10 Hospital Internships for High School Students in Dallas, TX
- Stephen Turban
- Sep 19
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 11
For high school students considering a career in medicine or healthcare, hospital internships are one of the best ways to see what the field is really like. They give you hands-on exposure to clinical environments, opportunities to shadow professionals, and a chance to build skills you won’t get in a regular classroom, like patient communication, teamwork in high-pressure settings, and familiarity with diagnostic tools or medical procedures.
Choosing a local program makes these experiences even more accessible. Without the need for long travel or relocation, you can take part in internships during the school year or summer while still staying close to home. Local hospitals also provide valuable connections to professionals in your own community, which can sometimes lead to mentorship or future opportunities.
In Dallas, TX, several hospitals and health systems open their doors to high school students through structured internships, volunteer programs, and research opportunities. Whether you’re assisting with patient care, learning in a lab, or supporting hospital operations, these programs help you explore healthcare in real-world settings.
Below, we’ve compiled 10 hospital internships for high school students in Dallas, TX, that give you a closer look at the medical field while helping you develop both technical and professional skills.
Location: Parkland Memorial Hospital or associated Medical Centers/Clinics/Health Centers, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Cohort Size: There is no information available
Cost/Stipend: Free with $18.25/hour pay
Dates: June – August (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: High school junior or senior in a public high school in the Dallas-Fort Worth area; must be at least 16 years old before the program starts; Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0; must commit to the full 8-week program
This is an eight-week, paid internship in a healthcare administration or support area at Parkland Memorial Hospital or its associated primary healthcare centers and other locations across Dallas County. Here, you will work up to 20 hours/week (Monday-Friday) under the supervision of the hiring manager and the department staff. You will engage in job-shadowing opportunities in various hospital departments/medical centers, such as an outpatient center, a women’s health clinic, or a community-oriented primary care clinic, but will not participate in hands-on clinical procedures or be involved with direct patient contact.
Location: Not specified if fully remote or hybrid
Cohort Size: There is no information available
Cost/Stipend: Free, no stipend
Dates: June 1 - June 5 and June 8 - June 12 (2 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 16
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 10–12 the following year; Must be legal residents of the U.S.
This two-week virtual summer internship, hosted by the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern, offers high school students a glimpse into careers within the mental health field. You will engage in live interactive sessions with a varied group of clinician-scientists, including licensed clinical social workers, neuropsychologists, physician assistants, and psychiatrists. Before some sessions, you will complete preparatory readings drawn from both scientific journals and other sources to enrich your engagement. Through sessions covering topics such as neuroscience, psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing, and community psychiatry, you will be able to explore the breadth of mental health roles. The program also emphasizes mentorship, allowing students to receive guidance as they explore further educational and career paths in psychology and related fields.
Location: Texas Health, Dallas, TX
Cohort Size: 20
Cost/Stipend: Free (there is no information available on the stipend)
Dates: June - August (10 weeks, mandatory kick-off meeting tentatively on March 22)
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Current high school students; Must be at least 16 years old on or before May 1; Must be able to commit to a minimum of 128 hours
The HSSSL program is a highly selective summer program for high schoolers interested in pursuing careers in medicine and healthcare. It offers a structured service-learning experience where you will be assigned to specific hospital units to complete a mix of clinical and non-clinical assignments. You will also interact with medical and healthcare professionals to get significant insights into both patient care and hospital administration.
Location: Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Irving, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
Cohort Size: There is no information available
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Rolling
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Must be at least 16 years of age; must make a minimum 6-month commitment to volunteer for a minimum of 150 hours; non-U.S. citizens or non-green card holders must get clearance from the international personnel department
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Irving, schedules volunteer programs for youth, including high school students, in multiple hospital units located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. You will have opportunities to participate in non-clinical activities in the emergency department, inpatient unit, cancer center, day surgery unit, and more. You will get to interact and network with hospital personnel and specialists in specific units of the hospital. Responsibilities might include providing support in the front lobby area by greeting guests and taking patients to departments, escorting animal therapy dogs/owners on patient rounds, providing clerical support by helping with various projects, or assisting with restocking supplies in the emergency department, etc.
Location: Medical City Dallas Hospital and associated hospitals, Dallas, TX
Cohort Size: There is no information available
Cost/Stipend: Free, no stipend
Dates: January 16 - May 31 (Spring); June 1 - August 31 (Summer); September 1 - January 15 (Fall/Winter)
Application Deadline: At least 30 days before the start of each semester
Eligibility: Must be at least age 16 at the time of application; must commit to a minimum of one 4-hour/week for the full semester; students age 18 and older are eligible for the adult volunteer program
High school and college students keen to take up a professional role in a hospital setting can work as volunteers at Medical City Dallas and its associated hospitals, such as the Medical City Heart & Spine and Medical City Children’s Hospital. You will work in shifts Monday-Friday, with the timings varying as per specifically assigned tasks. You will work as a volunteer in some of the over two dozen hospital departments, such as guest services in the lobby, pastoral care, outpatient and rehab units, pediatric services, imaging services, and more! You may also get assigned tasks at special events and at the hospital's promotional events to encourage more people to take up volunteer activities.
