15 Medical Research Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 7 hours ago
- 9 min read
If you’re an undergraduate interested in medicine and want to see how research shapes the field, one way to start is by joining a medical research internship.
Medical research internships place you in labs, hospitals, or research centers where you might assist with experiments, analyze clinical data, or contribute to ongoing studies. Some focus on basic science like genetics or immunology, while others look at public health, policy, or patient-centered projects.
Through these experiences, you’ll learn how research is designed, how findings are communicated, and how different teams work together to advance medicine. Internships can also help you build skills that are useful for medical school or future graduate study.
To help you explore, we’ve put together a list of 15 medical research internships for undergraduates!
For more prestigious internships, check out this set of blogs!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program type (financial aid available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts year-round, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: University students who can work 5–10 hours/week for 8 weeks
Ladder’s University Internship Program is an eight-week, project-based experience where you’re matched with a startup aligned with your academic interests. You’ll work directly with a company coach or founder to design, refine, and present a deliverable such as a business strategy, research report, or product prototype, while learning how to break broad goals into clear, actionable steps. The program gives you direct exposure to startup environments, mentorship from professionals with experience at firms like Google, McKinsey, and Meta, and the chance to build communication, leadership, and analytical skills.
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge & Boston, MA
Stipend: Around $4,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 35 students are accepted
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students with an interest in stem cell biology research
The HSCI Internship Program (HIP) at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute is an eight-week, full-time summer research experience that places you in the lab of a Harvard faculty member working on stem cell science. You’re encouraged to explore your own interests in areas like regenerative medicine, developmental biology, or disease modeling while contributing to active investigations. Alongside lab work, you’ll also join seminars, journal clubs, and networking events that connect you with leading researchers and peers.
Location: Novartis Biomedical Research headquarters, Cambridge, MA, or San Diego, CA
Stipend: Competitive pay is provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: 10 weeks starting May 27
Application Deadline: November 25
Eligibility: Students who are at least 18 years old and have completed at least three semesters or four quarters at an accredited U.S. college or university
The Summer of Science Internship Program is a 10-week, full-time medical research internship run by the Biomedical Research division at Novartis for undergraduates interested in drug discovery and biomedical science. You’ll spend the summer in an industry lab where you work on a team research project while also designing your own experiments under the guidance of a mentor. You’ll learn the fundamentals of drug development, data analysis, and experimental techniques, while also reviewing scientific literature, presenting your findings, and connecting with life science experts. You’ll be placed in a lab that matches your academic and career interests, in areas such as molecular biology, pharmacology, or chemical screening, and you don’t need prior research experience to take part.
Location: Affiliated locations in Baltimore, MD
Stipend: $3,000–$5,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: May 25 – August 2
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate students. Some internships may have specific requirements.
The Johns Hopkins University Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a 10-week, full-time research experience where you spend the summer in a lab at the School of Medicine or the Bloomberg School of Public Health. You’ll work on a project in areas like disease biology, health disparities, or genomics, while learning how to analyze data, review scientific literature, and present your work. You’ll be mentored by faculty and research staff, join seminars and career panels, and finish the program by presenting your findings in a poster or oral presentation.
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Stipend: $5,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 16 students per year
Dates: 9.5–10 weeks starting early June
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, or non-graduating seniors enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university with a minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale, an interest in pursuing a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. in biotechnology or a related field, and who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Amgen Scholars program is a medical research internship for undergraduates that centers on independent, faculty-mentored research in biotechnology and related fields. You’ll work in Harvard laboratories affiliated with departments such as Chemistry and Molecular Biology, or with institutes like the Broad Institute and Wyss Institute. Alongside your project work, you participate in scholarly workshops, panels, and the Amgen Scholars Symposium, all of which provide exposure to the professional and ethical dimensions of research.
Location: Northwestern Medicine, Chicago, IL
Stipend: Provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The previous cohort had 46 students
Dates: June 25 – August 19
Application Deadline: December 26
Eligibility: Undergraduate students enrolled in a four-year program who are interested in becoming physicians
The Northwestern Medicine Pre-Med Internship program for undergraduates combines clinical observation with project-based work to give you exposure to the daily responsibilities of healthcare professionals. You’ll rotate through different departments, observing physicians in settings that range from operating rooms to patient consultations. Alongside this, you’ll contribute to a faculty-sponsored project, designed to connect classroom learning with real clinical practice. You’ll also have access to weekly lectures on topics such as medical school preparation, choosing a specialty, and professional challenges in the field.
Location: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Stipend: $5,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Undergraduate students attending a university in the United States with a minimum 3.0 GPA
The SMART Program is a 9-week medical research internship for undergraduates at the Texas Medical Center, hosted by Baylor College of Medicine. You’ll join a lab and work on a biomedical project in areas like bioengineering, computational biology, or genetics, depending on your interests. Alongside lab work, you’ll attend seminars, career workshops, and discussion groups to build research skills and explore science careers. You’ll also connect with mentors and peers from across the country, and present your findings at the end of the program.
