11 Medical Programs for High School Students in Kalamazoo, MI
- Stephen Turban
- Apr 14
- 8 min read
Academic programs are a great way for high school students to develop skills and prepare for their future through specialized study and professional development. These programs feature college-level academics, industry exposure, practical training, and connections with industry professionals and academics. A program is a great way to build your resume, solidify your interests, and get a head start on college preparation.
What medical programs are available for high schoolers in Kalamazoo, MI?
Kalamazoo offers a variety of medical programs across education, research, and mentorship. We’ve featured opportunities including paid research fellowships, merged research and clinical practice training, college-level coursework, internships at top-ranking hospitals, and volunteer programs. Nearly all programs are fully-funded or paid; the two programs charging tuition both offer up to full financial aid.
To make the search easier, we’ve compiled a list of 11 top medical programs for high school students in Kalamazoo, Michigan. We’ve focused on rigorous opportunities providing work experience, advanced medical education, professional exposure, and networking opportunities.
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: Multiple U.S. locations, including Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Up to $5,000/year scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: About 350 students across 40 U.S. sites
Dates: 8–10 weeks in June–July
Application Deadline: Rolling review from February 9 through May
Eligibility: Current high schoolers with strong academic performance | Family income must be below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines | Must have completed at least one year of high school chemistry and have an interest in science and/or chemistry
Project SEED supports underprivileged students in Kalamazoo, MI, and across the US for summer programs offering a mentored research experience in chemistry, with the option to focus on medical applications. You’ll work under the mentorship of an academic or industry researcher to complete a laboratory research project designed in collaboration with your mentor. Former students’ medical research topics have included genomics, pharmaceuticals, developing diabetes treatments, and enzymatic DNA repair. You’ll supplement your lab work with virtual programming on college preparation, professional development, laboratory skills, and career paths in chemistry and research. As a SEED participant, you’ll be eligible for consideration for $5,000 scholarships for one to four years of college.
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, students 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: Western Michigan University School of Medicine (WMed), Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: N/A
Dates: 8 Saturday sessions from October 11–May 23
Application Deadline: October 3
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12 from Kalamazoo County
WMed’s Early Introduction to Health Careers (EIH 2) is a 7-month medical program for high school students in Kalamazoo, providing healthcare education, mentorship, and career development through a series of Saturday sessions. You’ll work with fellow high schoolers, medical students, and WMed faculty on activities, educational workshops, and medical simulations. You’ll learn about subjects like body systems, clinical skills, social determinants of health, and biomedicine. You’ll have access to one-on-one mentorship from WMed professors, learning about various academic and career paths in healthcare. You’ll also attend a series of lectures from doctors, clinicians, and biomedical researchers, learning about life as a healthcare professional and building a professional network. You’ll also take part in guided research to gain first-hand knowledge of how medical innovations are developed.
Location: Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: N/A
Dates: Determined between volunteers and hospital staff
Application Deadline: Applications for high school students accepted throughout April
Eligibility: High school students; background check and medical screening required
Bronson Methodist Hospital’s Volunteer opportunities offer a medical program for high schoolers in Kalamazoo, providing exposure to hospital operations. Volunteer positions are offered in 10 different focus areas; students looking for direct clinical exposure can work in Patient Support & Comfort Rounds, Cancer Care & Specialty Support, Pet Therapy, and Patient & Family Advisory Councils. Your work might include assisting physicians at specialized imaging and radiation oncology clinics, supporting emotional well-being through bringing certified therapy animals to patient rooms, or providing non-medical patient services during check-ins and comfort rounds. You’ll build connections with doctors and other clinical practitioners, gain exposure to medical care in a hospital setting, and learn to engage empathetically with patients.
Location: Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; 24 students
Dates: Two weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Applications open after completion of the EIH 2 school-year program ending May 23
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12 from Kalamazoo County who have completed the EIH 2 school-year program
The Early Introduction to Health Careers Summer Program is an advanced two-week research and medical program for high school students in Kalamazoo. You’ll spend the first week of the program completing biomedical research under the guidance of a Kalamazoo College biochemistry researcher. You’ll receive training in lab safety, experimental design and protocols, data analysis and visualization, and more. At the end of the week, you’ll give a presentation on your project’s results. During the second week of the program, you’ll transition to working at WMed for training in clinical practice. Here, you’ll attend anatomy lessons taught by Western Michigan Medical School faculty, develop specialized knowledge of cardiac and pulmonary systems, conduct hands-on anatomy activities with real specimens, and receive CPR certification for adults and children. You’ll also work with industry engineers from the medical technology company Stryker to learn about biomedical engineering and the intersections of medicine and research.
