13 Medical Programs Abroad for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 3 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you’re a high school student interested in medicine, participating in a medical program abroad can help you understand how healthcare operates in different parts of the world. These programs introduce you to global health systems, medical practices, and community care, giving you a clearer sense of what studying or working in medicine might involve. Studying medicine in another country also gives you the chance to engage with new cultures and perspectives, which can broaden your understanding of health and service. Many of these programs are hosted by universities and hospitals that guide you through structured learning and mentorship and provide networking opportunities.
To help with your search, here are 13 medical programs abroad for high school students.
If you are looking for free study abroad programs, check out our blog here.
Location: London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo
Cost: Varies according to program. Financial aid available
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-18
The Career Insights Program offers high school students an introduction to professional environments across multiple industries. As a participant, you can expect to engage in hands-on projects with established companies and connect with industry experts through interactive workshops. You'll also visit operational sites, including offices, factories, and headquarters. At the end of the program, you’ll present your work to industry professionals. You can explore career paths in subjects such as medicine, engineering, law, and business, among others. The program also includes weekly 1:1 career coaching sessions as well as personalized feedback. You can find more details about the application here!
Location: Kenya, Tanzania, Ecuador, Peru, and other global sites
Cost/Stipend: Varies by duration; includes housing, chef-prepared meals, transportation, hospital fees, insurance, and Wi-Fi
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small supervised cohorts per site
Dates: Winter and Summer sessions (2–6 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling; early application encouraged
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students interested in healthcare (Spanish proficiency required for South America placements)
Through International Medical Aid (IMA), you can gain hands-on experience in hospitals and clinics across East Africa and South America while exploring multiple medical specialties. These internships go beyond observation — you’ll engage directly in clinical care under supervision, participate in community outreach initiatives, and attend medical ethics and global health workshops. The programs typically run for 2 to 6 weeks and combine shadowing with cultural immersion, allowing you to understand healthcare delivery in diverse environments. Many alumni credit IMA for helping them strengthen their medical school applications and develop global perspectives on patient care.
Location: Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Guatemala
Cost/Stipend: Varies by location; includes housing, meals, transportation, and on-site support
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate selectivity; small group settings per trip
Dates: Offered year-round (typically 1–2 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students ages 15–18 with an interest in medicine, global health, or community service
MEDLIFE’s Service Learning Trips offer high school students a unique opportunity to combine travel with meaningful medical and community work. In destinations such as Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Guatemala, you’ll assist healthcare professionals during Mobile Clinics, help with patient intake, and support public health education projects. You’ll also engage in sustainable development work—like building staircases or sanitation systems—to improve long-term community health. Each trip emphasizes teamwork, leadership, and cultural exchange, all while earning valuable community service hours.
Location: Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, and other European sites
Cost/Stipend: Varies by country and duration; includes housing, cultural excursions, and on-site support
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small international cohorts per city
Dates: Winter and summer sessions (1–9 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling; early application recommended
Eligibility: High school graduates and pre-health students aged 18+ interested in medicine, nursing, or public health
Atlantis offers an opportunity to shadow top doctors across Europe while exploring future paths in healthcare. Over one to nine weeks, you’ll observe 60+ hours of clinical practice in renowned hospitals throughout Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Croatia. You’ll rotate through specialties such as cardiology, surgery, and obstetrics while learning how healthcare systems differ from those in the U.S. Outside the hospital, you’ll take part in group excursions and cultural immersion experiences—from kayaking to city tours—creating a balance of professional learning and exploration.
Location: Athens, Greece & Hue, Vietnam
Cost/Stipend: Tuition includes international airfare, housing, meals, visas, and local excursions
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; small group placements with chaperones
Dates: Session 1: June 27 – July 11 (Waitlisted) | Session 2: July 11 – 26 (Limited Spaces)
Application Deadline: Rolling; early application strongly encouraged
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students with strong academic performance (4.0 GPA or attendance at Congress of Future Medical Leaders required)
FutureDocs Abroad is an exclusive summer honors program for high school and undergraduate students passionate about medicine. Over two weeks, you’ll observe live surgeries, work in anatomy labs dissecting cadavers, and shadow physicians across departments such as pediatrics, oncology, and orthopedics. The program immerses you in real hospital settings—experiences typically reserved for medical students—providing 60+ hours of clinical exposure and a global perspective on healthcare. Led by The National Leadership Academies, FutureDocs Abroad emphasizes mentorship, cultural immersion, and safety through 24/7 staff supervision.
Location: Panama, Greece, and Belize
Cost/Stipend: Varies by destination; includes housing, meals, transportation, and on-site training
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; small groups of 4+ students per faculty-led trip
Dates: Spring and summer sessions (8–9 days)
Application Deadline: December 15, 2025 (priority); rolling afterward
Eligibility: High school students (rising freshmen–seniors); no prior medical experience required
Through Squads Abroad’s Global Medical Academy, you’ll gain real-world medical experience while helping underserved communities abroad. Over eight to nine days, you’ll work alongside doctors and health professionals in clinics across Panama, Greece, or Belize, taking patient vitals, assisting with triage, and helping organize local pharmacies. Each program combines hands-on clinical work with cultural immersion, allowing you to learn about healthcare systems while exploring historic sites and local traditions. Before your departure, you’ll complete online medical certification training to prepare for the experience. The program emphasizes teamwork, compassion, and service, making it an ideal first step toward a career in global health.
