10 Medical Science Summer Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 36 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Medical science summer programs are especially appealing if you’re curious about how health, disease, and the human body intersect in real-world settings. These programs offer early exposure to core areas like human biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, public health, and clinical reasoning, well beyond what most middle school classrooms can provide. Instead of learning concepts in isolation, you’re introduced to how doctors, researchers, and health professionals think through problems, interpret evidence, and make decisions. Many programs are taught or supervised by university faculty, physicians, or researchers, giving you direct mentorship from people actively working in medicine and biomedical science. Academic rigor is a defining feature, with structured coursework, labs, simulations, or data-driven projects that reward curiosity and sustained effort. Selectivity and institutional credibility also matter, as programs hosted by universities, medical centers, or research institutes tend to emphasize depth, accuracy, and long-term preparation. Together, these elements make medical science programs a strong option if you’re exploring a future in medicine, health care, or scientific research.
10 Medical Science Summer Programs for Middle School Students
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies, financial aid available
Program dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: June 23 (many cohorts running year-round)
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an online mentorship-based research experience tailored for middle school students who want to create an academic project in a field they’re passionate about. You’ll work closely with a mentor from universities like MIT, Harvard, or Stanford, who supports you throughout the research and project development process.
Throughout the program, you learn to conduct independent investigations, think critically, and complete a final project that reflects your area of interest. The program balances academic challenge with scheduling flexibility, featuring multiple application rounds during the year. Need-based scholarships are available, encouraging students from diverse backgrounds to participate.
Location: Emory University (Winship Cancer Institute), Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is selective. Information on the size of the application pool and exact cohort size is not available.
Dates: June 8–June 18
Application Deadline: Applications open in early February
Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th grade students
You investigate real-world community health and cancer-related problems using authentic datasets drawn from medical research contexts. Across two weeks, you learn how cell biology, epidemiology, statistics, and cancer disparities intersect with data science and public health decision-making. You work hands-on with Big Data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning tools to analyze patterns and generate evidence-based insights. Faculty from the Winship Cancer Institute and STEM mentors guide you through research workflows and explain how medical data is used in real research environments. You collaborate with a team to design a Community Action Plan addressing a cancer-related health issue and present your findings at the program’s conclusion. This program is especially well-suited if you are interested in medicine, biomedical research, or health data science and want early exposure to how medical evidence informs community-level solutions.
Location: Virtual
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines. You can apply to the program here.
Program dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
The AI Trailblazers program by Veritas AI is a virtual program that teaches middle school students the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Over 25 hours, you will learn the basics of Python as well as topics like data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. Students learn through lectures and group sessions with a 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio. Previous student projects have included building a machine-learning model to classify music genres and creating a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Location: Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, Saint Andrew’s School, Boca Raton, FL
Cost/Stipend: $4,117 tuition; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective via CTY identification requirements; typical class size 18–20 students
Dates: June 28–July 17
Application Deadline: May 11
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–8 who meet CTY identification criteria
You study the structure and function of the human body through a rigorous survey of major organ systems, including the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, and immune systems. The course emphasizes how cells and tissues work together to maintain health, using readings, lectures, discussions, and structured laboratory work. You engage in hands-on activities that mirror techniques used in health and life sciences, culminating in the dissection of a fetal pig. Instruction focuses on scientific reasoning, biological systems thinking, and foundational skills relevant to medicine and health sciences. You learn how anatomical structure informs physiological function, a core concept underlying medical training. This course is well-suited if you want a deep, academically demanding introduction to human biology.
Location: Medical Physician Preparation Academy, Multiple campuses and virtual options
Cost/Stipend: $450–$3,510 depending on format (online, commuter, residential). Tuition is fully waived for families with annual household income up to $85,000.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective admissions with holistic review; exact acceptance rate and cohort size not published
Dates: June 20–August 22
Application Deadline: Two weeks prior to the start of the academic term
Eligibility: Current 6th–8th grade students; international students may apply
You enroll in a structured summer medical preparation program designed to build early readiness for careers in medicine and health care. The curriculum introduces you to foundational medical concepts, clinical skills labs, and pathways to professions such as medicine, nursing, physician assistant studies, and biomedical sciences. You engage in coursework and guided activities that emphasize academic rigor, writing, communication, and professional skill development relevant to future medical training. Admission involves essays, recommendations, and interviews, reinforcing expectations around commitment and maturity. You participate in a long-form summer term, allowing sustained engagement with medical and health science topics. This program is best suited if you are looking for a comprehensive, pipeline-style introduction to medicine at the middle school level.
