15 Pre-Med Courses for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 13 minutes ago
- 13 min read
If you're considering a future in medicine, taking a pre-med course in high school can be a great way to explore the field before college. These courses introduce you to subjects such as biology, genetics, neuroscience, anatomy, biotechnology, and healthcare systems while helping you build the academic skills needed for more advanced study. Some focus on specific medical specialties, while others offer a broader look at patient care, medical research, and emerging healthcare technologies. Whether you're interested in becoming a physician, researcher, or healthcare professional, pre-med courses can help you better understand the field and identify areas you may want to pursue further.
Why should I do a pre-med course in high school?
While you are in high school, you can use pre-med courses to boost your academic strengths and prepare for undergraduate and medical school coursework. These courses can be rigorous, covering undergraduate- or graduate-level biology, chemistry, physics, and medical topics, helping you develop a strong academic foundation and build good study habits, which are crucial for future medical education. Courses can also introduce you to specialties like neurology or oncology, helping you find a specific area of your interests and assess if it is something you want to explore in college and beyond.
In this blog, we have shortlisted 15 pre-med courses for high school students.
If you’re looking for online summer research programs, check out our blog here.
Key takeaways
These courses span a wide range of medical topics, including biotechnology (Stanford Summer Session, UCSB Summer Research Academy), neurobiology (Harvard SSP), cancer biology (Johns Hopkins on Coursera), genetics and CRISPR (Stevens Institute, UCSB), anatomy (University of Michigan on Coursera), and healthcare systems (Stanford on Coursera, University of Minnesota on Coursera), giving students options across most areas of pre-med study.
Several courses are free or very low cost, including Moderna's mRNAs as Medicines (free on Coursera), Stanford's Introduction to Healthcare (free on Coursera), and Johns Hopkins' Cancer Biology Specialization and University of Michigan's Anatomy Specialization (both available for $49 to $79 per month with financial aid), while in-person university programs like Stanford Summer Session and Harvard SSP cost significantly more.
Several courses offer transferable college credit, including Stanford Summer Session's Introduction to Biotechnology (undergraduate credit), UCSB Summer Research Academy's Gene Edit course (four college credits), and Harvard SSP courses such as Neurobiology and Principles of Organic Chemistry (four credits each), making them particularly valuable for students building a pre-med academic portfolio.
Coursera-based programs from Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, Stanford, and University of Minnesota are all self-paced with year-round enrollment, making them the most accessible and flexible options for students who want to explore pre-med topics without committing to a fixed summer schedule.
Several courses directly address topics tested on the MCAT, including Harvard SSP's Principles of Organic Chemistry, which explicitly covers the MCAT's organic chemistry section, as well as courses in biology, anatomy, neuroscience, and genetics.
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost: $8,226 – $18,771, depending on format (commuter/residential)
Dates: June 20 – August 16 (classes begin a couple of days after the summer session starts)
Application deadline: Early decision: December 15 | Regular Decision: January 20 | Late: March 2
Eligibility: Current 10th to 12th-grade students, ages 16 – 19 during the program; high school applicants must not be entering Stanford as a freshman in the fall.
Stanford Summer Session’s Introduction to Biotechnology (BIO132S) is an undergraduate-level course open to advanced high school students interested in novel treatment approaches in biomedicine. You will spend the summer learning the basics of biotechnology and the methods used to manipulate RNA and DNA for diagnostic and treatment methods. You will explore current applications of biotechnology in the treatment of disease, with case studies such as viral detection of COVID-19. You will apply your scientific skills to questions in ethical medical treatment and practice, such as privacy concerns in genetic testing or risks of mutations or eugenics through gene therapy developments. This can also be your chance to experience life on a college campus.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks; multiple cohorts each year
Application deadline: Rolling basis. You can apply here.
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 12 who have completed the AI Scholars program or have a background in coding.
Veritas AI, founded and run by Harvard graduate students, offers a range of programs for high school students interested in artificial intelligence.
In the AI + Medicine Deep Dive, you will explore how AI and machine learning can be used in healthcare and medical research. You will work on project-based tasks involving the development of AI models for healthcare applications such as disease diagnosis and medical imaging. The program also focuses on how AI-generated insights can support doctors and patients in medical decision-making. You will gain exposure to the link between artificial intelligence and medicine while working on real-world scenarios.
