15 Medical Programs for High School Students in Alabama
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 24
- 11 min read
High school is when you start thinking about what you want to study later, and medicine is one of the fields where early exposure really helps. Medical programs let you see how science, patient care, research, and clinical reasoning come together. These programs are practical. You might take part in hospital observation, work on health science experiments, attend seminars with professionals, or explore medical research questions in small groups. When you spend time doing this kind of work, you start to see whether the pace, the content, and the environment fit what you want for your future.
What medical programs are available for high schoolers in Alabama?
Alabama offers medical programs hosted by universities, hospitals, research centers, and health organizations that welcome high school students. Many focus on clinical exposure or introductory health science topics. Some include lab work, workshops, or mentorship from faculty and professionals. These programs are designed to help you explore medicine and healthcare early. Programs like this also help you build a stronger college admissions profile. They give you examples you can discuss in application essays and interviews, and they show that you took initiative to explore your interests outside the classroom.
With that, here are 15 medical programs in Alabama for high school students!
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: One-on-one mentorship
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer sessions that run between June and August
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines for each cohort; summer session applications are due in May/June
Eligibility: High school students with strong academic backgrounds; accepted students have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.3 out of 4.0
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week summer research experience where you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor from a university like Harvard, MIT, or Yale to complete a project on a topic of your choice. If you’re looking for a medical program, you choose your topic in fields like neuroscience, medicine, public health, or life sciences. You meet regularly with your mentor to shape your research question, collect and analyze data, and write a paper that meets college-level standards. You build skills in research design, data interpretation, and academic writing. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Location: University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Cost: Free with a $1,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very selective; 5 students
Dates: June 8 - July 31
Application Deadline: January 19
Eligibility: High school juniors | Must be a US citizen or permanent resident | Must be from disadvantaged backgrounds as defined in the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity and/or in the first generation of their family, intending to pursue college
University of Alabama at Birmingham’s PRISM is a funded 8-week internship and professional training program for high school students interested in both medical research and clinical practice. You’ll work in a small group of high schoolers, undergraduates, and medical school students to complete a mentored project under faculty guidance, with a focus on surgical research. As you complete your project, you’ll learn about the direct impacts of medical lab research on patient care and health outcomes through a series of seminars and workshops. You may also shadow UAB surgeons, seeing how research is put into action and experiencing life as a professional surgeon, and connect with UAB faculty, researchers, and physicians.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type. Full financial aid available.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, you will learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. Students get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
Location: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Cost: Free plus fully-funded housing, books, and $500 for meals
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Very selective; 10 students
Dates: May 24 - June 26
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school seniors | Minimum 3.0 GPA/ “B” average | Must attend a rural Alabama high school and have been a resident of a rural Alabama community for 5+ years
University of Alabama’s MOORE Scholars program invites a small group of high school seniors from rural Alabama to campus for a fully-funded month of academic study and career development. You’ll enroll in University of Alabama Biology or Chemistry courses, gaining experience in college-level academics while earning transferable credits. You’ll shadow doctors at urban hospitals and rural healthcare facilities in Alabama to gain industry exposure and hear first-hand about serving as a medical professional in the region. You’ll learn about healthcare disparities and the need for more physicians and primary care providers in rural Alabama communities, and attend seminars on varied healthcare professions. You’ll be encouraged to explore the Rural Medical Scholars Program as a college student, a highly selective opportunity for college students committed to serving as a doctor in rural Alabama to earn a dual bachelor’s and master’s degree and gain early admissions to medical school.
Location: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Cost: Free plus fully-funded housing, books, and $500 for meals
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; <25 students
Dates: May 25 - July 27
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Current high school juniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA/ “B” average | Must attend a rural Alabama high school and have been a resident of a rural Alabama community for 5+ years
The Rural Medical Scholars Program is a one-month opportunity for Alabama students from rural communities interested in pursuing health care professions. You’ll spend a month on campus at the University of Alabama, where you’ll take college-level courses in both Chemistry and Creative Writing. You’ll have the ability to specialize in Rural Health or Rural Dental Health. You’ll be eligible to receive transferable credit for your coursework. You’ll attend field trips to local healthcare facilities, shadow doctors, and explore career pathways in medicine and dentistry. You’ll be mentored in how to leverage your high school and college experience to prepare for professional medical training programs.