Location: Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The previous cohort had 22 interns
Dates: 12 weeks in May – August
Application Deadline: Applications open in March
Eligibility: Undergraduate students with a minimum 3.0 GPA and an interest in healthcare
PACaRI integrates clinical exposure and research training in a summer medical research internship for undergraduates at Boston Children’s Hospital. You begin with training as an assistant anesthesia technician, which includes time in the operating room under direct supervision. In parallel, you work on research components such as literature reviews and team-based presentations at Grand Rounds. The program also includes advising sessions, workshops, and mock interviews designed to help you prepare for medical school applications.
Location: MCW Graduate School, Milwaukee, WI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: Throughout the academic year
Application Deadline: No official deadline; applicants are encouraged to apply at least one month in advance of the relevant semester/term.
Eligibility: STEM major undergraduates from Southeast Wisconsin who can travel to MCW Milwaukee every week, who are at least 18 years old, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA
The Program for Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) at the Medical College of Wisconsin is a semester-long medical research internship where you work 8 to 20 hours a week with a faculty mentor. You may learn lab techniques like molecular biology and cell culture, analyze clinical or public health datasets, review literature, and take part in designing projects. Since placements depend on the mentor, every student’s work is different, and the semester-long format gives you more time to understand how research develops compared to short summer programs.
Location: The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 25 students are accepted
Dates: May 28 – July 23
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: Undergraduate students interested in medical research
The Feinstein Summer Research Internship Program is an 8-week, full-time medical research experience at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health. You’ll work in one of six institutes - Behavioral Science, Bioelectronic Medicine, Cancer, Health System Science, Molecular Medicine, or Translational Research, where you join an ongoing project on disease, treatment, or health technologies. You’ll get hands-on lab training, attend workshops and seminars, review scientific literature, and present your findings in a poster session at the end of the program. Each year, about 25 students are selected.
Location: Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, D.C.
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: 8 weeks starting in early June
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate students interested in a career in the biomedical sciences
Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Summer Internship is an 8-week, full-time research program where you work on a cancer-related project in areas such as tumor immunology, human cancer genetics, drug development, or survivorship interventions. You’ll be paired with a faculty mentor, collaborate with postdocs and graduate students, and gain hands-on lab training while also attending weekly seminars, lab meetings, and work-in-progress sessions. The program ends with a poster presentation where you share your research with peers and faculty.
Location: Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 10
Eligibility: Undergraduate sophomores and juniors (although freshmen may apply) with an interest in pursuing biomedical research
Drexel’s SURF program is a nine-week placement in which you are paired with a faculty mentor to pursue biomedical research in fields like neuroscience, pharmacology, microbiology, or molecular biology. You’ll become an active member of a laboratory team, participating in experiments, attending lab meetings, and contributing to ongoing projects. Mentorship is central; the faculty guides you throughout in connecting research techniques to your academic coursework and career goals. At the end of the fellowship, you’ll deliver a formal presentation of your project to faculty and peers, with the possibility of returning in the fall to present a poster at Discovery Day.
Location: Durham, NC or Washington, DC
Stipend: Based on education level
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 20 students are accepted
Dates: May 19 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 17
Eligibility: Undergraduate, graduate, Ph.D. level, and recent graduates
The Duke-Margolis Summer Experience Internship Program is a 10-week, full-time opportunity where you explore health policy instead of lab research. You’ll work on projects that include reviewing literature, analyzing data, creating visualizations, and drafting policy briefs or reports on topics like health equity, care value, and healthcare delivery systems. Throughout the program, you’ll be mentored by experts at the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy and take part in seminars, career workshops, and networking events with professionals in medicine, public health, and policy.
Location: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: $5,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 30 students are accepted
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Sophomores, juniors, and seniors enrolled full-time in a four-year accredited college or university with a minimum 3.3 overall GPA, and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
CRISSP provides a 10-week immersion in pediatric research, where you are placed in a laboratory or research group under direct faculty supervision. The program includes three tracks: basic/translational, clinical, and behavioral research, and you select the one that best matches your interests. You’ll design and complete an independent project, gaining experience in research design, data collection, and analysis. The program concludes with a poster presentation, giving you a platform to share your findings.
Location: Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
Stipend: $2,800
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No information available
Dates: June 2 – July 31
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Rising or graduating college seniors
The Summer Scholars Program is a full-time medical research internship for undergraduates that runs for 8 to 10 weeks. You’ll spend about 40 hours a week working on a project in areas like lab science, clinical medicine, public health, or behavioral health. Depending on your track, your work could involve lab techniques, data collection, interviews, or literature reviews. Alongside your project, you’ll attend lectures on research methods and presentation skills. The program ends with a written abstract, an oral presentation, and a poster session where you share your findings.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
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 research mentor to develop a research paper.
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