Location: UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Cost: $3,475 (Commuter) | $9,874 (Residential); limited number of need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Selective; official details not available
Dates: June 26 – July 24
Application deadline: March 23
Eligibility: High school students in 9th – 11th grade with a minimum 3.6 weighted GPA
This UCSB Summer Research Academy track is a specialized pre-med course for high schoolers interested in innovative genetic medicine. You will learn about CRISPR gene therapy technologies, including their applications to diseases such as sickle cell anemia, as well as current challenges in the field. You will primarily focus on the concept of “single-cut” genetic editing, targeting a specific genome to modify for novel medical treatments and scientific research. You will learn how to identify strong genomic loci for your target intervention, weighing factors such as feasibility, mechanisms, and large- and small-scale impacts. You will build research skills to develop proposals for CRISPR-based treatments for single-gene disorders that maximize scientific innovation and social impact. You will earn 4 college course credits for your work.
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $4,180 (for four credits) | $15,735 (for eight credits) + $75 application fee; financial aid offered.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 slots
Dates: June 20 – August 8 (classes begin a couple of days after residential move-in)
Application deadline: Early: January 7 | Regular: February 11 | Late: April 1 (or earlier if courses/waitlists are full)
Eligibility: Current 10th to 12th grade students who will be 16 – 18 years old throughout the program; applicants must have taken a college-level introductory biology course or have a strong background in biology.
Neurobiology (BIOS S-50) is a seven-week Harvard SSP course for students looking to build a strong pre-med foundation in neurology, neurosurgery, or psychiatry. The course is taught by two instructors, one from Harvard Medical School and another from the Environmental Neuroscience Research Incubator, who will offer insights from the perspectives of both clinical practice and academia. You will explore topics in neurobiology, including brain anatomy and function, thought processing, emotional regulation, and sensorimotor systems. You will connect your work on brain structure and function to medicine by studying neurodiversity and neurological disorders. You will additionally complete a research paper on a topic of your choice, for which you can focus on a medical approach to neuroscience.
Location: Online via Coursera
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced; takes about seven hours to complete
Application deadline: No formal deadline; year-round enrollment
Eligibility: Open to all
Moderna’s mRNAs as Medicines on Coursera is a beginner-level pre-med course for students in high school and beyond. Taught by Moderna professionals, the course covers the role of mRNA in the human body and its practical applications in medical treatment. You will complete three modules: Introduction to Proteins and mRNAs, Learning About Medicines, and Applications for mRNA Medicines, going from introductory to increasingly advanced topics. You will start with core concepts in mRNA and protein synthesis before diving into the types of mRNA medicines, their advantages and disadvantages, and practical applications. You will also engage with medical case studies on mRNA medicines, such as vaccines, cancer treatments, and therapies for genetic disorders, and learn about future developments in mRNA technology.
Location: Remote
Cost: $49 – $79/month; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced; takes about four weeks (10 hours a week) to complete
Application deadline: No formal deadline; year-round enrollment
Eligibility: Open enrollment
Johns Hopkins University’s Cancer Biology Specialization on Coursera is a multi-stage program offering an official career certificate in cancer biology. You will complete three increasingly specialized courses: Introduction to the Biology of Cancer, Understanding Cancer Metastasis, and Understanding Prostate Cancer, all taught asynchronously by JHU faculty specializing in the subfield. You will begin by learning about cancer and molecular biology, focusing on oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, stages of cancer development, and diagnostic imaging. In the second course, you will explore the primary medical theories explaining cancer metastasis, their biological foundations, and the impacts of metastasis on organs and patient health. In the final course, you will take on a comprehensive study of prostate cancer, including risk factors, screening guidelines, staging, and treatments. You will finish the Specialization by completing an Applied Learning Project, which will help you practice what you learned in the course.
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost: $4,180 (for four credits) | $15,735 (for eight credits) + $75 application fee; financial aid offered.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 150 slots
Dates: June 20 – August 8 (classes begin a couple of days after residential move-in)
Application deadline: Early: January 7 | Regular: February 11 | Late: April 1 (or earlier if courses/waitlists are full)
Eligibility: Current 10th to 12th grade students who will be 16 – 18 years old throughout the program; applicants should have completed AP Chemistry or an equivalent course with a grade of C or better.
