13 Medical Programs for High School Students in Little Rock, AR
- Stephen Turban
- 3 minutes ago
- 9 min read
If you are a high school student interested in medicine, structured programs can be a great way to explore higher education and your interests before college. Medical programs allow you to spend time in clinical research facilities, hospitals, and/or medical schools and connect with professionals to gain firsthand insights into what working in the field is really like. As a participant, you will build skills in research, basic diagnostic techniques, patient care, and healthcare administration while contributing to projects, hospital workflows, and laboratory work.
What medical programs are available for high schoolers in Little Rock, Arkansas?
Little Rock offers a mix of hospital-based internships, university outreach initiatives, volunteer placements, and short-term immersion programs for high school students interested in healthcare. Depending on the program, you may shadow physicians in oncology or pediatrics, assist with non-clinical hospital support services, conduct mentored medical research, or explore specialized areas such as mental health and neuroscience. These opportunities can help you better understand potential career paths in medicine while building foundational academic and professional skills.
To help you with your search, we have listed 13 medical programs for high school students in Little Rock, AR.
If you’re looking for online medical research programs, check out our blog here.
Location: CARTI Cancer Center and statewide CARTI treatment locations, including Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June – August, minimum 12-hour commitment
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students ages 14 – 18
The CARTI Summer Junior Volunteer Program serves as an entry point for students interested in pursuing careers in oncology and patient support. You will take up a few shifts in the summer, working alongside experienced medical teams to provide comfort and support to patients undergoing cancer treatment. You can expect to serve in various capacities, from assisting in the infusion centre and lab to helping out in the gift shop or at special community events. The program emphasises a "whole-patient" approach, helping you explore the importance of non-clinical support, such as serving coffee, providing warm blankets, and offering a friendly presence to caregivers. You will take up shifts available in the morning or afternoon, committing to a minimum of 12 hours to the program.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies; financial assistance offered
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions offered year-round (summer, spring, fall, winter)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students; typical admitted GPA around 3.3/4.0 unweighted
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, biology, 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.
Location: CARTI Cancer Centre, Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: Free; $500–$5,000 scholarships awarded to top 10 capstone projects
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not disclosed
Dates: June 15–19
Application Deadline: April 10
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen through seniors from CARTI-selected schools with a minimum 2.5 GPA
CARTI Discover is an in-person job-shadowing program for students interested in healthcare careers. The program allows you to spend one week in the summer exploring a wide range of roles within oncology and healthcare delivery. You will shadow professionals across clinical, technical, research, business, and patient-support disciplines while learning how a comprehensive cancer care system operates. You can select a specific career track aligned with your interests and gain structured, hands-on exposure throughout the week. The program concludes with the submission of a capstone project focused on your week-long experience.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type; full financial aid available Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Offered in multiple cohorts throughout the year (spring, summer, fall, and winter)
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines by cohort. You can apply here.
Eligibility: High school students with prior exposure to Python or AI concepts
Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Deep Dive is a virtual program designed to introduce you to the intersection of artificial intelligence and healthcare, with a focus on real-world medical applications of AI and machine learning. You will explore how AI models are used to diagnose diseases, enhance and interpret medical imaging, and support clinical decision-making. Through guided projects and code walkthroughs, you will gain experience applying ML techniques to healthcare-related datasets. The program also emphasises ethical considerations and model interpretability, helping you understand how AI outcomes can be responsibly communicated to doctors and patients.
Location: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 1–12
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: Students attending schools in Pulaski County, AR, entering junior or senior year of high school in the fall
The Healthcare Education Active Learning Experience for Regional Scholars (HEALERS) is a focused immersion designed for students eager to explore the medical field. You will spend two weeks on the UAMS campus, participating in a blend of classroom learning and clinical volunteer work. A key feature is the opportunity to interact directly with professionals across various medical specialties, allowing you to ask questions and gain a realistic view of different career paths. During the program, you will also learn how to administer Basic Life Support (CPR) and learn essential first aid skills like spinal immobilisation, bandaging, and bleeding control.
Location: Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: None (volunteer program)
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Flexible; typically scheduled for 1–3 days
Application Deadline: No fixed deadline; apply between three months and four weeks before your requested date
Eligibility: High school students ages 16+
This shadowing program is an opportunity to observe the workflow in a pediatric hospital. You can indicate your preference for a placement in your area of interest, and the hospital will work to pair you with a healthcare professional to observe their duties and interactions. To ensure safety and professionalism, you will complete an online training course and provide documentation of a negative TB skin test before joining the program. During your experience, you will spend one to three days learning about hospital departments and the various roles within a medical team, although you will not participate in direct patient care. The experience can help you test your interest in specific medical specialties.
