Ragon Institute's Summer Experience (RISE) for High School Students - Our Review
- Stephen Turban
- Mar 31
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 8
If you’re a high school student interested in medicine and healthcare, you might want to start looking for internship opportunities before college! Internships in this field allow you to work at medical institutions at a young age and get a glimpse of your future career in the field, and allow you to network with professionals in the field!
Some internships also involve significant research, culminating in a paper or poster presentation. Such research experience enhances your academic profile and is tangible proof of your skills and knowledge. This is also a great way to boost your college applications! If you’re interested in medicine or immunology in particular, you should consider applying to the Ragon Institute Summer Experience.
What is the Ragon Institute Summer Experience?
The Ragon Institute is a medical institute that brings together scientists and researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, and MIT to study and understand the immune system. The Summer Experience is an internship for high school and undergraduate students that aims to encourage students to pursue careers in medicine and immunology. This is a paid opportunity where you will work in labs and receive mentorship from Ragon faculty.
How is the Ragon Institute Summer Experience structured?
The Ragon Institute Summer Experience is held at the Ragon Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As an intern, you will be matched with a mentor from the Ragon faculty and work in their lab on an assigned project. You will work 25 hours weekly and engage in hands-on work. The institute’s research areas include HIV, global infectious diseases, vaccine development, applied immunology, and clinical research. At the end of the program, you will make a final presentation of your work.
During the first week, you will attend a boot camp on the functioning of a research institute. You will learn about the roles of departments, the various labs of the institute, how to communicate with your colleagues, and more. The program also involves two “introduction to immunology” classes per week and lectures on other topics.
Other miscellaneous activities include workshops on career planning, team-building activities, a journal club, and field trips to related institutions. The program also offers support after the internship ends, including post-internship check-ins.
Here are a few important dates to keep in mind:
Applications open: January 22
Applications close: March 15
Final selections made by: April 19
Program begins: June 24
Program ends: August 9
Who is eligible?
You can apply for the Ragon Institute Summer Experience if you meet the following eligibility criteria:
High school seniors or recent graduates
At least 16 years old
Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Attend high school in Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Revere, Lynn, Brockton, Chelsea, or other Massachusetts Gateway Cities
The application also requires you to demonstrate an interest in STEM through other coursework or extra-curricular activities. You must submit letters of recommendation and a personal statement of interest.
How much does it cost?
Attending the Ragon Institute Summer Experience is free. This is a paid internship, and you will receive $17/hour for your work during the program.
What is the acceptance rate? Is it prestigious?
The Ragon Institute Summer Experience is a fairly prestigious program due to its association with institutions like Harvard University, MIT, and Massachusetts General Hospital. As a result, interns are paired with leading scientists/researchers, work in advanced laboratories, and learn about immunology and medical research in depth. The internship accepts about 8 students per cohort, which makes it quite selective. Gaining admission into such a program would reflect your high caliber in college applications.
Pros and Cons of RISE
Pros
The program offers advanced learning opportunities: You will explore medicine, particularly immunology, at an advanced level that isn’t usually covered in high school curriculums.
You will receive solid research experience: Since this is primarily a research internship, you will be exposed to the research process and the workings of a research institute in great detail.
The program involves hands-on work: The extensive lab work will give you hands-on experience working with advanced technology.
You will receive personalized mentorship: Your Ragon mentor, an expert in the field, will provide advice and guidance.
The program provides a stipend: As a paid internship, this program provides financial support over the summer.
The program is prestigious: As explained above, this program is fairly prestigious and could significantly boost your college applications.
Cons
The program has a super narrow focus: While this is an internship in medicine, the Ragon Institute focuses on immunology and medical research. If this is not your area of interest, the program might not be worth your time.
Admissions can be competitive: As a highly selective program with extensive eligibility criteria, the application process can be time-consuming and challenging, with lower chances of success.
Eligibility is limited: The internship is only available to students who attend high school in certain areas, which can be a limiting factor.
Final Review – Is It Legit?
The Ragon Institute Summer Experience is a solid summer program for high school students interested in medicine. As a program organized by a prestigious institution, featuring high-level academic learning and an advanced research experience, the internship offers significant benefits. It provides a great way to get early work experience at a medical institution and explore medical careers. You will meet scientists and make connections that could be valuable in the long term.
However, you must consider the institute’s focus on immunology and gauge whether this track fits your interests. It’s a good idea to go through the institute’s research areas, as your assigned project will likely fall under one of these departments. Ultimately, whether this program is worth it depends on your goals, resources, and interests.
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research in medicine, 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 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.
Image Source - Ragon Institute Logo
