Medical Internships for High School Students in NYC
Updated: Oct 9
TL;DR
This guide lists 10 medical internships and related opportunities for high school students in and around New York City. You’ll find options ranging from hands-on research in university and medical school labs to public health, medical ethics, healthcare, and remote internships. Eligibility varies widely, with some programs requiring NYC residency or a specific school or partner-program affiliation. If you want to pursue an independent research project with 1:1 PhD mentorship, you can explore the Lumiere Research Scholar Program.
If you are a high school student in or around New York City and are interested in medicine, healthcare, or medical research, there are several ways to spend your time outside the classroom. You could work in a neuroscience or cancer research lab, explore medical ethics, learn about public health, or get an introduction to different areas of medicine through a university or medical center. In this guide, we’ve put together 10 medical internships and related programs for high school students in NYC. For more research opportunities in New York, you can also read 17 Best High School Research Opportunities in New York.
How much does where you live in or around NYC affect your options?
Location can be one of the first things you need to check before applying. Some programs are limited to students who live within New York City, while others use a wider metro-area or tri-state eligibility rule. A few also connect eligibility to where you attend school or whether you are already part of a particular partner program.
That can make a big difference even between programs that are both based in New York City. If you meet the academic requirements but live outside the permitted area or do not have the required school or program affiliation, you may not be eligible. Remote opportunities give you a completely different option because you can participate without living near the host institution.
Will you get paid for these internships?
Some programs provide a stipend, but you should not assume that every medical internship on this list will pay you. A few state that a stipend is provided after successful completion, while others publish a specific amount. Some programs do not specify their financial support in the information available for the current cycle.
The same applies to program costs. Several opportunities are free, while others have different funding or financial-aid arrangements. Check the cost and stipend information carefully before you apply, especially if you need the program to cover your expenses or want to earn money during the summer.
How hands-on is the research itself across these programs?
The amount of research you do depends on the program. In a lab-based internship such as BRAINYAC, you work with a scientist mentor on a defined research project and build practical laboratory skills. Other programs give you a broader introduction to medicine, healthcare, or a specific field without making full-time laboratory research the main focus.
You can also find programs that combine research with other types of learning. For example, some include scientific seminars, professional development, clinical exposure, community work, or academic preparation alongside the main program.
Do any of these internships continue beyond the summer?
Yes. Most of the opportunities here are built around a summer session, but a few extend into the school year. This can give you more time with a research project or mentor, but it also means you need to think about whether you can manage the additional commitment alongside your regular classes.
Mount Sinai SPARKED, for example, continues with one or two afternoons per week from November through May after the summer internship. Other programs may take place during the school year rather than during the summer, so check the dates before you build your application list.
How can you choose between these NYC medical internships?
The easiest way to narrow the list is to start with what you want from the experience. The table below groups the programs by the kind of opportunity they offer, so you can quickly identify which ones are worth researching further.
If you want... | Consider |
A paid stipend | |
To work in a university or medical-school laboratory | |
A remote or non-lab option | |
A program that does not require prior research experience |
Medical Internships for High School Students in NYC
Location: Columbia University neuroscience laboratories, New York, NY
Cost: Free; stipend provided upon successful completion of the program
Program Dates: Eight-week summer session
Application Deadline: applications are expected to open in October
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–11 who live in New York City and are enrolled in an eligible BRAINYAC partner program or school
BRAINYAC gives you a summer research experience in a Columbia University neuroscience lab. You’ll be paired with a Columbia neuroscientist who mentors you through a research project while you build practical laboratory and research skills. Before the summer placement, you’ll complete science and career-readiness classes, then spend the summer working in the lab and attending weekly BRAINYAC sessions.
Why it stands out: You get hands-on neuroscience research experience in a Columbia lab while working closely with a scientist mentor.
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
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. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long. Apply now!
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan, NY
Cost: Free; stipend provided upon completion
Program Dates: Eight weeks during summer
Application Deadline: Typically early February
Eligibility: Current high school juniors who live in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut within 25 miles of MSK's Upper East Side main campus, are legally authorized to work in the U.S., have a 3.5 GPA in science subjects, are at least 14 by the program start, and have a genuine interest in science and laboratory research
HOPP’s Summer Student Program gives you eight weeks of hands-on experience in translational cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. You’ll work with a mentor, such as a postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or research technician, on an independent research project under a HOPP principal investigator. The program ends with a poster presentation of your research.
Why it stands out: You get intensive, lab-based cancer research experience at MSK while working closely with a research mentor.
Location: New York City metropolitan area
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: October 19–December 11
Application Deadline: September 11
Eligibility: High school juniors in the New York City metropolitan area
NYU Langone’s High School Bioethics Project introduces you to ethical questions in medicine, healthcare, science, and public health. You’ll learn from professionals in bioethics, healthcare, biotech, pharmaceuticals, patient advocacy, and law while exploring how ethical reasoning applies to real-world issues. The program also helps you build professional connections and potential mentor relationships that can continue beyond the internship.
Why it stands out: You get an early introduction to bioethics while connecting with professionals across healthcare, science, public health, law, and related fields.
