15 Hospital Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Jul 18
- 13 min read
If you plan to study medicine, nursing, public health, or another healthcare field in college, joining a hospital program during high school is one of the best ways to prepare. These programs place you in clinical environments, where you work alongside physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who are actively contributing to patient care and medical research. That kind of access is rare at the high school level and tends to produce experience that is genuinely difficult to replicate through any other extracurricular.
Why should I participate in a hospital program in high school?
Spending time in a hospital changes how you understand healthcare, as you see doctors, nurses, technicians, and other staff work together to care for patients. You observe how decisions are made, how different departments operate, and what everyday life in a hospital actually looks like. Hospital programs also add value to your college applications. They show that you have gone beyond science classes to learn about healthcare in a real setting. Admissions officers can see that your interest is supported by experience, not just by saying you want to become a doctor or healthcare professional.
With that, here are 15 hospital programs for high school students worth considering!
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These 15 programs span clinical volunteering, biomedical research, neuroscience, oncology, pediatric medicine, and hospital operations, so students with a range of healthcare interests can find a relevant hospital-based opportunity.
Several programs are paid or offer stipends, including Children's Hospital Colorado ($4,400 stipend), MGH Youth Neurology (paid internship), MSKCC HOPP ($1,200 stipend), Houston Methodist (no cost with research placement), and Kaiser Permanente (up to $24 per hour), while the majority of volunteer programs are fully free to attend.
Many programs are highly selective, including MSKCC HOPP (approximately 2% acceptance rate, 20 interns), Kaiser Permanente (20 to 50 students), and Children's Hospital Los Angeles (approximately 20 students per year), so students should apply early and prepare strong applications.
Programs vary significantly in format, from non-clinical volunteer support roles, such as UVA Health, UCLA Volunteen, and CHLA, to structured biomedical research internships with formal presentations, such as Children's Hospital Colorado, MGH Youth Neurology, and Houston Methodist.
Application deadlines for the most competitive programs fall in January and February, including Kaiser Permanente (January 9), Houston Methodist (January 30), MGH Youth Neurology (January 31), MSKCC HOPP (early February), and Children's Hospital Los Angeles (February 2), so students should begin preparing materials in the fall.
Location: UVA Health Prince William Medical Center, Manassas, VA
Cost: Free (with a $20 fee for a uniform shirt)
Application deadline: April 11
Dates: Four separate 2-week sessions offered during the summer (exact session dates are assigned by the program)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors (who have finished their sophomore year before the program starts) and have a minimum 3.5 GPA (B average)
The University of Virginia Health Summer Teen Program gives you two weeks inside a working hospital where you'll see how different departments contribute to patient care. You may spend time in areas such as the Emergency Department, surgical services, physical therapy, and guest services while supporting staff with day-to-day operations. Tasks can include assisting with patient transport, delivering equipment, assisting with discharge processes, and interacting with visitors. The experience helps you understand how care moves through a hospital and how different teams coordinate. You'll also get exposure to both clinical and non-clinical departments, which provides a broader picture of healthcare.
Location: Anschutz Medical Campus (Children’s Hospital Colorado), Aurora, CO
Cost: None; stipend of $4,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 50 students
Application Deadline: February 1
Dates: June 1 – July 31
Eligibility: High school seniors at least 18 years old by June
The Summer Child Health Research Internship at Children's Hospital Colorado places you inside a pediatric research environment for six to eight weeks. You'll work with a research mentor on a project connected to child health and spend the summer learning how medical research is designed, conducted, and presented. Depending on your project, you may contribute to data collection, analysis, literature review, or ongoing pediatric studies. Weekly lectures introduce you to different areas of pediatric medicine and research happening across the hospital. Throughout the program, you'll gradually build a deeper understanding of how discoveries in research can improve children's health. The internship concludes with a formal presentation of your work.
