of completion at program-end, and one student will receive a $500 scholarship!
You will attend interactive sessions with a wide range of healthcare professionals specializing in fields like surgery, pediatrics, therapy, nursing, radiology, nutrition, and more! Interns have shadowed at UCLA medical centers, the Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital, the Orthopedic Institute for Children, and other medical centers and hospitals.
Location: Multiple locations in Colorado
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: Free, stipend offered
Dates: Throughout the year (100-120 hours internship)
Application Deadline: March 5
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores at the time of application who are enrolled in Denver metro or Colorado Springs area schools
Denver Health's Medical Career Collaborative (MC2) program is a platform for high school juniors to start their healthcare career track and continue through senior year and even after graduation. You will explore opportunities in the healthcare field through internships at Denver Health and branches of Children’s Hospital Colorado. You will attend weekly seminars to gain knowledge about medical terms and discuss healthcare topics, and in your senior year, get guidance on how to prepare college applications, get LORs, find out about scholarships & financial aid, and other key details for higher education.
You will be matched with a mentor for a paid internship in a hospital department to gain hands-on experience working in niche areas to explore the roles of nurses, therapists, paramedics, technicians, and more! You will participate with your peers in workshops and training sessions to learn about the variety of healthcare fields, develop professional skills for careers in health or medicine, and receive mini health-related certifications.
Location: UCSF and affiliated institutions
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: Free with $2,500 stipend
Dates: June 2 to August 29 (8 weeks, 40 hours/week)
Application Deadline: March 10
Eligibility: High school juniors, seniors, and college undergraduates; must be age 17 by June 2; must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a green card (check all requirements here)
Arthritis Foundation offers high schoolers and undergrads the opportunity to gain hands-on experience from physicians and scientists in the fields of rheumatology and immunology through internships in basic lab (bench) research or clinical translational/epidemiological (patient outcomes-oriented) research, or bioinformatics (computational) research. Through this 8-week paid internship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and affiliated institutions, you will enhance your research potential on arthritis and related autoimmune diseases.
You will work under the mentorship of a principal investigator at leading research and clinical laboratories at UCSF and affiliated institutions, and present your work at a poster session hosted at UCSF. You will also submit a 2-page paper to the Arthritis Foundation that reflects your internship experience.
Location: Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, CA
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: 24
Cost/Stipend: Free (no stipend)
Dates: June 23 to July 25
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Current high school juniors in Northern California
As part of the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP), high school juniors in Northern California will pursue an immersive internship experience in various departments of Stanford Hospital. You will gain insight into diverse aspects of health and medical science, attend lectures on public health and research methods, collaborate with your peers on a college-level research paper, create an academic poster, and make a presentation.
You will work hands-on in the lab and participate in Stanford Hospital's department activities in the internship component of SMYSP to get exposure to healthcare delivery, and have role-shadowing experiences and interactions with patients. You will also participate in discussions with professionals and peers, develop communication and professional skills, and learn about career options in healthcare, medical, and science professions.
Location: Center for Community Health and Health Equity at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: 100
Cost/Stipend: Free (stipend offered)
Dates: Through one year (after-school hours)
Application Deadline: Typically September-end
Eligibility: Sophomores and juniors enrolled in one of the 7 partner schools; must be at least 16 years of age by June 1; must be a resident of Boston (check requirements and list of schools here)
Brigham and Women’s Hospital's Student Success Jobs Program (SSJP) pairs Boston high school students with mentors across diverse hospital departments for paid internships that provide insights into healthcare careers. The after-school year-round internship program will also give you intensive academic support for higher studies and careers in healthcare, medicine, and science. As an alumnus of SSJP, you are eligible for a summer internship (June-August) in the hospital departments to match your college major.
You will work in a hospital department for 7-10 hours/week after school as a Brigham employee to get clinical education and administrative-related opportunities. You will participate with your peers in monthly public health seminars, attend workshops on healthcare job training and workforce development, get tutorials in math and science, work on projects in the summer, and more!
