20+ Medical Research Topics for High School Students

If you are interested in pursuing a career in medicine, biomedical research, or public health, starting early with a research project can help you build foundational skills and explore topics that truly interest you. 

Engaging in scientific research is also a great way to grow your skills and knowledge beyond the classroom. It allows you to investigate medical concepts in a much deeper fashion, as in the process of conducting research, you will work with college or even Ph.D.-level literature and learn about cutting-edge advancements in the field.

Additionally, early exposure to research can boost your profile and college applications, as it demonstrates your willingness to get a head start in your career and gain some hands-on experience in your field of choice.

To help you along this path, in this blog, we’ve covered 20+ medical research topics for high school students. The ideas are divided into four broad categories—clinical medicine, public health, pharmaceutical sciences, and biomedical innovation. Each idea is specific, relevant, and manageable for you as a high schooler to explore independently or with a mentor’s guidance.

Clinical medicine

Clinical medicine typically focuses on how health conditions are diagnosed, treated, or managed in individuals. Research here involves understanding patient behavior, symptoms, or treatment outcomes.

1. Compare the effectiveness of different types/methods of hydration (water vs. sports drinks) in reducing symptoms of dehydration after exercise

You can design a study where student-athletes track their physical symptoms (like fatigue, cramps, or concentration) after rehydrating with different fluids. You can include both self-reported metrics, such as how long it takes for them to feel refreshed, as well as objective metrics that track their performance in various exercises. This research can help address whether expensive sports drinks actually offer benefits over water for everyday student athletes.

2. Analyze how screen time before bed correlates with sleep quality and daytime focus in adolescents

You can track the evening screen use (phones, TVs, tablets, and laptops) of a few students and ask them to log their sleep duration and quality. Choose an appropriate sample size of teen participants to draw useful research conclusions. Then, you can ask the study participants to rate their concentration during the day, as well as measure it objectively using various exercises to test concentration. Reviewing blue light exposure studies will help you build a strong foundation for your research paper. Additionally, if you can obtain data from sleep-tracking apps used by your subjects, that would be even better for your research.

3. Investigate how sleep habits affect recovery times from common illnesses in teenagers

You can examine whether teenagers who sleep more recover faster from illnesses like colds, flu, or strep throat. You will have to collect data through surveys or self-reported health journals and record changes in patterns over time. One approach is to compare recovery times among students who sleep at least eight hours versus those who sleep less. Ideally, you should spend some time reviewing existing literature on the connection between sleep and immune function to support your findings.

4. Explore the relationship between menstrual cycle phases and academic performance or concentration levels

This topic involves investigating whether different stages of the menstrual cycle, such as menstruation, the follicular phase, and ovulation, impact focus, mood, or academic productivity. This may be a somewhat sensitive topic, so you should secure consent and ensure the comfort of participants before you begin. Then, you can ask the participants to log their symptoms and self-rated productivity over a month and look for patterns. Reviewing medical literature about hormonal effects on cognitive function would add some weight to your analysis.

5. Evaluate whether students with seasonal allergies report lower physical activity during peak pollen periods

Use local pollen level data and correlate it with physical activity logs among allergy-prone students. Your research can assess how allergic symptoms, like congestion, fatigue, or irritation, may act as barriers to exercise. The results may be useful in understanding the real-world impact of chronic yet non-life-threatening conditions.

Public health and epidemiology

Public health and epidemiology focus on population health trends, prevention strategies, and how social, economic, or behavioral factors influence well-being.

6. Study how awareness campaigns about hand hygiene impact students’ handwashing behaviors at school

You can design a simple awareness campaign using posters, presentations, or social media. Survey students before and after to see if there’s a change in behavior, ideally via anonymous observation. You could also collect data from teachers or custodial staff about things like soap use or restroom cleanliness. This topic connects public health education with behavioral science.

7. Investigate how socioeconomic background influences access to mental health resources for teenagers

This project can involve interviews or surveys with students from different socioeconomic groups and asking them about their awareness and use of mental health services (e.g., counseling, therapy, helplines). You can check the availability of options and overall willingness to seek help in under-resourced areas. Incorporating local data or reports will give your research a broader context.

8. Analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic affected physical activity levels among high school students

Compare pre-pandemic and post-pandemic activity levels using school fitness records, school sports team performance, app-based tracking, or surveys. You can document how lockdowns, virtual schooling, or social distancing policies affect exercise habits, as well as access to exercise facilities. Your project could also explore how some students adapted to at-home workouts or sports alternatives and their relative ease or difficulty compared to structured regimens in school.

9. Explore the role of social media in shaping attitudes toward vaccines among teenagers

Collect anonymous survey responses from students on where they get vaccine-related information and how trustworthy they find those sources. Compare opinions across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Include an analysis of how misinformation spreads online and ways to improve media literacy.