Location: Alabama AHEC centers in East Central, North, Black Belt, Wiregrass, and Delta, AL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: One year
Application Deadline: Contact the regional ALAHEC site
Eligibility: Current high school students from rural and/or disadvantaged backgrounds
Alabama’s AHEC Health Career Program is a year-long, fully funded program where you get steady exposure to healthcare work across the state. You will meet rural Alabama healthcare providers, shadow practitioners, and visit hospitals so you can see how care looks in different settings. The program also brings in presentations and career fairs that break down medical pathways in a practical way, including what different roles actually do day to day. Alongside the medical side, you get academic support like free ACT tutoring and access to dual enrollment community college courses.
Location: Greensboro and Perry County, AL | Also offered in Pomona, CA
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; exact numbers not provided
Dates: Exact dates not provided; likely vary by site
Application Deadline: December 10
Eligibility: Local high school students in grades 10-12
Adapted from Project Horseshoe’s advanced internship and training programs for college, graduate, and medical students, C.L.I.M.B. Academy is a medical program for high schoolers offering a rigorous combination of academic training and career preparation. You’ll work in a small group of peers to complete 2-3 healthcare-focused projects, including community support for seniors, children, and medically vulnerable adults. For broader educational development, you’ll receive training across standardized testing and academics, alongside soft skills required in healthcare fields such as leadership, teamwork, empathy, and more. You’ll gain networking opportunities and industry exposure through a series of field trips to local healthcare facilities, shadowing medical professionals, and meeting with community health leaders. You will also participate in community service and volunteer activities with local nonprofits, healthcare facilities, and civic organizations.
Location: Multiple Huntsville Health System locations in Huntsville, AL
Cost: Free; $70 deposit required for access badges, refunded when materials are returned at the end of the program
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: Flexible; 12 hours during May, June, July, or December
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors and/or high schoolers aged 15+
The Job Shadowing and Observation Program at Huntsville Health System provides high school students interested in medicine and other healthcare fields direct exposure to life as a clinician. You’ll be matched with a physician, PA, or another practitioner or non-provider professional based on your specified interest areas. Huntsville Health System has strong medical centers, including Cancer Care, Surgery, Stroke, Spine & Neuro, and more, providing the opportunity to explore specialized practice areas. You’ll spend 12 hours throughout the month shadowing the day-to-day work of your Huntsville mentor, observing work such as patient visits, treatment, or team meetings. If you’re more interested in the academic side of medicine, you can also shadow professionals in the Research Center.
Location: Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville, AL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: June 3-5
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors and/or high schoolers aged 15+
Huntsville Hospital’s Nurse Camp is a three-day medical program for Alabama high schoolers interested in exploring nursing careers and developing practical knowledge. You’ll complete activities in infection prevention, first aid, and disaster management. You’ll network with leaders in Huntsville’s nursing department and learn about career opportunities from the hospital’s Human Resources team. You’ll shadow Huntsville nurses on the second and third days of the camp, observing real-life care in medicine, neurology, and surgery. You’ll also meet with representatives from several local colleges to learn about their nursing and healthcare programs, and how to prepare for college applications.
Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~16 students
Dates: May 31 - June 6
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors who are residents of Alabama or Georgia
Auburn University’s Summer Science Institute is an opportunity for high schoolers in Alabama and Georgia to prepare for pre-medical studies. You’ll stay on campus for a month-long experience, where you’ll study core pre-med subjects like Biological Sciences, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics, and Biochemistry. You’ll study under Auburn faculty and medical students, gaining experience in college-level coursework while building connections with professional academics and researchers. You’ll undertake STEM experiments and hands-on activities, working in Auburn’s research facilities and labs.