Harvard’s SSP offers various for-credit pre-med courses to high school students. The Principles of Organic Chemistry (CHEM S-17) is an introductory course that covers topics across structure and bonding, reaction mechanisms, and chemical reactivity. You will study under a Harvard Chemistry and Chemical Biology professor alongside current Harvard undergraduates attending live lectures. This course provides comprehensive coverage of the topics on the MCAT’s organic chemistry section. You will earn four credits at the end of the course. If you choose to live on campus, you can participate in social and creative activities after your classes.
Location: Online
Cost: $1,595; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Multiple 1-, 2-, and 4-week sessions available throughout the year
Application deadline: About a week before each session starts
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up
This online course offered by Wake Forest University follows a heart attack patient's complete journey, from the moment symptoms appear to emergency care, surgery, and recovery. You will explore how doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other health professionals collaborate in healthcare settings. Led by Wake Forest School of Medicine faculty, the course covers social and lifestyle factors that contribute to heart disease, the anatomy of the heart, and medical technology and treatments. You will also learn about the education and training required for various healthcare paths. You will finish the course with a project in which you share your insights on a topic within the patient journey, using any presentation format of your choice.
Location: Online
Cost: $3,200; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified; small class sizes
Dates: June 15 – 26
Application deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 9 – 11; completion of a high school biology course is required.
This two-week online Stanford course introduces you to paths in healthcare and core medical topics across a range of specialties, including nursing, cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, and internal medicine. Each day will be centered on a themed case study in a specialty, followed by an academic research activity or discussions on bioethics. You will also hear from professionals across healthcare, such as nurses, physicians, health policymakers, pharmacists, and social workers. For two hours each day, you will connect live with the cohort, then spend two to three hours on independent homework. For your final project, you will research a medical therapeutic option of your choice and present your insights.
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 2-week and 4-week sessions available throughout the year
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up
This online course gives you an inside look at the emergency department, how patients are triaged based on their symptoms and vitals, and how professionals gather information through tests and patient feedback to determine treatment. You will hear from physicians across a range of specialties, including neurology, radiology, oncology, and heart failure, who will offer you a realistic understanding of what a career in medicine involves. Throughout the course, you will work through real-world patient scenarios, learning how to develop diagnoses for conditions such as chest pain, abdominal pain, confusion, and shortness of breath by analyzing test results and symptoms. You will receive guidance from a mentor throughout. The course culminates in a final project for which you will review a patient's symptoms and share the diagnosis as if explaining it to the patient. At the end, you will earn a certificate from Northwestern University.
Location: Online
Cost: $49 – $79/month; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced; typical commitment of two months (10 hours/week)
Application deadline: Year-round enrollment
Eligibility: Open to all
University of Michigan’s Anatomy Specialization is a four-course series on Coursera covering human anatomy and body systems. You will learn about the musculoskeletal and integumentary systems in the first course, exploring joints and skeletal muscle anatomy, and connecting this to clinical work. In the second course, you will study the cardiovascular, respiratory, and urinary systems, similarly addressing their structure, function, and relevant medical applications. The last two courses focus on human neuroanatomy and gastrointestinal, reproductive, and endocrine systems. Upon completion of all four courses, you will earn an official certificate in Anatomy.
12. Stevens Institute of Technology’s Summer Residential Program — Biology: Genetics & Medicine Course
Location: Stevens Institute of Technology campus, Hoboken, NJ
Cost: $3,350; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 5 – 11 | July 12 – 18
Application deadline: Priority: March 16; Final: June 1
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school
This one-week biomedical course focuses on CRISPR/Cas9, a gene-editing technology used to investigate and treat inherited diseases such as muscular dystrophy, sickle cell, and hemophilia. During the program, you will learn about CRISPR and use it to edit a gene in E. coli bacteria. You will also discuss the real-world applications of CRISPR and the ethical questions associated with its use. The course may also include modules on bioinformatics for designing target sequences, virtual reality for gene editing, and computer modeling of the CRISPR system. You will live on the Stevens Institute of Technology campus for a week, exploring university resources and facilities.