10. Examine the relationship between school start times and students’ reported mental health and sleep quality

Compare mental health indicators, such as stress, irritability, or motivation, in students at multiple schools with different start times. You can use publicly available data if your district has multiple start time policies, or gather student surveys and analyze patterns. For data on mental health indicators, you can use psychological testing methods as well as self-reported surveys.

11. Evaluate how knowledge about nutrition correlates with actual dietary choices among teens

You can survey students to assess what they know about balanced diets, calories, or food labels, and get details regarding their weekly eating habits. Are those with high nutrition knowledge making healthier choices? This project can also assess the effectiveness of school-based nutrition education.

Pharmaceutical sciences and drug effects

This area is worth exploring if you are interested in the pharmaceutical aspect of medicine and health. Research in pharmaceuticals and drug effects typically focuses on how medications work, how people use them, and what factors influence their effectiveness or misuse.

12. Investigate the differences in perception of prescription vs. over-the-counter (OTC) medications

You can explore whether students are more cautious with prescription drugs than with OTC options like ibuprofen or allergy pills, and whether they understand the risks of misuse. Correlate survey data with research studies documenting the side effects of both kinds of medication, especially in teens undergoing puberty.

13. Study the effects of caffeine consumption on alertness and mood in adolescents

Track daily caffeine intake (from coffee, energy drinks, soda, etc.) and ask student participants to record their energy levels, mood, and concentration at different points of the day. You can also compare weekday vs. weekend use. Use psychological tests to distinguish between actual impact and placebo effects and contrast them with self-reported surveys to draw insights.

14. Compare how long different brands of pain relievers take to reduce symptoms in minor injuries or headaches

Design a survey-based project where participants record pain levels before and after taking pain relievers, noting the brand, dosage, and onset of action (the time it takes to feel the effects of the medicine). This medical research topic can help you explore perceptions of drug effectiveness and brand loyalty among high school students and their families.

15. Analyze how knowledge of antibiotic resistance affects the way students use antibiotics

To conduct research on this topic, you can survey students who’ve taken antibiotics and assess whether they finished the full course or stopped once symptoms improved. Include questions about their understanding of antibiotic resistance. Your research can highlight the importance of proper medication use and the public health consequences of misinformation.

16. Evaluate whether reading drug side effect labels changes how likely teenagers are to take medications

Show participants two versions of the same drug: one with and one without the listed side effects. Measure their willingness to use the medication in each case. Combine it with a survey that attempts to track how risk-averse or risk-prone they are in other scenarios.

Biomedical technology and innovation

This research area explores how innovations like wearables, artificial intelligence, and/or mobile apps are changing the way medicine is practiced and health is managed. Here are a few topics you can consider:

17. Explore the accuracy of consumer wearable devices (like Fitbit or Apple Watch) in measuring heart rate or sleep

Compare data from wearable devices with manual measurements (e.g., pulse checks, sleep logs) or clinical tools if accessible. For better accuracy, focus on data collected in a variety of situations, like at rest, engaging in mild cardio, and engaging in heavy cardio. You can evaluate how reliable these devices are for everyday users and in what scenarios.

18. Investigate whether mobile mental health apps improve daily mood tracking and emotional awareness

You can ask a group of participants to use a free mood-tracking or mental health app for several weeks and report how the experience impacted their awareness of emotions or coping skills. The data collection tools could include pre- and post-surveys, usage logs, and reflections. Your study could also compare app features and usability.

19. Study how 3D printing is being used to create affordable medical devices in low-resource settings

You can research specific case studies where 3D-printed prosthetics or medical tools (like stethoscopes or splints) are used in developing countries. You can analyze the cost-effectiveness and innovation behind these solutions, and even conduct interviews with biomedical engineers or NGOs, if feasible.

20. Evaluate how virtual reality is used in pain management or therapy for young patients

Review existing literature on VR and medicine and/or conduct interviews with medical professionals who utilize VR in their treatment. Also, look into how VR helps with distraction therapy during painful procedures or supports patients with anxiety, phobias, or developmental disorders.

21. Research how AI is being applied in medical imaging to improve early diagnosis of diseases

Explore how machine learning algorithms help doctors detect abnormalities in X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans. You can conduct a case study using publicly available datasets or analyze the ethical and clinical implications of AI-assisted diagnosis.

One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you want to pursue independent research in medicine under the guidance of a mentor, consider applying to Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, which are selective high school programs founded in partnership with Harvard and Oxford researchers. Last year, 4,000+ students applied for just 500 spots in the research program. You can learn about the application and available programs on the application form here.

Also, you can check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation—a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, it offered 150 students full need-based financial assistance.

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.

Image Source - Lumiere Research Scholar Program logo