Location: Rady Children’s Hospital‑San Diego, San Diego, CA
Cost: $3,000 tuition as per the flyer; no stipend mentioned
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: February 10, as per the flyer
Dates: June 15 – 26 or July 6 – 17
Eligibility: Open to enrolled students in grades 9-12
Rady Children's Hospital's Summer Medical Academy introduces you to medicine through a hospital-based curriculum built around clinical skills and healthcare careers. You'll explore common medical conditions, learn how healthcare teams communicate, and work through patient-care scenarios in small groups. The program includes clinical skills stations, medical simulations, and discussions led by physicians and other healthcare professionals. You'll also learn how pediatric medicine differs from adult care and hear directly from specialists working inside the hospital. Many activities are designed to mirror situations healthcare professionals encounter in practice. By the end, you'll have a stronger understanding of both medicine and the people who work in it.
Location: Multiple UHealth placement locations in Broward & Miami-Dade Counties
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application deadline: April 1
Dates: June 16 – August 7
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older
The University of Miami Health System Summer Volunteer Program places you in patient-facing areas of a major healthcare system where you'll interact regularly with patients, visitors, and hospital staff. Your role may involve helping patients navigate appointments, assisting visitors, supporting hospital departments, and contributing to daily operations across different units. Through these experiences, you'll gain a clearer understanding of how hospitals function beyond direct medical treatment. You'll observe how healthcare professionals interact with patients and how different services work together to support care. The program also exposes you to the pace and responsibilities of a busy hospital environment. For students considering medicine, it offers an early introduction to healthcare settings.
Location: Children’s National Hospital, Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application deadline: March 13
Dates: June 23 – July 31
Eligibility: Current high school students who are 15 years of age or older and not seniors
The Children’s National Summer High School Volunteer Program is a two-week volunteer experience at Children’s National Hospital, where you are supervised by the Volunteer Services team and assigned to structured support roles within the hospital. As a volunteer, you may assist different hospital departments with basic tasks, greet patients and visitors, and help with wayfinding throughout the hospital. Your responsibilities are focused on providing non-clinical support in public and administrative areas under supervision. During the program, you also attend guest speaker sessions and participate in workshops and team-based activities. In addition to individual volunteer duties, you work in small groups on a project that relates to the hospital environment and patient experience.
Location: UW Medical Center, Montlake campus and Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application deadline: Rolling applications for the Harborview Medical Center; Applications for the UWMC Summer Teen Program (Montlake campus) open in early spring
Dates: Volunteer opportunities can last one month in the summer to six months.
Eligibility: High school students; for opportunities at Harborview Medical Center, you need to be 16 or older
The University of Washington School of Medicine Volunteer Program allows you to volunteer at major teaching hospitals, including the UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center. Depending on your placement, you may assist patients with comfort needs, help visitors navigate the hospital, support administrative teams, and contribute to daily hospital operations. Spending time in an academic medical center also allows you to observe how teaching, research, and patient care come together in one environment. You'll interact with healthcare workers across departments and gain a better understanding of how hospitals operate at scale. The program can last from a few weeks to several months, depending on the placement.
Location: 18 different locations throughout TX
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application deadline: Varies by year and location, but it is best to apply as early in the calendar year as possible.
Dates: Vary depending on the specific Texas Health location/program; however, these programs run in the summer
Eligibility: Students who are 16 to 18 years old and have a valid Social Security number
Texas Health Resources Junior Volunteer Program places you inside one of the largest healthcare systems in Texas, with opportunities available across multiple hospitals. You'll support staff with operational tasks while learning how different departments contribute to patient care. Depending on your placement, you may assist with clerical work, help visitors, support hospital units, and observe how healthcare teams coordinate their work. The program gives you exposure to the day-to-day functioning of a hospital and the many roles required to keep it running smoothly. Some locations also offer more structured service-learning opportunities for students seeking a deeper experience.
Location: UCLA healthcare centers in Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application deadline: Applications typically open in January and close in early spring
Dates: Orientation is typically scheduled for the third week of June, and you must complete 50 volunteer hours by August 31.