Location: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: Summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: NYC high school students
Mount Sinai’s Medical and Scientific Exploration Program (MSEP) is a hybrid summer course that introduces you to different areas of medicine and science through Mount Sinai laboratories and clinical departments. You’ll explore how science is applied in real healthcare settings through virtual learning and in-person sessions at least once a week. You’ll also interact with Mount Sinai faculty and staff while exploring potential pathways in science and healthcare.
Why it stands out: You get to explore multiple areas of medicine and science through Mount Sinai’s laboratories and clinical departments while combining virtual learning with in-person experiences.
Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 22–August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program
At Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program (SSRP), you’ll spend seven weeks doing full-time, hands-on research with a team guided by scientists from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine. You’ll work in a RockEDU teaching laboratory, learn research techniques and lab practices, and develop a research question based on your team’s topic and your interests. You’ll then investigate your question, analyze your data, and present your findings in a final research poster.
Why it stands out: You get a full-time, team-based research experience in a Rockefeller University laboratory, with multiple scientist-mentors guiding you through the process from developing a research question to analyzing data and presenting your findings.
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Summer; current dates not yet published
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: New York State residents in grades 7–12 who are economically disadvantaged and/or need or would benefit from STEM academic enrichment or support; selection also considers an 80% average, particularly in math and science, interest in medicine or STEM, and ability to commit to the schedule
Columbia’s State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP) is a free college and high school preparatory program for you if you’re interested in medicine or related STEM fields. You’ll take enrichment courses in subjects such as anatomy, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology, and statistics, with PSAT preparation available during the summer. You’ll also get college and career development workshops, academic and college counseling, field trips, and college tours.
Why it stands out: You get both academic preparation and college-readiness support, with courses spanning medicine, science, mathematics, and other STEM areas.
Location: SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: Free; $750 stipend provided
Program Dates: July 6–July 30
Application Deadline: May 17
Eligibility: High school students interested in public health, health sciences, stakeholder engagement, or health research
The Brooklyn Health Promotion Summer Internship Program (BHPSIP) gives you a four-week introduction to public health, health sciences, and community-engaged research at SUNY Downstate. You’ll learn about health disparities and the social factors that affect community health while working with local community organizations to develop research projects.
Why it stands out: You get paid, in-person research experience in public health while working with community organizations in Brooklyn.
Location: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
Cost: Free; stipend provided upon successful completion of the program
Program Dates: Six-week summer internship, followed by one or two afternoons per week from November through May
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are 16–18 years old; no prior research experience is required
Mount Sinai’s SPARKED program gives you hands-on experience in biomedical research through a summer internship at the Tisch Cancer Center. You can work in an experimental biology lab, where you’ll conduct laboratory experiments, or in a data science lab, where you’ll work on computational biology projects.
Why it stands out: You get hands-on biomedical research experience at a medical school while working directly in a cancer research laboratory or data science lab.
Location: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY
Cost: Not specified
Program Dates: Summer; current dates not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
The Pelham–Einstein Neuroscience Scholars Program is a summer internship for high school students interested in neuroscience and research. You’ll work on an original research project with mentorship from graduate and postdoctoral students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The program also includes enrichment sessions where you’ll learn how to read scientific papers, develop research questions, and understand the research process.
Why it stands out: You get to work on an original neuroscience research project with graduate and postdoctoral mentors at a medical school in the Bronx.
One more option: the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If none of the programs above fit your location, schedule, or research interests, you can still pursue an independent research project remotely. The Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs high school students with PhD mentors for one-on-one research and can be completed remotely.
How do these programs compare on location and eligibility?
These options differ in who can apply and how closely you need to be connected to NYC or a specific school or partner program. Use the table below to quickly see which opportunities may fit your situation.
The location rules are another useful way to narrow your options. Here are the programs to look at based on how flexible you need the eligibility requirements to be.
If you want | Consider |
An option for students in the NYC metropolitan area | |
A program connected to a specific school or partner program | |
An opportunity that continues into the school year | |
An option without a local residency requirement |
Questions to ask before you apply
1. Can you apply to these programs if you have never done research before?
Yes, at least one program on this list explicitly says that prior research experience is not required. Mount Sinai SPARKED accepts rising high school juniors and seniors ages 16–18 without requiring previous research experience. Other programs may have their own expectations, so read the eligibility section carefully before applying.
2. What does it mean when a program requires a partner-school or program affiliation?
It means you may need to be enrolled in a specific school or participating in an approved educational program before you can apply. For example, BRAINYAC requires applicants to be enrolled in an eligible partner program or school. If you do not have that affiliation, you may need to look at other programs on this list.
3. How many of these programs can you apply to in the same year?
You can build an application list across several programs, but each program has its own application process, eligibility rules, and deadlines. Check those requirements individually and make sure you can meet the time commitments before applying.
4. What should you do if you want to conduct your own research project?
You can look for an independent research opportunity that gives you one-on-one mentorship and lets you choose a topic that matches your interests. If you want to pursue that kind of experience, you can explore the Lumiere Research Scholar Program.