Location: Dallas VA Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Cohort Size: 30
Cost/Stipend: There is no information available
Dates: June 11 - July 18 (6 weeks) with an orientation program on June 9
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Must be age 16 - 18 years; Must commit to 80 hours
The Dallas VA Medical Center is one of the sites for the Junior Volunteer Program of the VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS), where you can volunteer to assist the Department of Veterans Affairs in a healthcare setting to serve veterans and acquire experience working in a hospital. Although the program does not offer clinical shadowing or any type of direct clinical experience, you will get the opportunity to collaborate, enhance communication skills, and network socially and professionally. In the 6-week program, you will be assigned different types of tasks in various areas of the Dallas VA Medical Center with a structured schedule of specific days and times in a morning/afternoon shift, practising job skills in real administrative settings, and acquiring professional skill sets. You will interact with VA personnel to get career advice and knowledge in the medical and healthcare fields. For more details, click here.
Location: Methodist Health System hospitals, including Dallas, TX
Cohort Size: There is no information available
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Dates: Vary by position and hospital
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: High school students (age 16+)
The Methodist Junior Volunteer Program invites high school students to play valuable support roles across departments, such as greeting and escorting patients, assisting in waiting rooms, delivering meals or flowers, collaborating in the hospital gift shop, engaging in clerical tasks, or even serving as a "Cuddler" in the Neonatal ICU at Methodist Dallas Medical Center. The program’s time commitment varies based on role and location, but typically includes weekly shifts. The experience provides you with real-world exposure to hospital operations and patient support, while helping you develop communication, professionalism, and teamwork skills.
Location: Virtual
Cohort Size: 60 - 90
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Session 1: July 7 - 17 (10 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.); Session 2: July 21 - 31 (10 a.m. to 12.15 p.m.)
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Current 11th or 12th grade high school students from Los Angeles and adjacent counties; Earlier participants are not eligible
This program, offered by the Los Angeles Pediatric Society (LAPS), is an online medical mentor/internship program for high schoolers in LA and neighbouring counties. Here, you will attend daily virtual interactive sessions with medical professionals from LA hospitals and medical centers, such as surgeons, pharmacists, general pediatricians, dietitians, ophthalmologists, physical therapists, speech therapists and more. You will learn about their roles and responsibilities and explore potential careers in medicine and healthcare. You will also receive a certificate of completion after submitting an exit essay.
Location: Virtual (in-person option available for students from Baltimore City public schools)
Cohort Size: There is no information available
Cost/Stipend: Free (no stipend for virtual program)
Dates: 5 weeks (summer)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors enrolled full-time toward a high school diploma with an interest in future research and clinical careers in behavioral sciences or brain health-related sciences; Living anywhere in North America (the U.S. or Canada)
JHIBS is a 5-week virtual summer research experience for high schoolers in North America with strong academic records, especially underrepresented students, with an interest in science or medicine. You will attend presentations led by medical professionals and researchers of Johns Hopkins hospitals and medical centers to get exposure to neuroscience-related research and clinical environments, and get opportunities for career-long mentoring and sponsorship. You will learn from biomedical research professionals about brain science and medicine, how to use scientific methods, receive instructions on the responsible conduct of research, learn basic lab techniques and experiments, and more. You will also receive workplace mentorship training and develop professional competencies such as critical thinking skills. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate of completion.
Location: Virtual (on-campus option available)
Cohort Size: Summer - information not available; Fall Intensive - 24
Cost/Stipend: Summer - $4,380 + $95 application fee; Fall Intensive - $1,980 + $35 application fee; Financial aid is offered
Dates: Summer - July 28 - August 8; Fall Intensive - September 10 - November 12
Application Deadline: Summer - February 24; Fall Intensive - June 2
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors (age 16 or older), seniors, and undergraduate pre-med students
Stanford Medicine's Clinical Summer Internship (CSI) offers on-campus and remote virtual programs that provide immersive, hands-on, interactive medical education experiences led by Stanford faculty, doctors, clinicians and researchers, as well as medical and physician assistant students. In the 2-week summer virtual program, you will get real medical training through live sessions on Zoom, with learning materials and a supply kit sent by Stanford Medicine. You will perform actual dissections, practice administering injections and suturing, learn how to record vital signs, deliver themed group presentations with your peers, and more. There is also a 10-week Fall Intensive virtual program (one night/week) with live lectures, in which you will practice physical exams, learn laceration suturing, collaborate with peers in simulated medical team challenges, and more. You can check the curriculum of the programs here.
One other option: The Lumiere Research Scholar Program
High school students in Dallas, TX, who are interested in pursuing independent research in the fields of medicine and healthcare can consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also, check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid.
Stephen Turban 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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