Location: University of Southern Alabama, Mobile, AL
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: June 11
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors in the Mobile County Public School System
University of Southern Alabama’s Healthcare Career Summer Camp provides local high schoolers with career exploration and practical training in a variety of medical fields. You’ll learn about academic opportunities and career paths in professions such as Radiologic Sciences, Speech Pathology, Biomedicine, and Medical Research from professors and practitioners in the field. You’ll also tour campus facilities like the Speech and Hearing Center and x-ray imaging facilities, and see clinical work in action through staff simulations. You’ll then participate in a series of training activities and simulations yourself. You’ll learn EMS skills, including CPR and bleeding control, surgical techniques like incision, draining, and suturing, and biomedical research protocols through a DNA extraction lab.
Location: Children’s of Alabama, Birmingham, AL
Cost: $15
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: June 1 – June 25 or July 6 – July 30
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions beginning March 1
Eligibility: Students aged 16-18
In the Children's of Alabama Teen Summer Program, high school students will gain a first-hand look at children’s medical care through hands-on work and educational sessions. You’ll provide non-medical services to patients, including assisting families in navigating the hospital, offering positive support in waiting rooms, and engaging children with fun activities. You’ll also help out healthcare providers through administrative departmental support based on their needs. You’ll explore the variety of specializations at Children’s of Alabama, such as Cardiovascular Services, Orthopedics, and Critical Care, learn about the logistics of hospital operations, and hear about careers in medicine and healthcare from treatment providers.
Location: University of North Alabama, Florence, AL
Cost: $301
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not provided
Dates: June 16
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
University of North Alabama Aspiring Nurses and Health Professions Camp is a medical program for Alabama high school upperclassmen considering careers in occupational therapy, respiratory care, or nursing. You’ll receive training from professionals across all three specialties, focusing on simulated activities like intubation, lung examination, ABG draws, and surgery prep. You’ll also learn about topics across health conditions and professionalism, such as patient confidentiality, lung diseases, and obstetrics. You’ll network with University of North Alabama professors to learn about academic programs in healthcare and their experience as professional researchers and instructors in the field. You’ll also attend information sessions from the admissions team on the university’s application process, early admissions, and honors program.
Location: Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville, AL
Cost: $30 ($20 for registration by July 1)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not selective; registration-based
Dates: One-day orientation in late August | Monthly meetings from September to April on the 4th Tuesday of each month
Application Deadline: Rolling admission over the summer
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors aged 15+
The Medical Career Explorers Program at Huntsville Hospital offers career exposure and job shadowing to high schoolers in Alabama considering healthcare professions. You’ll attend guest lectures from healthcare providers in a variety of specialties, with opportunities to ask questions about their professional experience. You’ll tour Huntsville medical facilities and centers. You’ll also shadow providers and complete clinical observations, getting a first-hand look into life as a medical professional.
Location: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL | Online courses also offered
Cost: First course is free; $33/credit for additional courses
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by course; acceptance is dependent on admission to UA Early College and strong performance in a preparatory class
Dates: Term I: May 24 - June 27 | Term II: June 29 - August 1
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Current high school students and incoming University of Alabama freshmen | Must be admitted to UA Early College and pass the UAEC 200 College Readiness Course with a score of 800+
University of Alabama Early College is a summer program for advanced high school students looking to gain on-campus experience and earn college credits. If you’re looking for a medical program, you can explore specialized courses such as Medical Ethics and Life Span of Human Development, or pre-med requirements like Organic Chemistry and college-level Biology and Physics. You’ll attend group study halls and academic skills sessions, and receive mentorship from UA Early College Staff and the program’s Student Success Coordinator. You’ll build connections with professors and University of Alabama students, network with campus partners, learn about prospective majors, and earn 6-7 transferable college credits.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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