Location: Online via Coursera
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced; takes 10 hours to complete
Application deadline: Year-round enrollment
Eligibility: Open to all
Stanford’s Introduction to Healthcare course covers a wide variety of topics in the U.S. healthcare system, from structural issues to medical practice. You will complete seven modules focused on health insurance plans and health care financing, ethics, prescription drugs, quality measurement, and physician practices. While working on the modules, you will learn about the primary institutions and participants in the healthcare system, challenges in healthcare affordability and access, pharmaceuticals and quality assessments, and the ethics of AI usage in medicine. Though the course is asynchronous and self-paced, each module features assignments and exercises to help you assess and reinforce your knowledge. You will finish the course with an hour-long final exam and earn an official course certificate at the end.
Location: Online
Cost: $1,795; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Sessions of varying lengths available throughout the year
Application deadline: About one week before each session starts
Eligibility: Students, ages 13 and up
This Rice University course focuses on how doctors and medical teams approach patient care, from the initial exam to diagnosis and treatment. You will learn about the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, and endocrine systems, and explore what happens when these systems develop disorders. The course also covers clinical tools used by physicians, such as blood tests, ultrasound, and EKG monitoring. You will receive 20–30 hours of total instruction through video lectures, along with mentor support and guidance on your assignments. You will wrap up with a project in which you analyze a multi-system patient case, identify the conditions involved, and practice sharing the diagnosis.
Location: Online
Cost: $49 – $79/month; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment
Dates: Self-paced; typical commitment of two months (10 hours/week)
Application deadline: Year-round enrollment
Eligibility: Open to all
The University of Minnesota’s Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization on Coursera is a five-course medical series. In this course, you will learn how integrative medicine, a whole-body approach that incorporates mind-body and traditional medicine, can be used in modern healthcare. The courses each cover a specialized topic in the field, including introduction to integrative therapies and healing practices, guided imagery, clinical use of essential oils, mindfulness in integrative healthcare, and herbal medicine. Throughout the course, you will evaluate the role of integrative therapies in varied medical fields, learn about clinical and historical evidence on integrative medicine efficacy, and explore methods for applying integrative therapies for the management of specific symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best pre-med courses for high school students?
Strong options depend on a student's medical interests and budget. Students interested in genetics and biotechnology might consider Stanford Summer Session's Introduction to Biotechnology or the UCSB Summer Research Academy's Gene Edit track; those drawn to neuroscience might look at Harvard SSP's Neurobiology course; and those wanting flexible, affordable options might consider the free Coursera courses from Stanford or Moderna.
Are there free pre-med courses for high school students?
Yes, Moderna's mRNAs as Medicines on Coursera is free, and Stanford's Introduction to Healthcare on Coursera is also free. Johns Hopkins' Cancer Biology Specialization, University of Michigan's Anatomy Specialization, and University of Minnesota's Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization are all available on Coursera for $49 to $79 per month, with financial aid available.
Which pre-med courses offer college credit?
Stanford Summer Session's Introduction to Biotechnology, UCSB Summer Research Academy's Gene Edit track (four credits), and Harvard SSP's Neurobiology and Principles of Organic Chemistry courses (four credits each) all award transferable college credit. Students should verify credit transferability with their intended institutions.
Which courses are best for students who want a flexible, self-paced format?
All four Coursera-based courses, including Moderna's mRNAs as Medicines, Johns Hopkins' Cancer Biology Specialization, University of Michigan's Anatomy Specialization, and University of Minnesota's Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization, are self-paced with year-round enrollment and no formal deadlines, making them the most flexible options on this list.
Which pre-med courses focus on clinical medicine and patient care rather than research or lab science?
Wake Forest University's Journey Into the Heart of Medicine, Northwestern's Medicine: The Journey to Saving Lives, Stanford's Introduction to Medicine, and Rice University's Medicine: Diagnostics, Treatment, and Patient Care all center on clinical scenarios, patient care pathways, and the practical work of healthcare professionals across specialties.
When should I apply to pre-med courses for high school students?
Deadlines vary widely. In-person university programs have early deadlines, including Stanford Summer Session (December 15 early decision) and Harvard SSP (January 7 early deadline), while online university programs like Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institutes (March 13) and Stevens Institute (March 16 priority) fall later in the spring. Self-paced Coursera courses can be started at any time throughout the year.
One other option—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, check out students’ reviews of the program here and 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 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.