13 Online Medical Research Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Nov 2
- 9 min read
If you are a high school student interested in medicine or healthcare, an online research program can help you explore the field and understand how research is conducted, without having to travel.
Medical research programs allow you to gain real experience in studying diseases, analyzing patient data, running experiments, and interpreting results. You might learn how to read research papers, use statistics to find patterns in data, or design small-scale studies from home. You will also have the opportunity to work with experienced mentors and build your network.
Online programs are often more accessible than in-person options, as you can save on travel and access resources without leaving home. Taking part can give you a solid edge when applying to college and help you figure out which area of healthcare, like public health, neuroscience, or clinical research, excites you the most.
To help with your search, we’ve compiled a list of 15 online medical research programs for high school students!
Cost: Varies by the program. Full financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June)
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled high school students who demonstrate a high level of academic achievement
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week summer research experience where you work directly with a PhD mentor from universities such as Harvard, MIT, or Yale. You pick a research topic in areas like neuroscience, medicine, public health, or life sciences, and your mentor guides you through the entire process. You’ll meet regularly to refine your research question, collect and analyze data, and write a paper that meets college-level standards. Along the way, you develop skills in research design, data analysis, and academic writing, while gaining experience that can strengthen your future applications for college or research opportunities. You can find more details about the application here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Information not available
Cost: Free ($25 application fee)
Dates: June 18 - August 8
Application Deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Must be 16+ for wet-lab internships, 15+ for remote/computer lab internships
The George Mason University College of Science's Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) offers opportunities for high school and undergraduate students to work on research projects in a field of their interest. You will work one-on-one with faculty researchers of George Mason University and collaborating institutions. Fields of medical research include bioengineering, neuroscience, women's health issues, infectious disease and epidemiology, and more. You will develop key research skills in scientific writing and communication. You will also get an opportunity to explore career paths in online discussion forums. Check out mentors and their research fields here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Up to 200 cohorts/year/1-on-1
Cost: Varies by the program. Financial aid is available
Dates: Multiple cohorts year-round (12-16 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 9 - 12 with at least a 3.67 GPA and a demonstrated interest or achievement in the subject
The Horizon Academic Research Program is a selective, virtual research opportunity for high school students who want to experience college-level academic work. Over 12–16 weeks, students work one-on-one with a university researcher to explore a topic of their choice and produce an original research paper. If you are interested in medical research, the Gene Editing and CRISPR track, which focuses on the science and ethics of genetic engineering, is a solid fit. You will learn how CRISPR was discovered and how it’s being used to treat diseases and reshape medicine. With help from a mentor, you’ll choose a research question, analyze data, and write a formal paper.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not applicable
Cost: Free
Dates: Open for enrollment at any time, self-paced
Application Deadline: Not applicable
Eligibility: Open to high school students (a few modules are open to Grades 6 - 12)
Thinkport’s Research Learning Modules are a free, self-paced online resource designed to help high school students build essential research skills, especially useful if you're preparing for medical or scientific research projects. The program walks you through the full research process, from understanding sources to presenting your findings. You’ll start by learning how to distinguish between primary and secondary sources, then move on to crafting a strong thesis statement and organizing your topic into a clear structure. Other modules cover how to avoid plagiarism, cite sources correctly, and evaluate historical documents. You’ll also explore different ways to present your research, whether through a scientific paper, an exhibit, or other formats.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee with full financial aid offered (both will be waived)
Dates: June 16 - 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 - 12 in the fall with a strong computer science, math, and/or biology background; must be over 14 years of age by the start of the program; must be a U.S. citizen/permanent resident/provide documentation of valid visa status
The AIMI Summer Research Internship at the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging is an online medical research program where you work on projects that apply AI to healthcare. You attend lectures on AI fundamentals and healthcare applications and work in teams to solve real-world problems under the guidance of Stanford researchers and student mentors. You also take part in virtual social events and career lunch sessions with guest speakers, which help you build professional connections. At the end of the program, you receive a certificate of completion and may have the opportunity to continue with an extended independent research project.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Information not available
Cost: $59 with financial aid offered
Dates: Vary, typically mid-February to May second week (spring cohort); September third week - December second week (fall cohort)
Application Deadline: Varies *typically about 20 days before the start of the program)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 12; priority for students from the state of Maryland; must commit to attending at least 10 of the 12 classes offered each session
The Johns Hopkins STEM Academy’s Critical Thinking: Inquiry Skills and Analysis program is a virtual, project-based experience where you learn how to research and analyze information like a professional. You take part in live Zoom sessions, complete self-paced modules, and do assignments that help you observe, question assumptions, and identify key facts. These skills are useful in any research field, including medicine. You apply structured analytic methods to real-world scenarios, learning how professionals tackle complex problems in science, policy, and healthcare. At the end of the program, you work with peers on a group project and present your findings at the virtual STEM Expo.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Information not known
Cost: $895; free for students who meet the family guidelines for the free/reduced lunch program
Dates: October 4 - November 29 (fall cohort with 9 Saturday afternoon sessions)
Application Deadline: September 27
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S. in grades 9 - 12
The Health Science Immersion Program offered by the non-profit Impact Internships Inc. is an online medical research program where you explore the academic, professional, and research aspects of health sciences. You attend sessions led by faculty and doctoral students from universities such as UCLA, Columbia University, and Cal State LA, who share their research projects. You also hear from medical professionals, including physicians, therapists, and pharmacists, to learn about their career paths, roles, and responsibilities. You work on clinical case studies covering topics such as asthma and diabetes. You also participate in a group research project in areas like cancer research or neuroscience and present your findings.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: As decided by the educator, with project activities done in teams of 3 - 5 students
Cost: Free
Dates: No fixed dates, can be taken up at any time
Application Deadline: Not applicable
Eligibility: Students in Grades 9 - 12 with support from an educator
Thinkport’s Designing a Healthier, Happier Meal is a free, teacher-guided online program where you explore nutrition, public health, and food marketing. It is especially useful if you are interested in careers in dietetics, health science, or food systems. You focus on childhood obesity and the impact of fast food and research the nutritional content and portion sizes of typical fast food meals, examine how companies advertise to children, and analyze real-world data with your peers. Using your findings, you design a healthier meal for kids and create a print or video ad to promote it.