Location: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available (17 in 2014)
Cost/Stipend: Free with $13/hour pay
Dates: Typically starts in the first week of June (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school seniors graduating from high school in spring; must be a resident in the Cincinnati metropolitan area
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's High School Summer Internship (HSSI) program offers graduating high school seniors of the Cincinnati metropolitan area who are planning to enroll in higher education programs in medicine & healthcare an opportunity to explore a career in pediatric biomedical sciences. You will work part-time for 8 weeks with a mentor you are matched with, attend seminars and lectures on niche specialties, and participate in group community service activities.
You can select the top three specialities in your application that interest you the most, such as critical care, human genetics, endocrinology, and more, and also opt to observe mentors in other departments upon request, such as the ICU, the emergency department, etc. You will participate in group activities, including a hands-on training session where you will learn and practice with a computerized simulated pediatric patient. A graduation party at the end of the program will include giving a brief abstract of your internship experience.
Location: Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: Free (unpaid)
Dates: Throughout the year, with prior request from the school
Application Deadline: 6 weeks before program start
Eligibility: Current student in a high school covered by an affiliation agreement; must be at least 14 years of age
Nationwide Children's Hospital offers high schoolers job shadowing and internship opportunities with a professional in healthcare. You will gain insight into healthcare career options and acquire relevant skills specific to a healthcare specialty, but will not be involved with patient care or other types of work.
You will have an immersive job shadowing experience of about four hours in outpatient clinics and office settings (for students age 14 and older) and some inpatient areas (for students age 16 and older). You can also attend a high school career day in the fall and explore summer programs.
Location: Multiple locations
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: $595 (3-month track), $475 (6-month track), $325 (9-month track) + each has a $21 application fee and varying handling fee; students can avail of scholarships from outside organizations; discounts offered to enrolled students for other COPE courses.
Dates: Vary as per site (3 - 9 Months)
Eligibility: Enrolled in high school; must be age 16 -17 by the application deadline.
COPE Healthcare Solutions offers the COPE Health Scholars program for high schoolers to shadow healthcare professionals to kick-start a potential future in the field of medicine & healthcare. You gain an immersive real-world experience through clinical and administrative settings at hospitals/medical centers under the mentorship of health scholars and personnel. You will develop key skills like leadership abilities, administrative competency, clinical decision-making, and more! You will also acquire networking opportunities for future healthcare roles and training programs.
You will work in a clinical environment, rotating through departments every three months, to gain insight into healthcare career paths and patient experience. You will job-shadow health scholars, or may be given independent duties in patient care settings as per the site’s scope and requirements. You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program and an opportunity to get preferred admission into the Health Scholar program for additional clinical experience after high school.
Location: Children’s Hospital, LA
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: Free (no stipend)
Dates: Session 1 - June 16 - June 20, Session 2 - July 28 - August 1
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: Current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in high school who live in LA County; previous attendees are ineligible; must commit to attend all 5 days
Camp CHLA is a five-day learning experience for high schoolers to gain knowledge, observe, and participate in the daily activities of healthcare professionals at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). You will be part of a team of cohorts, job-shadowing a hospital professional in various departments, such as paediatrics, endocrinology, clinical labs, and others.
You will observe medical procedures and job-shadow health care professionals, participate in skills labs to learn how to take vital signs, calculate BMI, perform CPR, and more! You will also attend lectures and presentations delivered by professionals in specialties such as dietitians, nurses, physicians, to name a few
Location: Lundquist Institute, Torrance, CA
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Information not available
Cost/Stipend: Free with stipend (amount not known)
Dates: June 16 - August 8
Application Deadline: April 25
Eligibility: Enrolled as a high school junior or senior in fall; commit to all program activities
The Lundquist Institute’s High School Summer Fellows Program (HSSFP) for academically strong high school students is a paid 8-week hands-on training program with institute faculty. You will attend lectures, participate in on-site lab activities, and submit an annual program survey to earn a certificate of completion at program end.
You will deep-dive into a research project such as health services & their outcomes, women's and children's health, neurotherapeutics, and more! The program wraps up with a presentation to the research community, peers, and family members.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
High school students interested in pursuing independent healthcare research can consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs. These selective virtual high school programs for students were launched by researchers at Harvard and Oxford, with over 4,000 students applying 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.
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