11 Medical Programs for High School Students in Ann Arbor, MI
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 29
- 8 min read
If you’re a high school student trying to figure out whether medicine is the right path, structured summer programs can offer a low-stakes way to test that interest. Many of these opportunities are tied to research labs, university hospitals, and public health initiatives, giving you access to environments where real medical work happens. You might spend time in a lab working with data, learning clinical reasoning in case-based simulations, or exploring public health systems and policy.
What medical programs are available for high schoolers in Ann Arbor, Michigan?
Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas offer a wide range of medical programs for high school students, including opportunities in biomedical research, clinical exposure, neuroscience, public health, and medical technology. Across these experiences, students gain early insight into professional expectations, collaborate with researchers or clinicians, and build a clearer understanding of medical pathways before college. These programs can help you decide whether a future in medicine aligns with your interests and long-term goals.
To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of 11 medical programs for high school students in Ann Arbor, MI.
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
1. BioMed Focus
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Stipend: $4,000
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application deadline: Opens October 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in Michigan; More details here
BioMed Focus is an eight-week, full-time summer research program hosted at the University of Michigan for high school juniors and seniors. You’ll conduct hypothesis-driven biomedical research under the guidance of a PhD candidate or postdoctoral researcher, gaining direct experience in a university lab environment. The medical program for high school students in Ann Arbor covers both experimental work and science communication, with dedicated instruction in research writing and presentation skills. Alongside lab work, you participate in a college-preparation course that covers applications and scholarship planning. Throughout the summer, mentors support you in designing experiments, analyzing data, and interpreting results. The program ends with a research symposium where you present your findings to faculty, peers, and family members.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Remote , you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available
Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. You can find more details about the application here.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week online research experience that allows you to complete an independent medical or health science research project under one-on-one mentorship from a PhD-level researcher. You work closely with your mentor to develop a focused research question and carry the project from proposal through analysis and revision. Medical topics are commonly explored through fields such as biomedicine, neuroscience, public health, or psychology. The program includes workshops on research methodology, academic writing, and data analysis to support your work, and regular mentor meetings help refine your argument, methods, and final paper. The experience concludes with a full-length academic research paper and a symposium presentation. Students who meet program requirements may also earn academic credit through UC San Diego Extended Studies.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 8–10 students accepted annually
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Stipend: $3,000
Dates: June 14 – July 24
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Rising seniors who are at least 16 years old; Preference is given to students from socio-economically disadvantaged communities
This medical program for high school students in Ann Arbor is a six-week, residential research internship at the University of Michigan, designed for students from under-resourced communities across Michigan. Students are placed in an active life sciences research lab where they assist with ongoing scientific projects alongside faculty, graduate students, and research staff. The program provides hands-on training in experimental techniques, data analysis, and research communication. In addition to lab work, you participate in academic enrichment activities, including standardized test preparation and college advising. Aspirnauts live on campus, with housing and meals provided, allowing full immersion in the university environment. The program concludes with a public research presentation summarizing your work and findings.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type | Full financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 12–15 week cohorts throughout the year | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Application Deadline: Rolling | Spring: January | Summer: May | Fall: September | Winter: November
Eligibility: High school students worldwide | AI Fellowship applicants must have completed the AI Scholars program or show experience with AI concepts or Python
Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Deep Dive is a 10-week online program that examines how artificial intelligence is used across modern healthcare systems. You’ll study applications of machine learning across genomics, medical imaging, neuroscience, diagnostics, and drug discovery. The curriculum combines technical instruction with hands-on coding projects using real medical datasets. Throughout the program, mentors guide you as you connect computational methods to practical medical problems. You also develop Python programming skills while learning how AI models are trained, evaluated, and applied in clinical settings. The experience culminates in a research project where you apply AI tools to a specific medical challenge.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual + in-person session at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, on Fridays
Cost: Free
Dates: July 6 – July 31
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school students in 10th or 11th grade with at least a 3.0 GPA