Eligibility: High schoolers who are at least 16 years old
The UCLA Health Volunteen Summer Program is a high school volunteer opportunity that places you in a hospital setting where you assist with basic support tasks across different departments. In this program, you may help with patient transport, including wheelchair assistance, transfers, and discharges. You can also support wayfinding by helping visitors and patients navigate the hospital. Other responsibilities may include greeting visitors, delivering items such as patient mail or newspapers, and assisting with moving necessary supplies throughout hospital units. The role is focused on non-clinical support within daily hospital operations. As you complete assigned tasks, you work under supervision while gaining experience interacting with patients, visitors, and staff in a healthcare environment.
Location: Multiple locations in Kansas City, KS
Cost: Free
Application deadline: March 6
Dates: June 1 – 11; June 15 – 25; July 6–16; July 20 – 30
Eligibility: High school students from rising freshmen to rising seniors
The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City offers a summer volunteer program for high school students at its academic medical center. As a participant, you may be placed in both clinical-adjacent and nonclinical areas, where you assist with basic support tasks and observe how different parts of the hospital operate. Your experience can include interacting with patients in supervised, non-medical roles and learning how various departments coordinate daily activities. Depending on your assignment, you may also have opportunities to observe aspects of clinical care while remaining in a non-provider role. The program is structured to introduce you to the organization of a large healthcare system and the range of roles that contribute to patient care and hospital operations.
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston/Cambridge/Somerville, MA
Cost: Free program with paid internship positions. Interns will receive a stipend for full-time (40-hour/week) participation.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; about 50 students
Application Deadline: January 31
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who live or study in Massachusetts | Legally authorized to work in the U.S.
In this program, you participate in neurological research at Massachusetts General Hospital while working under the supervision of clinicians and research scientists. Your responsibilities may involve contributing to projects in areas such as neuroimaging, analysis of clinical datasets, or laboratory-based neuroscience work, depending on the focus of your assigned lab. Alongside your research, you attend seminars on topics such as neurological disorders, bioethics, and career pathways in neuroscience and medicine. The program may also include hospital visits, opportunities to observe clinical settings, and discussions with healthcare professionals. You work with other interns on assigned activities while becoming familiar with how research and clinical work are carried out in a hospital environment.
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan, NY
Cost: No cost; Stipend of $1,200
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 2%; 20 interns Application Deadline: Typically early February
Dates: June 29 – August 21
Eligibility: Current high school juniors living within 25 miles of MSK’s Main Campus in NYC (NY, NJ, or CT) | Must be 14+ by June | Have a 3.5 GPA in science | Legally authorized to work in the U.S.
In this program, you spend eight weeks at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center working on biomedical research projects related to areas such as cancer genetics, molecular biology, and computational oncology. You are placed in a research setting where you work with faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, and you may learn methods related to experimental design, data analysis, and common laboratory techniques used in cancer research. During the program, you also attend seminars focused on topics such as cancer biology, clinical medicine, and research ethics. In addition to your lab work, you collaborate with other participants, interact with individuals from different research groups, and may gain exposure to clinical environments connected to the hospital. The program concludes with a formal presentation where you share your research with MSK scientists and other interns.
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital campus, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; limited cohort size, which varies each year
Application Deadline: January 30
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors aged 16 or older by the program’s start | Minimum 3.5 GPA
In this program, you spend the summer participating in biomedical research at Houston Methodist Hospital. You join an existing research team and may work on projects related to areas such as molecular biology, immunology, or bioengineering, depending on the lab you are placed in. Your responsibilities can include assisting with basic lab tasks, attending mentor meetings, and contributing to ongoing research activities under supervision. Throughout the program, you also participate in workshops and discussions on topics such as research ethics, scientific writing, and data interpretation. These sessions are designed to support your understanding of how research is conducted and communicated in a clinical and academic setting. At the end of the internship, you present your work and findings to researchers at Houston Methodist and guests.
Location: Kaiser Permanente Northern California Medical Centers and business offices (placement based on applicant’s home address).