Location: University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, and University of London
Cost/Stipend: £5,495 for a 2-week residential program; £7,745–£9,995 with internship (includes housing, meals, materials, and excursions)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small cohorts for close faculty mentorship
Dates: Multiple sessions from July–September
Application Deadline: Rolling; early application recommended (15% deposit required)
Eligibility: Students aged 15–18 with strong academic performance in science subjects and fluency in English
Lite Regal International College offers one of the UK’s most prestigious medical preparation programs for high school students aged 15–18. Held at the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, and London, this intensive two-week course immerses you in the fundamentals of medicine through lectures, labs, and workshops led by experienced doctors. You will study anatomy, physiology, and medical ethics, practice clinical skills like suturing and patient assessment, and receive guidance on medical school applications and interviews. The program also includes cultural excursions and social activities, offering a true taste of university life. For a deeper experience, you can add a 1–2 week hospital internship in London to shadow physicians and gain hands-on clinical exposure.
Location: King’s College London, United Kingdom
Cost/Stipend: £2,786 per week (discounted from £3,095; includes accommodation, meals, excursions, and transportation)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Class size limited to 12 students per group
Dates: June 30 or July 14, 2026 (2-week duration)
Application Deadline: Rolling; early booking discount before December 31, 2025
Eligibility: Students ages 13–17 with at least B1 (intermediate) English proficiency
Bucksmore’s Young Professionals Medicine Summer Course at King’s College London introduces you to the world of medicine through a blend of theory, clinical workshops, and real-world simulations. Designed for students aged 13–17, this two-week program combines hands-on medical learning with English language development, helping you strengthen both scientific and communication skills. You’ll study anatomy, diagnostics, and patient care, participate in surgical and e-simulation workshops, and explore medical ethics and professionalism. The course culminates in a Capstone Industry Project led by Meducators UK, where you collaborate with peers to design a healthcare innovation. Outside class, you’ll explore London through excursions to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Cambridge, and the London Eye while staying in King’s College student housing.
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Canada
Cost/Stipend: $1,668 CAD per module + $98 CAD registration fee (includes lab access, materials, and instruction; meals and lodging not included)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~120 students per week (first-come, first-served basis)
Dates: July 7–August 1 (four one-week modules offered consecutively)
Application Deadline: Rolling; registration opens February 12
Eligibility: Students entering Grades 10–12 (international and Canadian students)
The University of Toronto Youth Summer Program offers an immersive introduction to medicine through hands-on labs, lectures, and discussions at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine. Held in Toronto’s renowned Medical Discovery District, the program lets you explore real medical topics and careers alongside peers from around the world. You can choose from four one-week modules, Human Physiology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, and Microbiology, each combining scientific theory with practical lab work. You’ll measure blood pressure, conduct DNA fingerprinting, test bacterial resistance, and learn directly from university instructors and medical professionals. The program also includes career talks, lab experiments, and networking opportunities, giving you a glimpse into both university life and the medical field.
Location: Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
Cost/Stipend: €1,000 (includes accommodation in university dorms, lab coat, entry to Simulation Centre and Mendelianium Museum, and all lectures/workshops)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; small international cohort
Dates: July 7–12 (additional session August 18–23)
Application Deadline: Rolling until filled
Eligibility: High school students (ages 16–18) interested in medicine; no prior medical experience required
The Medical Summer School for High School Students at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, gives you a firsthand look at what it’s like to study medicine in one of Central Europe’s top student cities. Over one immersive week, you’ll explore the university’s modern medical campus and gain hands-on experience at Masaryk’s cutting-edge Simulation Centre, one of the most advanced in Europe. You’ll perform basic medical experiments, work with real specimens, and visit the university hospital where actual medical students train. Along the way, you’ll learn from expert faculty in the Faculty of Medicine, discover modern teaching techniques, and get a taste of student life in Brno.
Location: Cambridge, UK
Cost/Stipend: £4,895
Acceptance Rate or Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 29–July 13 | July 13–27 | July 27–August 10
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students aged 14–17 with English proficiency at the B1+ level
This two-week academic program introduces students to core medical subjects such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, and medical ethics through seminars, clinical simulations, and lab-based instruction. You’ll develop practical skills like patient assessment, basic examinations, and emergency response, alongside theoretical study of disease and diagnosis. There will be group case studies and collaborative projects that will mirror the teamwork essential to clinical practice. The program includes academic coaching to support your progression toward medical school, along with a capstone “Time to Shine” presentation that integrates your learning.
Location: Jaco, Costa Rica
Cost/Stipend: Contact provider for details; includes housing, weekday meals, and activity fees
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small supervised student cohorts
Dates: Summer sessions (1–2 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–17 interested in healthcare and community service
In this hands-on medical program, you’ll partner with a local nonprofit and medical professionals to support health initiatives for underserved communities in Costa Rica. Over one to two weeks, you’ll help with mobile clinics, take patient vitals, and assist in health education workshops. Beyond your clinical work, you’ll explore Costa Rica’s tropical coast, visit Poás Volcano, and experience the country’s incredible biodiversity. This program blends meaningful medical outreach with cultural immersion, offering a rewarding glimpse into global healthcare.
Location: Chitwan District, Nepal
Cost/Stipend: $3,495 for 2 weeks; $800 for each additional week (includes housing, meals, and excursions)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; small international student groups
Dates: Summer/Winter Break (2–4 weeks)
Application Deadline: Rolling; early registration recommended
Eligibility: High school students ages 15–18; no prior medical experience required
Projects Abroad’s Medical Internship in Nepal gives you a firsthand look into healthcare in a developing country while working alongside local doctors and medical students. Based in the Chitwan District, you’ll shadow physicians across departments like physical therapy, oncology, and family medicine, observing hospital rounds and treatments. The program also includes lectures at a teaching hospital, where you’ll learn diagnostic and treatment methods taught to local medical students. Beyond the hospital, you’ll take part in community outreach projects and cultural excursions, visiting Buddhist temples, exploring Nepal’s national parks, and even learning to cook local dishes.
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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