The Michigan Health Sciences Pre‑College Exposure Academy (SPEA) is a free summer enrichment program that introduces high school students to healthcare careers and biomedical fields through a combination of virtual and in‑person experiences. Over the course of four weeks, participants attend online sessions that include SAT preparation, professional development workshops, and discussions about biomedical science and health equity. Fridays are reserved for in‑person activities on the University of Michigan campus, where students engage with faculty, staff, and peers in a structured academic setting. The program is designed to provide insight into healthcare professions and foundational skills that support further study in medical and scientific fields.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 students annually, less than 12%
Location: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI (45 minutes from Ann Arbor)
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 22 – August 14
Application deadline: March 30
Eligibility: Rising seniors at least 16 years of age
The Discovery to Cure Program is an eight-week, full-time biomedical research internship based at Wayne State University’s C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development. You’ll work approximately 40 hours per week in a university laboratory under the mentorship of faculty and research staff. Research areas include oncology, immunology, reproductive biology, toxicology, and precision medicine. Alongside lab work, you attend weekly seminars that explore research methods and current scientific topics. Mentors guide you through hypothesis development, experimentation, and data analysis. The medical program for high school students in Ann Arbor concludes with an oral presentation where you share your research findings.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; invitation-only
Location: Henry Ford Jackson Hospital, Jackson, MI (40 minutes from Ann Arbor)
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 9 – August 8
Application deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores to seniors
The Summer Youth Program at Jackson Hospital is an eight-week volunteer opportunity open to high school students who have completed at least their freshman year. You commit to at least one four-hour shift per week, assisting hospital departments with non-medical tasks while observing daily healthcare operations. Before beginning, participants complete an interview, orientation, and health screening to prepare for the hospital setting. The program focuses on professional behavior, communication skills, and understanding hospital workflows. You gain exposure to multiple departments and learn how healthcare teams function behind the scenes. Upon completion, students receive a certificate and a professional reference.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 students (for the internship)
Location: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI (45 minutes from Ann Arbor)
Stipend: $1,000 stipend
Dates: Runs during the academic year with a summer internship between June and August
Application deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Detroit-area high school students
This year-long medical program for high school students in Ann Arbor introduces you to surgical and medical careers through workshops, hospital exposure, and a selective summer internship. During the academic year, you attend Saturday sessions in the Surgical Simulation Suite, where you practice skills such as suturing, knot-tying, and laparoscopic techniques. The program also includes hospital tours and opportunities to observe physicians and surgical staff at work. You interact with medical students and healthcare professionals to learn about different career pathways. At the conclusion of the mentorship phase, ten participants are selected for a paid summer internship.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 students
Location: Virtual
Stipend: $500 stipend
Dates: July 13 – July 25
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students with a strong interest in science, research, or medicine who reside in Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage counties in Illinois or Lake County in Indiana
The Summer Healthcare Experience in Oncology is a two‑week virtual summer program for high school students interested in cancer science, biomedical research, and healthcare. Participants complete a genetics‑based research project and a patient case study that introduces key aspects of cancer biology and clinical practice. The program includes daily online faculty lectures, panel discussions, and professional development workshops led by scientists and healthcare professionals, giving students exposure to current topics in oncology and research careers. SHE in Oncology is structured to build foundational research skills while connecting trainees with peers and mentors across multiple institutions involved in cancer research.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Remote
Cost: $2,600 – $3,000
Dates: Varies by semester
Application deadline: Varies by semester
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 - 12 | Minimum GPA of 3.0 | At least 14 years old by the start of the course
UCSD Research Scholars in Bioengineering is a multi-level online program that introduces experimental and research-based bioengineering. You begin with BE-BOAT courses, which use custom lab kits, structured experiments, and data analysis to build foundational skills. Students who advance may join BE-ROW and collaborate in teams to design and execute a bioengineering research or design project from home. Research areas can include biomechanics, bioimaging, and tissue engineering. Advanced participants may apply to BE-SHIP, where you independently propose and complete a research project in collaboration with a university lab. Projects follow a formal proposal, research, and reporting sequence.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $4,580
Dates: July 27 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 9
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors | Undergraduate pre-med students ages 16+
The Stanford Clinical Summer Internship is an engaging online medical program led by Stanford faculty and medical students. Participants join interactive sessions focused on active participation rather than watching pre-recorded lectures. The program includes hands-on activities such as guided organ dissections, suturing practice, injections, and vital sign measurements with supplied materials. The curriculum includes clinical case presentations in cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology. You work through simulated patient cases, developing diagnostic reasoning and treatment plans in groups.
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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