Location: Multiple CHI Health and CommonSpirit Health hospitals and clinics, including Arkansas
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round; shifts after school and on weekends
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Teens ages 14–18; prerequisites vary by site
The CHI Health Teen Volunteer Program offers students the opportunity to engage in meaningful service within a hospital setting while exploring healthcare environments. You will support patients, families, and hospital staff through non-clinical roles, including hospitality, patient escort services, clerical assistance, and departmental support. You will not contribute to the provision of medical care, but you will gain exposure to hospital operations, professional conduct, and patient-centred care. You will receive training and orientation before placement and commit to a minimum service period, typically a year. The program can offer you early exposure to healthcare systems.
Location: Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round; minimum six-month or 72-hour commitment (two- or three-hour shift per week at the same day and time)
Application Deadline: Reviewed periodically; check program site for current cycles
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–18
As a Junior Volunteer at Arkansas Children's Hospital, you will gain exposure to the inner workings of a real-world pediatric facility. You will assist staff across various hospital units, from patient care floors to family hospitality areas. Your tasks will also include offering support to patients and their families. Additionally, you will find opportunities to develop professional social skills and gain exposure to a fast-paced, high-stakes clinical environment while giving back to the community.
Location: University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR (on campus; some residential, some commuter)
Cost/Stipend: Free (housing often included for residential programs)
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Varies by program; most competitive
Dates: Summer term; exact dates vary by program
Application Deadline: TBA
Eligibility: Middle school and high school students (requirements vary by program)
Each year, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Donaghey College of STEM and affiliated research centres and organizations run a range of summer outreach and research programs focused on STEM and health. You can choose programs that focus on the intersection of healthcare, mental health, and tech, including hackathon-style interdisciplinary experiences. These programs introduce you to real-world health challenges and how emerging technologies can support diagnosis, intervention, and accessibility. You will work in teams on activities and projects alongside mentors from the tech and mental health fields.
Location: Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, AR (about 1 hour from Little Rock) and Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR (about 2 hours from Little Rock)
Cost: None; housing and meals provided
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates:
Henderson State University: June 11–14
Arkansas State University: June 16–18
Application Deadline: April 10
Eligibility: High school students entering 11th or 12th grade in fall; open to Arkansas and Delta-state residents
Organized by NYITCOM (New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine) at Arkansas State University, Project H.E.A.R.T is designed to introduce you to medical careers, college pathways, and community health. Under the mentorship of medical students, you will engage in hands-on learning activities, including anatomy lab experiences such as bovine heart dissection. You will explore a wide range of healthcare professions through sessions led by physicians, nurses, therapists, and hospital representatives. The program also offers exposure to medical school pathways and health professions training.
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 1–5 and June 8–12 (tentative)
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who live in the U.S. or on U.S. armed forces bases or diplomatic posts
This virtual program, offered by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, is meant for high school students interested in exploring mental health career paths. The program allows you to interact with healthcare and mental health professionals, including licensed social workers, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, and physician assistants. Through online sessions, these professionals will share their experiences in psychology and offer insights into pursuing a career in the field. Additionally, you will learn about areas like interventional psychiatry, psychotherapy, neuroscience, community psychiatry, and neuropsychological testing.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,725; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate: 12%
Dates: June 8–19 (Session 1) | June 22–July 3 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school students
CNI-X is an opportunity to explore psychiatry, psychology, and neuroscience. Over two weeks, you will participate in seminars led by Stanford faculty, covering topics including brain stimulation, addiction, and neuroimaging. A key component of the program is the collaborative capstone project, in which you will work in a small team to develop a creative solution to a modern social issue related to mental health. In addition to technical learning, the curriculum emphasises professional development and self-care strategies to support your transition into adulthood and a potential medical career. The program also provides opportunities to connect with Stanford faculty and researchers and offers insights into career paths in medicine and science.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,400 program fee + $45 application fee; financial aid available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: ~50 students per session
Dates: Session A: June 15–26 | Session B: July 6–17
Application Deadline: February 20 | Financial Aid Deadline: February 13
Eligibility: Students who live in the U.S., attend U.S. high schools, and are age 14+ at program start
This virtual program allows you to explore the intersection of tech and healthcare. Over two weeks, you will attend technical lectures on AI fundamentals and work on solving a practical medical problem using AI within small teams supported by Stanford researchers and student leads. You will also participate in "Meet the Expert" sessions to connect with professionals and leaders from academia and industry. The program is fast-paced and project-focused, encouraging you to apply coding and math skills to real-world clinical data. Upon completion of the program, you will receive a certificate of completion from Stanford AIMI.
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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