15 Medical Programs for High School Students in Idaho
- Stephen Turban
- 2 hours ago
- 11 min read
As a high school student, structured programs in your field of choice can offer you early exposure to college-level academics, skills, and professional expectations without the price tag of private summer courses. If you are considering medicine, programs in the field can be a practical way for you to test your interests before you commit to a college degree, where you will gain structure, mentorship, and context for what clinical, research, and public health work actually look like. Your participation in such opportunities also signals seriousness and preparation when you later apply to college or research opportunities.
What medical programs are available for high schoolers in Idaho?
Opportunities in Idaho tend to cluster around university medical campuses, rural health initiatives, and nationally funded research programs that actively recruit students from underrepresented or rural states. In the state, you will find summer research internships, clinical exposure programs, and health science academies that emphasize mentorship and skill development rather than passive observation. These programs are especially valuable if you want exposure to patient care, biomedical research, or public health in rural and frontier settings.
To help you choose the right option, we have compiled a list of 15 medical programs for high school students in Idaho.
If you’re looking for summer programs, check out our blog here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited | Applications are capped and fill quickly
Location: St. Luke’s Health System, Boise, ID
Cost: Free
Dates: Year-long commitment beginning in January
Application Deadline: Rolling | Applications open on the first Monday in November
Eligibility: Students ages 16–18 with a minimum 3.0 GPA; must commit eight hours monthly during the school year and 12 hours monthly during the summer, and meet immunization requirements.
The St. Luke’s Junior Volunteer Program offers sustained, in-hospital exposure to patient care environments through structured service rather than short-term shadowing. You will work across multiple departments, including pediatrics, the mother–baby unit, surgery waiting areas, recovery rooms, and the emergency department, gaining a realistic view of hospital operations. The program emphasizes professionalism, responsibility, and communication as you interact with patients, families, and clinical staff. Over time, you will develop customer service and leadership skills that are directly relevant to healthcare settings. Required training sessions and quarterly educational meetings reinforce expectations around safety, ethics, and patient interaction. If you are considering medicine or nursing, this program can help you understand the daily realities of hospital work while building a consistent service record.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies | Financial assistance offered
Dates: Multiple sessions, including summer, spring, fall, and winter cohorts, scheduled each year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students; accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4.0.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as medicine, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, and more. You can find more details about the application here, and check out students’ reviews of the program here and here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited | Acceptance depends on departmental needs and availability
Location: Kootenai Health, Coeur d’Alene, ID
Cost: Free
Dates: Year-round volunteer sessions
Application Deadline: Rolling | Applications are kept on file for six months
Eligibility: Students ages 14–17; minimum six-month commitment totaling at least 100 service hours required.
The Kootenai Health Teen Volunteer Program gives you long-term exposure to a hospital environment through structured volunteer service. You will support patients, visitors, and staff by assisting with wayfinding, patient comfort, and day-to-day operations that keep the hospital running smoothly. While the program does not offer direct clinical training or an internship experience, it helps you understand hospital culture, professionalism, and patient-centered care from the inside. The emphasis is on consistency and responsibility, with a required multi-month commitment that mirrors real workplace expectations. You will work alongside adult volunteers and healthcare staff, building communication skills and confidence in a professional medical setting.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies | Financial aid available
Dates: Multiple 10-week cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: January, May, September, or November, based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students with AI/ML experience or prior completion of the Veritas AI Scholars program
Veritas AI runs a variety of fully virtual programs focused on hands-on AI exploration. The Deep Dive: AI + Medicine is designed to introduce high schoolers to the role of artificial intelligence within healthcare and medicine. As a participant, you will spend 25 hours learn about and working on AI applications that help address a need within medicine/healthcare. The curriculum also covers topics such as neural networks and basic clinical evaluation. You will also find support from mentors to work on projects focused on the intersection of AI and medicine. You can learn about the program through its brochure and the application form.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective | ~350 students per year across all sites (Idaho-specific numbers not available)
Location: Multiple sites in Idaho | Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID | Meridian Health Sciences Center, Meridian, ID | Snake River ACS Local Section at Boise State University, Boise, ID
Cost/Stipend: $4,000
Dates: 8–10 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Typically in April | Applications open in February
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors with financial need who meet the annual income guidelines
ACS Project SEED is a nationally recognized summer research program that places you in a real laboratory setting for an extended, mentored research experience. You will spend 8–10 weeks working closely with professional scientists in academia or industry, gaining hands-on experience in chemical, biomedical, or materials-focused research. You can indicate your preference for research in medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, or pharmaceutical sciences. The program emphasizes lab preparedness, experimental design, data analysis, and scientific communication rather than passive observation. In Idaho, Project SEED is hosted through local ACS sections, including placements at Idaho State University and Boise State University, allowing you to conduct research without leaving the state. Alongside lab work, you will participate in structured programming focused on college readiness and exposure to chemistry-related career paths.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Position-based | Limited openings depending on clinic needs
Location: CHAS Health clinics across Idaho and Washington
Cost: Free to participate | Paid position starting at $18.85 per hour
Dates: Year-round employment with flexible scheduling
Application Deadline: Rolling | Positions posted as openings become available
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; application involves an interview, background check, and compliance training.
