16 Summer Clinical Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- 9 hours ago
- 10 min read
If you’re an undergraduate student interested in clinical work or healthcare, a summer internship in the field can be a strong way to explore your options early on. These programs let you see how hospitals, clinics, and research centers operate while giving you exposure to real-world healthcare tasks.
Many clinical internships are in-person, which means you’ll be working alongside healthcare professionals in hospitals, labs, or community health settings. You might observe patient care, assist with research projects, help manage clinical data, or support healthcare teams in day-to-day operations. These internships also strengthen your college applications or applications for graduate programs by showing that you’ve taken the initiative to explore the field deeply.Â
With that in mind, here’s our list of 16 summer clinical internships for undergraduates!
16 Summer Clinical Internships for Undergraduates
Location: Remote
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 1-on-1 personalized internships
Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
Ladder Internships is a highly selective virtual program where students work on real-world projects for startups in fields like health tech, biotechnology, AI, and sustainability. You’ll be paired with a company coach who provides structured feedback and professional guidance every week. You’ll gain experience in research and communication, wrap up the program with a final presentation, and walk away with a strong addition to your resume. Placements are aligned with each student’s interests, and financial assistance is available. Alumni have gone on to attend universities such as Stanford, Princeton, and UC Berkeley.
Location:Â Jacksonville, FL | Scottsdale, AZ | Rochester, MN
Stipend:Â $6,000Â
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Highly competitive
Dates:Â May 27 - August 1
Application deadline:Â February 3
Eligibility:Â Current second- or third-year college undergraduate students at a U.S. college or university who will be continuing students in the subsequent fall semester, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0Â
The Mayo Clinic Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) is a 10-week research internship for rising college juniors and seniors interested in biomedical science. The program runs at Mayo Clinic campuses in Minnesota, Arizona, and Florida, and places you in active research labs covering neuroscience, immunology, regenerative science, biochemistry, and molecular pharmacology. You work full-time on a research project under the guidance of Mayo Clinic faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students.Â
Location:Â NIH Clinical Center, Bethesda, MD
Stipend:Â Depends on educational level
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 40 students
Dates: June 16 - August 8
Application deadline: February 19
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are currently enrolled in high school, college, graduate school, or a health professional school and are 18 years or older on June 1
This program places you at the NIH Clinical Center, where you work directly with scientists and health professionals on ongoing clinical and laboratory research. Placements spanning diverse areas such as radiology, rehabilitation medicine, nursing, bioethics, and social work. You are assigned to a Principal Investigator and become involved in day-to-day research tasks tailored to your academic background. A key component of the internship is NIH Summer Poster Day, where you present your project to peers and mentors, gaining experience in scientific communication. Beyond research, you also have access to lectures by NIH investigators, career workshops, and graduate school and career information sessions.
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Stipend:Â Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size:Â Moderately competitive
Dates:Â May - August (Summer Track)
Application deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Undergraduate students with a GPA of at least 3.0.
The Pediatric Anesthesia Clinical and Research Internship (PACaRI) is a 12-week summer program at Boston Children’s Hospital. You spend one day each week in the operating room shadowing anesthesia technicians, where you see how surgical procedures are managed and how teams work together in patient care. Alongside this, you work on a research project by doing literature reviews, data analysis, and protocol development under the guidance of faculty and research staff. At the end of the internship, you present your research at a symposium attended by peers, faculty, and program leaders.
Location: School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C
Stipend: $4000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive, 10 interns
Dates: June 12 – July 25
Application deadline: Typically FebruaryÂ
Eligibility: College sophomores and juniors enrolled in U.S. accredited colleges/universities and authorized to work in the U.S. with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
The ARCHES Program at Georgetown University School of Medicine is a six-week, fully funded summer program for rising college juniors and seniors interested in healthcare. Ten students are selected each year to take part in clinical shadowing, research, and community-based learning focused on health equity in Washington, D.C. You work in Georgetown research labs, join physicians on clinical rounds at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and engage with local nonprofits to study barriers to care and health disparities. The program also provides mentorship from faculty, academic advising, and preparation for medical and graduate health programs.
Location: Jacksonville, Florida & Rochester, Minnesota
Stipend: $3,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: SelectiveÂ
Dates: May 27 – August 1
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Students who are 18 by the start of the program, currently enrolled in or a graduate of an accredited U.S. college or university, and have completed freshman year of college; must be U.S. citizens and have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
The Clinical Research Internship Study Program (CRISP) at Mayo Clinic is a 10-week, paid summer internship for undergraduate students interested in clinical research. The program focuses on chart reviews, observational studies, and clinical trial data analysis to show how research affects medical practice. Each intern works with a faculty mentor on a project approved by the Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board. You attend a mandatory orientation in late May, take part in weekly lectures, and present your project at a poster session in early August. Past projects have covered sports injuries, transplant outcomes, and neurosurgical imaging.
Location: NIH in Bethesda, MD
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: May to August
Application deadline: February
Eligibility: Undergraduate students who can travel to MCW Milwaukee weekly. Participants should be at least 18 years old, enrolled in a STEM-related major, and able to dedicate at least 8 hours/week.
The Cancer Research Interns (CRI) Summer Program at the National Cancer Institute is a paid, full-time research internship lasting up to 12 weeks. It is open to undergraduate, graduate, and medical students, including those with little or no prior research experience. You work on projects in areas like basic science, clinical research, epidemiology, cancer control, or global health under the guidance of NCI investigators. The program also includes professional development workshops, wellness sessions, preparation for graduate and medical school, and a final presentation at NIH Summer Poster Day.