Location: Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free to participate; no stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective admissions; acceptance rate and cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: July (summer session, Monday–Friday)
Application Deadline: Varies by site; typically in spring
Eligibility: Students in grades 7–12 interested in medicine or health-related STEM fields
You participate in a structured summer enrichment program designed to strengthen your preparation for medicine and health-related STEM pathways. During the summer session, you take academically rigorous courses in subjects such as anatomy, biochemistry, brain and cognitive science, chemistry, and pre-med readiness. Instruction emphasizes building strong foundations in math and science rather than clinical exposure alone. You also engage in college preparation and career development workshops that introduce long-term medical and scientific pathways. This option is best suited if you are looking for a serious, classroom-based summer program connected to a major academic medical center.
Location: University of California, Irvine, CA
Cost/Stipend: $2,995; need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective admissions; acceptance rate and cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: July 20–July 31
Application Deadline: Typically early winter; applications for 2026 are closed
Eligibility: Middle and high school students with an interest in neuroscience and biomedical science
You participate in a two-week, full-day immersion in neuroscience and brain science within an active university research environment. The program covers topics such as brain and spinal cord anatomy, learning and memory, neuropharmacology, neuropathology, and brain–machine interfaces. You gain hands-on exposure to laboratory techniques used in modern neuroscience research, including electrophysiology, brain imaging, animal models, and optogenetics. Workshops emphasize experimental design, data analysis, scientific communication, and neuroethics. During the second week, you design experiments, analyze data, and present your findings to faculty, students, and families. This program is best suited if you want research-oriented exposure to medical and biomedical science.
Location: Berkeley, CA (hosted by Summer Springboard)
Cost/Stipend: $1,598 (commuter) / $2,998 (residential) + $250 supplemental fee; no stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment program; acceptance rate and cohort size not published
Dates: July 5–July 10; July 12–July 17; July 19–July 24; July 26–July 31
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions fill
Eligibility: Middle school students interested in medicine and health care
You receive hands-on exposure to emergency medicine through age-appropriate clinical simulations and team-based scenarios. The program teaches practical skills such as CPR, splinting, bleeding control, and basic life support while introducing you to diagnostic reasoning and treatment planning. You work through simulated patient cases and participate in a mass-casualty triage exercise to understand how emergency rooms operate under pressure. Instruction is led by resident physicians and medical professionals with a focus on applied learning rather than lectures alone. You earn CPR certification and gain early familiarity with emergency medical workflows and clinical teamwork. This program is best suited if you want immersive, skills-based exposure to medicine rather than academic or research-focused training.
Location: Multiple locations, including American University (Washington, DC) and University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
Cost/Stipend: $2,695 (commuter) / $3,095 (residential); scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment program; acceptance rate and cohort size not published
Dates: June 16–June 21; June 26–July 1; July 5–July 10; July 13–July 18; July 22–July 27
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions fill
Eligibility: Middle school students interested in medicine, health care, or related fields
You spend six days exploring the fundamentals of medicine and health care through hands-on simulations and interactive workshops. The program introduces you to anatomy, basic patient care concepts, diagnostic reasoning, and the collaborative nature of clinical teams. You practice problem-solving skills used in medical settings and learn how doctors, nurses, and other health professionals approach treatment and care decisions. Sessions are paired with structured leadership workshops focused on communication, empathy, and teamwork in health-related environments. You experience life on a college campus while gaining early exposure to how medical knowledge is applied in real-world contexts. This program works best if you are looking for an introductory, immersive overview of medical careers.
Location: Boston Leadership Institute, Waltham, MA and Greater Wellesley, MA
Cost/Stipend: $699 (one-week tuition); residential fee additional if applicable
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment program; acceptance rate and cohort size not published
Dates: June 22–June 26; July 13–July 17; July 20–July 24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions until sessions fill
Eligibility: Pre-high school students (typically rising 6th–8th graders; may include rising 9th graders) interested in medicine and health sciences
You explore the foundations of medicine through a fast-paced, hands-on introduction to human health and disease. The program walks you through routine clinical concepts such as physical exams, reflex testing, and patient assessment before moving into system-based topics including neuroscience, cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, and genetic disorders. Instruction emphasizes applied understanding of how doctors think through symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment pathways rather than abstract biology alone. Sessions are led by medical trainees and biomedical researchers who introduce real-world clinical perspectives. You gain early exposure to how different medical specialties approach patient care across the human body. This program is best suited if you are looking for a short, immersive introduction to medicine rather than research-intensive training.
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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