Location: Multiple medical schools and colleges in the West Michigan region; most mentorship meetings are virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: About 50 students
Dates: 7 weeks beginning in February
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–10 from underrepresented populations at West Michigan high schools
West Michigan Health Careers Pipeline Program is a 7-week program for high school underclassmen to gain exposure to healthcare careers. You’ll be matched with a personal mentor, a current Michigan undergraduate student pursuing a healthcare-focused degree, to receive tailored support in developing and pursuing your academic and career goals. You’ll be empowered to pursue professional degrees in healthcare and medicine as a minority student, learning from the shared experiences of your mentor. You’ll also be mentored by current medical students, participate in interactive clinical simulations, and learn core topics in health and wellness. You’ll participate in weekly meetings to discuss topics across coursework, plan your remaining years in high school, and explore potential majors and jobs in medicine. Program participants are offered ongoing support from former mentors and host institutions, so you’ll have opportunities for continued mentorship, job shadowing, networking events, and leadership-building in your following high school years.
Location: Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free | Some districts may have a maximum funding amount available per student; if students reach funding capacity, tuition varies by course length and semester; see details here
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not provided
Dates: Fall, Winter, Summer sessions
Application Deadline: Fall: April | Winter: October | Summer: TBA
Eligibility: High school students aged 14+ with school counselor approval and sufficient placement test scores; some courses have additional prerequisites
Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) offers high schoolers the opportunity to take college-level medical courses alongside current students. Students seeking a medical focus can center their coursework in disciplines including health sciences, emergency medical technology, and nursing. You’ll undertake the complete college curriculum and coursework through homework assignments, research projects, presentations, and class discussions. You can select from specialized courses like Human Anatomy and Physiology, Infectious Disease, Clinical Decision Making, Pediatric Nursing, and more. Or, if you’d like to prepare for pre-medical coursework, you can choose to get ahead on required classes like Cellular Biology, Organic Chemistry, Organismal Biology, or college-level Physics. You’ll earn transferable high school and/or college credits upon successful completion of your courses.
Location: Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not provided
Dates: Two days in summer
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; application opening date TBA
Eligibility: Current high school students from Michigan
CampMed is a two-day medical program for high schoolers in Kalamazoo and other areas of Michigan looking to explore careers in healthcare. You’ll visit medical, research, and educational facilities at Central Michigan University College of Medicine and its Mid-Central Area Health Education Center to learn about the on-campus experience. You’ll work with current CMU medical students to complete hands-on activities such as clinical simulations and diagnostic practice. You’ll learn about healthcare-related undergraduate majors and medical school at CMU from the perspective of current students, including insights on courses, research opportunities, and the med school application process.
Location: Multiple sites in Calhoun, Van Buren, and Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: N/A
Dates: 6+ months; minimum of two shifts per month
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Ages 18+; must pass criminal background check
The Volunteer Victim Advocacy Program allows older high school students to develop medical skills while supporting survivors of sexual assault. You’ll begin the program with 30 hours of intensive training on medical topics, including PTSD, neurobiology of trauma, and the sexual assault nurse examiner program. You’ll additionally be trained in advocacy and support topics such as cultural sensitivity, legal aspects of criminal sexual conduct, and empathetic trauma-informed work. You’ll work at a hospital emergency room, nurse examiner office, police department, or community center to provide on-site support to individuals who have experienced sexual assault and/or domestic violence. Your work will include crisis intervention, providing medical and legal information and service referrals, and personalized non-judgmental support, emphasizing patients’ rights throughout the process. You’ll also attend monthly meetings with professional and volunteer victim advocates to continue building your knowledge and receive mentorship from your Volunteer Coordinator.
Location: Multiple Bronson Healthcare locations in the Greater Kalamazoo region, including Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not provided
Dates: Flexible based on student availability
Application Deadline: Available year-round; students must coordinate preceptors or work through local CTE program
Eligibility: High school students in Bronson CTE partner programs (Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency, Calhoun Area Career Center, Van Buren Tech Center, Battle Creek Central High School Career Academies)
Bronson Methodist Hospital provides flexible internships for Kalamazoo CTE high schoolers pursuing healthcare-focused paths. You’ll work at Michigan’s #1 medical center for critical care and stroke care to build medical expertise by supporting hospital staff and clinicians. Also ranked in the top 10% nationally for neuroscience, pulmonary care, and gastrointestinal care, you’ll gain medical industry exposure and networking opportunities with talented clinical specialists. You’ll participate in interactive educational activities, contribute to hospital operations, and shadow practicing physicians in your preferred medical specializations.
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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