Location: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Stipend: Minimum $3,000; free housing provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: Approximately 10 weeks (early June to mid-August)
Application deadline: FebruaryÂ
Eligibility: Current undergraduate students from all backgrounds, including students from groups underrepresented in science and medicine; requires full-time participation throughout the program period
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Summer Internship Program (SIP) is a 10-week, full-time summer internship for undergraduates interested in biomedical and public health research. You conduct research under faculty mentorship, attend professional development workshops, join networking and discussion sessions, and present your work at a final symposium. You are expected to commit fully to the program without other classes or jobs during the internship.
Location: NYC
Cost/Stipend: No cost; likely unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer (exact dates vary by placement)
Application deadline: December 21
Eligibility: Applicants must be at least 18 years old by program start and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2
The Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP) at NYU Langone Health is a free, four-week summer internship for college students, recent graduates, and high school seniors. You focus on one specialty per session, such as intensive care, clinical nutrition, creative arts therapy, rehabilitation, or nursing, spending your days shadowing professionals, observing patient care, and joining team discussions. In the ICU, you watch physicians, nurse practitioners, and respiratory therapists at work. In clinical nutrition, you learn to read charts, conduct patient interviews, and assist with food service evaluations. In creative arts therapy, you see how music, art, and recreation support patient recovery. In physical and occupational therapy, you follow patients through rehabilitation to understand motor function recovery and therapy planning.
Location: NYC campuses or virtual
Cost: No cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: Summer (exact dates vary)
Application deadline: Rolling; early applications recommended
Eligibility: U.S. college students or recent graduates
The HSS Rehabilitation Internship Program at Hospital for Special Surgery is a summer program for college students and recent graduates interested in rehabilitation and performance sciences. You work on projects in physical therapy, occupational therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, speech-language pathology, and wellness, supporting clinical operations, education, and research. You work with clinicians and administrators and get limited observational access to therapy sessions to understand your projects. The program includes mentorship and professional development and ends with a capstone presentation where you present your work to HSS staff and peers.
Location: Manhattan and Queens
Stipend: $5000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 10 weeks between June and August
Application deadline: January 19
Eligibility: Undergraduate students interested in healthcare careers, especially community health and Asian American health disparities
The Project AHEAD Internship at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center is a 10-week, full-time, paid summer program for undergraduate students interested in healthcare and public service. You work on a team-based research project focused on community health and addressing health disparities in Asian American populations in New York City. The program also includes seminars, professional development workshops, and exposure to primary care, social work, and health education in a federally qualified health center.
Location: Vanderbilt campus, Nashville, TN
Stipend: $1,500Â
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderate
Dates: June–August
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Students who are college undergraduates at an accredited US college or university during the summer of the program year, are US citizens, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater on a 4.0 scale
The Vanderbilt Undergraduate Clinical Research Internship Program (UCRIP) is a 10-week summer program for college students interested in medicine. You split your time between independent research and clinical observation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Each student works with a faculty mentor on a research project in clinical or basic science, learning study design, data collection, and scientific communication. You also join weekly hospital rounds with internal medicine physicians, attend seminars on medical education and admissions, and take part in discussions with residents and attending physicians.
Location: Stanford School of Medicine, CA (in-person and virtual sessions)
Stipend: On Campus: $6,380 | Virtual: $4,380
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Session 1 (In person): July 14 – 25 | Session 2 (Virtual): July 28 – August 8
Application deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Undergraduate premedical students
The Stanford Clinical Summer Internship (CSI) is a two-week program for high school juniors, seniors, and undergraduate students interested in medicine. The program is offered on campus and online, with live instruction, hands-on activities, and mentorship from Stanford medical students and faculty. On campus, you practice clinical skills like suturing, taking vital signs, giving injections, and interviewing standardized patients. You also dissect human organs, including the brain, heart, and kidney, and work through trauma scenarios and clinical simulations.
Location: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: $5,000 stipend + free housing
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective, 30 students
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Full-time sophomores, juniors, and seniors graduating in the spring (U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents), currently enrolled full-time in a four-year accredited college or university with a minimum 3.3 overall GPA
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute Summer Scholars Program (CRISSP) is a 10-week, full-time research internship for undergraduates interested in pediatric science and academic medicine. You join research teams and work with faculty mentors on projects in basic, clinical, or behavioral research, learning experimental design, lab techniques, and data analysis. You can also take part in clinical shadowing and informational interviews to see real-world medical environments and interdisciplinary care.
Location: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: $6,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 2 – August 8Â
Application deadline: January
Eligibility: Undergraduates who have completed one year completed college by June 2 and are anticipated to graduate after August 8, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and have a 3.0 GPA
The Injury Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is a 10-week, paid summer internship focused on injury prevention and safety. The program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and hosted by CHOP’s Center for Injury Research and Prevention. You work in cross-disciplinary teams on projects in engineering, behavioral science, statistics, education, and population health. Tasks may include designing interventions, evaluating outcomes, or translating findings into tools, policies, or community programs. Each student works with faculty mentors and peer leaders for guidance throughout the research process.
Location: EVMS & Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, Norfolk, VA
Stipend: $2,800
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 2 – July 31Â
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: College seniors (rising or graduating) and first- or second-year graduate or medical students
The EVMS Summer Scholars Program at Eastern Virginia Medical School is a 9-week research internship for undergraduates interested in clinical medicine, public health, and biomedical science. You are paired with faculty mentors and work on projects in areas like diabetes, neuroscience, reproductive health, behavioral wellness, and community health. The program includes lectures on scientific methods, workshops on abstract writing, and opportunities for oral and poster presentations. You gain experience in research design, implementation, and communication, ending with a formal poster session.
One other option—the 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.
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.
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