The CHAS Health Student Clerk position places you inside a functioning community health clinic where you contribute to daily operations rather than observing from the sidelines. You will receive on-the-job training in customer service, electronic medical records, and patient outreach while supporting providers and clinic staff. The role exposes you to how medical, behavioral health, and social services intersect in federally qualified health centers. Because you work directly with patients and care teams, you develop professional communication skills and learn how clinics address real community health needs. The flexible schedule allows balancing school responsibilities with paid healthcare experience. If you are considering medicine, nursing, public health, or behavioral health, this role offers practical exposure to outpatient care and health equity in action.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited | Placement depends on departmental availability
Location: Madison Memorial Hospital, Rexburg, ID
Cost: Free
Dates: Year-round | Scheduling coordinated individually
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: High school students; immunization records, training completion, and a background check are required.
The Madison Memorial Hospital High School Externship gives you structured exposure to patient-facing hospital environments while emphasizing responsibility and professionalism. You will work alongside staff in clinical or support departments, learning how care teams function across services such as imaging, surgery, rehabilitation, and women’s health. Unlike short volunteer shifts, the externship is designed to help you understand daily workflows, expectations, and patient interaction in a real hospital setting. You will be included in hospital events and educational presentations, which adds context to what you see on the floor. Immunization compliance and onboarding mirror adult clinical standards, making the experience feel closer to true healthcare training.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective | Hundreds of interns nationally across all levels, with limited high school placements
Location: Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded | Paid internship with housing stipend and possible travel reimbursement
Dates: 10 – 16 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Typically opens in the fall | Rolling consideration into early spring
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.0 GPA enrolled full-time the semester before and after the internship.
The Idaho National Laboratory High School Internship Program places you inside a federally funded research facility to work on real-world science and engineering problems. You will collaborate with professional scientists and engineers on projects aligned with national priorities, including energy systems, chemistry, nuclear science, and national security. The experience is structured like a professional research role rather than a student workshop, with your first week focused on defining project scope and securing resources with your mentor. Throughout the internship, you will attend seminars, lab tours, and networking events designed to expose you to scientific careers at scale. While not strictly clinical, the program is highly relevant if you are interested in medical physics, radiological science, biomedical engineering, or research-driven medicine.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective | Limited cohort serving students from partner Tribal Reservations
Location: University of Idaho, Moscow, ID | McCall Outdoor Science School, McCall, ID
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded | Stipend offered
Dates: July 6 – 18
Application Deadline: Spring application cycle | Deadline announced annually
Eligibility: Native American high school students who have completed at least 9th grade and belong to the 11 U of I MOU Tribal Reservations; graduated seniors planning to attend U of I are also eligible.
HOIST is a residential summer program designed to support Native American high school students as they explore STEM pathways and prepare for college in a culturally grounded environment. Here, you will take part in academic coursework that strengthens math, science, and communication skills while also engaging in hands-on STEM projects alongside University of Idaho researchers and local professionals. The program blends structured learning with field experiences, guest lectures, and outdoor science activities, giving you exposure to both academic and applied STEM work. While not a strictly medical program, if you are considering medicine, public health, or biomedical research, the program offers early preparation while reinforcing long-term college readiness. Cultural programming and community-building are central, ensuring the experience reflects tribal values rather than separating academics from identity. You will also receive continued academic and mentorship support beyond the summer.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by department and project availability
Location: South Central Public Health District, Twin Falls, ID (and district offices)
Cost: Free | Unpaid internship
Dates: Flexible | Scheduled year-round based on project needs
Application Deadline: Rolling | Apply at least two weeks in advance for internships under 40 hours
Eligibility: High school and college students with a specific project or learning objective; a background check may be required.