9. USC Pre-College Online Program - Lifespan Development: Critical Questions for Aging and the Lifespan
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Information not available
Cost: $1990 + $35 application fee, with full scholarships offered for those enrolled in the USC NAI initiative (check details here)
Dates: Varying dates through the year, self-paced ( 2 - 4 weeks to complete)
Application Deadline: Open enrollment
Eligibility: Currently enrolled in a high school or secondary program; must be at least 14 years of age; high school graduates taking a gap year, and/or would like to take an online course before attending their first semester of college are eligible.
The USC Pre-College Online Program – Lifespan Development: Critical Questions for Aging and the Lifespan is a self-paced course designed for high school students interested in gerontology and medical research. Through a mix of recorded lectures, live discussions, readings, and assignments, you’ll explore how biological, psychological, and sociological perspectives shape our understanding of aging. Led by USC faculty and industry professionals, the program covers five core modules with topics like demography, nutrition, social policy, and subtopics such as dementia, caregiving, loneliness, and ageism. You’ll also examine how aging affects society and how research can inform better care and policy decisions.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approximately 12% of applicants are accepted; faculty/staff/staff-mentor ratio is 12:1 or less
Cost: $1,595 with financial aid available
Dates: June 16 - June 27
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis till March 1 or till seats fill
Eligibility: must be 14-18 years of age by the start of the program
The Stanford University Medicine Clinical Neuroscience Virtual Immersion Experience (CNV-X) is a 10-day online program designed for high school students interested in neuroscience, psychiatry, and mental health research. It mirrors the curriculum of Stanford’s in-person CNI-X program and is led by faculty from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, along with student trainees and staff. Each year, CNV-X focuses on a specific theme—past topics have included autism, behavioral neuroscience, genetics, sports psychiatry, eating disorders, and more. You’ll attend live lectures, participate in interactive discussions, and work in small teams on a capstone project that addresses a mental health issue. Get details about Stanford CNV-X here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Information not available
Cost: $1,895; need-based scholarships available for students with high potential and an inability to pay the full tuition
Dates: Vary with sessions from January-May/September-December (check the schedule of upcoming sessions here)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: For students ages 13 and up; should not yet be enrolled in college, and no more than one year post-high school graduation (“gap year”)
Georgetown University’s medical research program gives you the chance to learn about medical research methods and understand how research connects to college studies and future careers in medicine. You complete the coursework on your own schedule through pre-recorded video lectures, simulations, and assignments that come with mentor support. You study evidence-based medicine, the role of biostatistics and epidemiology in research, and the ethical aspects of conducting studies. You also see how medical innovations can be influenced by published articles and scientific literature. At the end of the program, you choose a topic and complete a Capstone project that pulls together what you have learned.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 60
Cost: Varies for UCLA/non-UCLA/visiting/international students (check the fee calculator here); need and merit-based scholarships offered to California high school students (check details here)
Dates: June 23 - August 1
Application Deadline: Till spots fill
Eligibility: High school students with a background in either biology or chemistry
UCLA’s online neuroscience program, Introduction to Neuroscience Methods: Art and Science of Studying the Brain, gives you the chance to learn medical research methods while exploring how the brain works. The six-week program introduces you to basic concepts in neurophysiology and neuroanatomy. You explore the approaches neuroscientists use to study the brain and nervous system and gain experience in research methods, experimental design, and data analysis. The program also includes online sessions on career opportunities in neuroscience, helping you understand possible paths in the field.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 60
Cost: Varies for UCLA/non-UCLA/visiting/international students (check the fee calculator here)
Dates: June 23 - August 1
Application Deadline: Till spots fill
Eligibility: Open to students of all levels
UCLA MED 185 – Integrative East-West Medicine for Health and Wellness is a five-unit online course offered through UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. It blends live Zoom sessions with pre-recorded lectures to introduce students to the principles and practices of integrative medicine, especially those rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. You’ll explore therapeutic approaches like acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicine, Tai Chi, and mindfulness meditation, while learning how these methods support health and wellness. The course also covers evidence-based research, helping you understand how integrative medicine is studied and applied in clinical settings. You’ll gain insight into managing stress, improving sleep, and supporting immune health through holistic practices.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. 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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