10 Summer Medical Programs for High School Students in New York

If you want to study medicine, a great way to get ahead in high school is to join a summer program before college! If you’re based in New York, there’s multiple local options that you can consider. 

In New York, some of the top hospitals, universities, and labs open their doors each summer to high school students interested in exploring medicine from an advanced lens. These programs let you shadow doctors, work on lab experiments, or take part in medical simulations. You’ll learn how to read patient records, present clinical findings, or use medical equipment, skills that show up again in college-level pre-med work.

Colleges value these programs because they show that you’re not just interested in medicine, you’ve already done something about it. Programs connected to hospitals or research labs also give you a chance to work with professionals, which helps when applying for internships or research positions later on.

In this blog, we’ve pulled together a list of 10 top summer medical programs for high school students in New York, focusing on rigor, selectivity, and real-world experience!

10 Summer Medical Programs for High School Students in New York

1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Medical Track

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: Starts at $2,990; need-based financial aid available

Program Dates: Summer: June - August, fall: September - December, winter: December - February, spring: March - June.

Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The regular admissions deadline for the Summer Cohort I is May 11.

Eligibility: High school students with a GPA of 3.3 or above; no prior research experience required

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program pairs you with a PhD mentor to complete an independent research project in areas such as neuroscience, epidemiology, or biomedical sciences. The program runs for 12 to 20 weeks and ends with a research paper you can submit for publication.

You will learn how to design a research question, collect and analyze data, review scientific literature, and write a formal academic paper. The program also builds skills in critical thinking, structured research methods, the use of scientific tools, and research ethics. You receive detailed feedback and one-on-one guidance from your mentor.

2. Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Deep Dive

Location: Virtual

Cost/Stipend: $2,290

Application Deadline: The deadline for the summer cohort is May 25.

Program Dates: Varies according to cohort

Eligibility: High school students with prior coding experience or completion of the Veritas AI Scholars program

Veritas AI + Medicine is a team-based program where you learn how artificial intelligence is used to solve medical problems. You will work on real healthcare data, build diagnostic models, and learn to use AI tools for tasks like detecting diseases from medical images. The program teaches key topics in machine learning, medical imaging, and model evaluation.

You will gain skills in Python, data cleaning, image analysis, algorithm training, and working with healthcare datasets. Mentors with AI experience will guide you throughout the program. You will finish with a capstone project that applies AI to a real-world medical challenge.

3. BRAINYAC – Zuckerman Institute

Location: Columbia University, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to participants; $6,000 stipend provided through external support

Application Deadline: October - February

Program Dates: June 29 – August 8

Eligibility: 10th and 11th-grade students nominated by a partner organization

BRAINYAC is a six-week neuroscience research program for high school students in New York City, run by Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute. You will be matched with a mentor and placed in a neuroscience lab to work on hands-on research projects.

You will learn how to ask research questions, design experiments, and analyze data about brain activity. Lab work may include techniques such as brain imaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral testing. The program also includes workshops and seminars on neuroscience topics and careers. 

4. HOPP Summer Student Program 

Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; $1,200 stipend provided

Application Deadline: February 7

Program Dates: June 30 – August 22

Eligibility: Current high school juniors living within 25 miles of MSK’s main campus in NY, NJ, or CT; minimum 3.5 GPA in science courses; must be 14 years or older by June

The HOPP Summer Student Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is an 8-week research experience in biomedical and computational sciences. You will be matched with a mentor and work in a lab focused on areas like immuno-oncology, pharmacology, developmental biology, or computational genomics.

You will learn how to follow lab protocols, use research equipment, analyze experimental data, and understand the connection between lab findings and patient care. The program includes daily lab work and weekly sessions on topics such as translational medicine and career paths in science.

5. Simons Summer Research Program 

Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; paid research opportunity

Application Deadline: February 7

Program Dates: June 30 – August 8

Eligibility: 11th-grade students, age 16 or older by program start

The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University gives high school students full-time lab experience working with faculty mentors. You will join a research team in fields like biomedical engineering, molecular biology, or informatics and take part in active research projects.

You will learn core lab techniques such as pipetting, data collection, and experiment design. The program includes weekly lectures, workshops on research skills, and sessions on how to write and present scientific work. By the end of the program, you will write a research abstract and present your findings at a campus-wide symposium.

6. Medicine and Research Summer Program 

Location: Columbia University (Virtual with select in-person components), New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Tuition-based; cost varies based on time of application

Application Deadline: Varies based on discounts given by the program. May 31 is the last deadline with late fees

Program Dates: June 21 – August 30

Eligibility: High school students; international applicants welcome

This 10-week summer program, hosted by Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, gives high school students the chance to explore clinical medicine and research. You will attend lectures by Columbia physicians, learn patient history-taking, and engage in ethical discussions and narrative medicine.

The program includes research training where you will analyze health data, review sources, and write a manuscript on a health topic. You can also earn certification as a Community Health Literacy Worker through an optional hybrid simulation and symposium.

7. High School Medical Ethics Internship 

Location: NYU Langone Health, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend provided

Application Deadline: May 2

Program Dates: July 7 – 18

Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with an interest in public health, healthcare disparities, or social justice

This two-week internship, hosted by NYU’s High School Bioethics Project, focuses on the ethical issues in healthcare, public health, and social justice. You will engage in interactive discussions, article reviews, presentations, and written reflections on medical ethics.

The program connects you with experts from biotechnology, patient advocacy, public policy, and law, offering a broad perspective on how ethics influences healthcare. You will also complete a short independent report on a topic of interest and provide feedback on your experience.

8. Anita Mesi General Internal Medicine Summer Internship Program 

Location: Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend provided

Application Deadline: January 1 - 31

Program Dates: 10 weeks in summer

Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors

Founded in 2018 by Anita Mesi, MBA, this internship offers students the chance to explore academic medicine and careers in general internal medicine through personalized mentorship. You will work with professionals at Weill Cornell Medicine to study health issues like cancer, hypertension, arthritis, and home healthcare.

The program helps you understand the role of general internists in research, education, and patient care. You will gain experience in areas like population health and chronic disease management, and learn about the broader impact of internal medicine on society.

9. CEYE High School Summer Program 

Location: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend provided

Application Deadline: Typically closes in March

Program Dates: July 1 – August 8

Eligibility: Rising high school seniors (current 11th graders); minimum GPA of 85 preferred; must be economically disadvantaged and/or from an underrepresented minority background.

The CEYE High School Summer Program provides a six-week introduction to the medical field at the Mount Sinai Health System. You will rotate through clinical departments, shadow healthcare professionals, and attend workshops on patient care and medical ethics.

The program includes keeping a logbook, completing pre-/post assessments, and engaging in research activities. You will present your findings and write a reflection paper. Through this experience, you will gain insights into medical careers, develop essential skills, and receive mentorship from healthcare faculty.

10. YES in The Heights Program – Columbia University

Location: Columbia University, New York, NY

Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; stipend offered

Application Deadline: November 15- December 13

Program Dates: June 30 - August 22

Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, first-generation college students, or economically disadvantaged backgrounds; must be in good academic standing with demonstrated interest in science

The YES in The Heights Program, hosted by Columbia’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, is a research-focused internship aimed at expanding access to cancer research careers for underrepresented and under-resourced students. You will work with scientists and clinicians on cancer research projects, gaining hands-on experience in a professional lab environment.

The program includes formal orientation, scientific training, and the creation of an Individual Development Plan. At the end of the program, you will submit a scientific summary of your work and participate in sessions on professionalism, academic communication, and research ethics.

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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