The South Central Public Health District Internship Program introduces you to public health work through short-term, project-based placements across multiple departments. You may support programs such as epidemiology, immunizations, WIC, health promotion, or public information, depending on departmental needs and your stated interests. Internships are designed to help you understand how public health agencies operate at the community level, with exposure to prevention, surveillance, and outreach rather than clinical care. Many placements are structured around a defined project, which encourages goal-setting, documentation, and professional communication. You can also rotate across departments to gain a broader view of how a health district functions.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Depends on provider availability | No fixed cohort
Location: Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, ID | Saint Alphonsus clinics
Cost: Free
Dates: Flexible | Observations may last up to 30 days
Application Deadline: Documentation must be submitted at least 10 business days before the observation start date
Eligibility: Open to anyone at least 16 years old (18 years for OR, ED, ICU, or trauma settings); parental approval required for minors.
The Saint Alphonsus Clinical Observation and Shadowing program allows you to observe physicians and healthcare providers in real clinical settings while maintaining strict patient safety and professionalism standards. You will arrange your own placement with a provider in your area of interest, giving you control over specialty exposure while requiring initiative and planning. During the experience, you will observe patient interactions, clinical decision-making, and care workflows without participating directly in treatment. The program mirrors the compliance expectations of formal medical training, including immunization verification, TB testing, and documented approvals. Observation periods are flexible and can range from a single day to short recurring visits.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Varies by workshop | Typically limited group sizes
Location: Various host sites in ID
Cost: Free or low-cost, depending on workshop
Dates: Offered throughout the academic year and summer
Application Deadline: Varies by program and host site
Eligibility: Middle and high school students.
The North Idaho Area Health Education Center connects students to healthcare career exploration through structured, hands-on workshops rather than passive information sessions. Programs like Doc for a Day and Hands-on Health Care can introduce you to real medical skills, including suturing, ultrasound basics, CPR, and physical exam techniques, and they are often led by Idaho WWAMI medical students and healthcare professionals. These experiences are designed to show you how different health professions operate together, especially in rural and underserved settings common across northern Idaho. Workshops also focus on pathway clarity, helping you understand what training looks like for roles such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, public health professionals, and dietitians. Because NI-AHEC is hosted by the University of Idaho, the programming is academically grounded while remaining accessible to middle and high school students.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: West Valley Medical Center facilities, Idaho
Cost: Free
Dates: Summer opportunities | Dates vary
Application Deadline: May 1 | Applications open January 1
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–18 with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
West Valley Medical Center’s Junior Volunteer Program offers high school students exposure to hospital operations and the opportunity to serve the community. You will commit to short shifts and support departments like the emergency department, family resource desk, information desk, gift shop, and nutritional services, depending on hospital needs and your interests. The program focuses on helping you build communication skills and learn about various healthcare roles. The program provides firsthand insight into how hospitals operate day to day and how care teams support patients behind the scenes.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~20 students per session
Location: Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID
Cost: $75 | Optional early drop-off and late pickup available for an additional $25 fee
Dates: Session 1: June 9 – 13 | Session 2: July 7 – 11
Application Deadline: Rolling registration until one week before the session starts
Eligibility: Students entering grades 8–12.
As a part of Idaho State University’s Ignite Their Future STEM Summer Camps, Emergency Medical Heroes places you directly into the world of emergency medical services with a strong emphasis on hands-on learning. Here, you will undergo training to build skills in CPR, First Aid, and introductory clinical procedures under the guidance of an instructor with real EMS field experience. The program goes beyond basic instruction by walking you through how EMS teams assess, respond, and coordinate during real emergencies. You will gain exposure to frontline decision-making, patient care fundamentals, and the realities of high-pressure medical environments. As the course is run in collaboration with the Health Occupations Department, it emphasizes applied skills over lectures.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited to 50 students | First-come, first-served registration
Location: Boise State University, Boise, ID
Cost: $395 | Limited partial scholarships available
Dates: June 16 – 18
Application Deadline: Registration opens January 16 | Closes when capacity is reached
Eligibility: Incoming high school juniors and seniors.
The Boise State University Health Sciences Summer Camp gives you a short, immersive introduction to healthcare pathways through hands-on, faculty-led experiences. Over three days, you will rotate through multiple health science disciplines, including nursing, respiratory care, radiologic sciences, kinesiology, public and population health, and neuroscience. The program emphasizes experiential learning through simulation-based activities, such as intubation practice and patient assessment, rather than passive observation. You will also engage directly with Boise State faculty, current health sciences students, advisors, and healthcare professionals who share practical insights about training paths and careers. Living on campus allows you to experience college life while building connections with peers who share similar interests.
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.
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