Cost: None; stipend of up to $24/hr
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 20–50 students
Application Deadline: January 9
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Eligibility: High school students aged 16–19 with work eligibility in the U.S. and permanent residence in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente designated service area
During this eight-week program at Kaiser Permanente, you are introduced to different parts of the healthcare system, including hospital operations, clinical environments, and patient services. You participate in workshops covering topics such as healthcare careers, medical ethics, and community health initiatives. Depending on your placement, you may also visit healthcare sites, observe clinical workflows, and learn how hospitals and clinics are organized and managed. You also have opportunities to work with healthcare staff, participate in group projects, and attend mentorship sessions. In addition, weekly workshops focus on skills such as project management, workplace readiness, and professional communication.
Location: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 20 new students are selected each year
Application deadline: February 2
Dates: June 22 – August 6
Eligibility: High school students who are 15 to 17 years old
The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) summer volunteer program is a seven-week opportunity for high school students to volunteer in a pediatric hospital setting. During the program, you support patients, families, and staff by completing non-clinical tasks such as escorting patients to appointments, greeting visitors, and assisting with basic administrative duties. The program is selective, with a limited number of students accepted each year. If you are admitted, you are typically expected to volunteer approximately 15 hours per week throughout the program. The experience provides exposure to hospital routines and pediatric care environments through supervised volunteer work.
Location: Multiple locations in Los Angeles, CA
Cost: No participation fee; however, you will have to buy a $30 volunteer jacket
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application deadline: Varies based on session
Dates: Year-round opportunities requiring a minimum of 100 hours of volunteer work
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–17 years
Cedars-Sinai offers high school volunteer opportunities across its hospitals in the greater Los Angeles area. The program is designed for students interested in learning about healthcare settings and includes different placement options, typically divided into clinical-adjacent and clerical support roles. Your responsibilities depend on your assigned track and location. In a clinical-adjacent role, you may help with tasks such as answering patient phone calls, entering basic information into systems, assisting patients with directions, or delivering items like flowers and amenities. Across all roles, your work supports hospital staff and patient services in non-medical capacities. The program requires a minimum commitment of about four hours per week, with the option to take on additional shifts if available.
Frequently asked questions
What hospital programs are available for high school students?
Options include biomedical research internships, such as Children's Hospital Colorado, MGH Youth Neurology, MSKCC HOPP, and Houston Methodist; clinical volunteer programs, such as UCLA Volunteen, Children's National, UVA Health, and Cedars-Sinai; pediatric hospital programs, such as CHLA and Rady Children's Hospital; and paid healthcare internships, such as Kaiser Permanente.
Are there paid hospital programs for high school students?
Yes, Children's Hospital Colorado offers a $4,400 stipend, MGH Youth Neurology provides a paid full-time internship, MSKCC HOPP provides a $1,200 stipend, and Kaiser Permanente pays up to $24 per hour, while most volunteer-based programs are free to attend with no financial compensation.
Which hospital programs are best for students interested in biomedical research?
Children's Hospital Colorado, MGH Youth Neurology, MSKCC HOPP, and Houston Methodist Summer Research Internship all place students in active research environments where they contribute to ongoing studies and present findings at the end of the program.
Are there hospital programs open to students outside specific cities or states?
Most programs require students to be local or within commuting distance of the hospital, but programs, such as Rady Children's Hospital Summer Medical Academy, UVA Health, and Texas Health Resources, draw from broader geographic areas, and the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is fully virtual and open to students anywhere in the world.
Which hospital programs are most competitive?
MSKCC HOPP has an acceptance rate of approximately 2%, with only 20 interns selected annually. Kaiser Permanente accepts 20 to 50 students, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles selects approximately 20 new volunteers per year, making these among the most selective hospital programs for high school students.
When should I apply to hospital programs for high school students?
Kaiser Permanente closes January 9; Houston Methodist closes January 30; MGH Youth Neurology closes January 31; MSKCC HOPP and Children's Hospital Los Angeles close in early February; and Children's Hospital Colorado closes February 1. Students should begin researching and preparing applications in the fall.
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 graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. 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.