15 Summer Pharmacy Internships for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Aug 5
- 9 min read
If you're a high school student thinking about pharmacy as a career or planning to major in the subject later, a summer internship can be a solid first step. It helps you understand how the field works through real-life settings like hospitals, research labs, college campuses, or local pharmacies. Most pharmacy internships for high school students are short-term programs that run during the summer.
Depending on the program, you might shadow a pharmacist, attend lab sessions, work on a simple research task, or go through skill-building workshops. These programs are usually organized by pharmacy schools, hospitals, or health departments. You also get to figure out if pharmacy is something you want to study further. You also build experience that you can mention in future college applications, scholarship forms, or even job interviews.
To get started, here are 15 summer pharmacy internships for high school students! If you're looking for more prestigious internships for high schoolers, check out this set of blogs!
15 Summer Pharmacy Internships for High School Students
Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Application deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!
Ladder Internships is a virtual eight-week startup internship program for high school students. You work 5 to 10 hours per week with a startup in fields like tech, AI, health tech, journalism, or consulting. The startups are early-stage, and many have raised over a million dollars in funding. You are matched with one company where you complete real tasks. You work with a manager at the company and get support from a Ladder Coach. You do weekly check-ins, complete assignments, and give a final presentation. You can view available options here.
Location: Various medical centers across California
Cost: Free; a $500 scholarship is awarded upon completion.
Dates: Online Program 1: July 7–17 | Online Program 2: July 21–31 | In-person Program: Varies by facility
Application deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Open to high school juniors and seniors.
The Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program is a weeklong hospital-based internship for high school students. You rotate through different departments at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The program focuses on clinical observation, not lab work or research. You spend time shadowing doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical staff. You attend Q&A sessions, watch live demonstrations, and learn how different roles work together in patient care. You also observe how pharmacists contribute to treatment plans and collaborate with other professionals, like dietitians and physicians.
Location: Walgreens stores across the U.S.
Cost: Free
Dates: Varies by location
Application deadline: Varies by location
Eligibility: Open to current high school students
Walgreens Pharmacy Shadowing Program gives you a chance to observe how a retail pharmacy works. You shadow pharmacy technicians and see how medications are prepared, how data is handled, and how pharmacists talk with patients. You’ll need to contact local Walgreens stores to ask if they allow high school students to shadow. Some locations may also show you the technician training process and the tools used in daily pharmacy work. In some cases, students who complete the shadowing may be offered part-time roles, based on store needs and hiring rules.
Location: Medical College of Wisconsin, Wisconsin
Cost: Free
Dates: Bootcamp: August 4–8
Application deadline: May 30
Eligibility: Open to High school students and college students. Participants must attend a one-week in-person summer boot camp at the Medical College of Wisconsin to be eligible.
The Pre-Pharmacy Scholars Program at the Medical College of Wisconsin is a year-round program for high school and college students. It starts with a one-week summer boot camp in Milwaukee. You take part in lab sessions, compounding activities, and discussions on healthcare access and leadership. After the summer, you stay connected through mentorship and events. You are paired with a pharmacist and a pharmacy student mentor. You also attend pharmacy school classes, go on shadowing visits, and get help with the college and pharmacy school application process.
Location: Chapman University, California
Cost: $1503
Dates: July 7–25
Application deadline: June 23
Eligibility: Open to students entering grades 9-12 in the fall following the summer program
The Chapman University Pharmacy Summer Research Program is a lab-based research internship for high school students. You are paired with a faculty mentor and work on a structured research project in pharmaceutical sciences. You learn to use lab tools, follow research protocols, and read scientific papers. Past students have worked on topics like medication use and the public health roles of pharmacists. You also write reports and practice data analysis. You meet pharmacy students during the program to learn what pharmacy school involves.
Location: Varies based on lab choice. Opportunities are available in New York City. Check here.
Cost: Free; a stipend of $4000 is awarded
Dates: 8-10 weeks, June–August
Application deadline: April 14
Eligibility: Applicants must be current high school sophomores, juniors, seniors, or recent graduates, with one completed high school chemistry course. (Preference is given to students whose maximum family income does not exceed 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines based on family size.)
Project SEED is a paid summer research program for high school students from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds. It runs for 8 to 10 weeks. You are placed in a university or industry lab and work on a chemistry-related project with a scientist as your mentor. Some projects involve pharmaceutical sciences, such as drug development or molecular design. You get hands-on lab experience, follow safety protocols, and build basic research skills. The program also includes sessions on college readiness and professional development. Most placements are in person, though some parts may be online depending on your location.
Location: University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois
Cost: Free
Dates and deadline: Depends on when you schedule your slot
Eligibility: Open to current high school, community college, and university students
UIC Pharmacy Student for a Day is a one-day shadowing program held at the University of Illinois Chicago. You follow a current pharmacy student for a half day to see what studying pharmacy is like. You may sit in on lectures, join small group case discussions, or observe lab sessions like compounding, depending on the day’s schedule. You also get time to ask questions and learn about the daily workload and student experience. UIC runs about 100 of these sessions each year.
Location: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin
Cost: Free
Dates: July 13-17
Application deadline: March 18–April 14
Eligibility: Open to high school sophomores and juniors with a minimum GPA of 3.0
UW–Madison Pharmacy Summer Program is a four-day residential camp held on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. You meet pharmacists and PharmD students, attend panels, and learn about different pharmacy careers. You also get guidance on how to apply to pharmacy school and what classes to take in high school and college. The program focuses on academic preparation, career awareness, and what it’s like to study pharmacy at UW–Madison.
Location: University of Washington, Washington
Cost: $100
Dates: July 14–17
Application deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 are eligible to apply, with priority given to rising juniors and seniors
Students Exploring Pharmacy (STEP) is a summer program hosted by the University of Washington School of Pharmacy. It introduces you to pharmacy careers through classroom sessions, lab work, and campus tours. You take part in hands-on activities like medication compounding and practice basic clinical skills. You also join small group discussions with pharmacy students and faculty to learn about the role of pharmacists in areas like oncology, infectious disease, and health policy. The program includes guidance on college courses, academic planning, and how to prepare for pharmacy school.
Location: University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Cost: Free
Dates: July 24–26
Application deadline: Unspecified
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors and seniors
RxPLORE is a free three-day summer camp at the University of Pittsburgh for rising high school juniors and seniors. Each day focuses on a different area, such as community pharmacy, hospital practice, or the pharmaceutical industry. You take part in activities like patient simulations, compounding, and innovation labs.
You also tour the campus and pharmacy school and talk with faculty and current pharmacy students. You must attend all three days, as each session builds on the previous one. You apply online. The program helps you understand how pharmacists work across healthcare and gives you early exposure to college-level pharmacy education.
Location: Pharmacy Building, University at Buffalo South Campus
Cost: $150
Dates: July 14–16
Application deadline: March 1–May 1
Eligibility: Open to high school and college students interested in math and science, the health sciences, and/or pharmacy with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale, B-letter grade, 83rd-86th percentile.
The Pharmacy Summer Institute at the University at Buffalo is a short-term program for high school students interested in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. You take part in lab sessions, academic workshops, and presentations led by UB faculty. You learn about clinical pharmacy, drug development, and patient care. Activities include compounding, patient counseling, and using pharmacy tools. Faculty members guide the sessions and offer mentorship. You also get advice on pharmacy school admissions and course planning.
Location: Auburn University, Alabama
Cost: $900
Dates: June 2–6
Application deadline: Applications typically close in March
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors and seniors
Auburn University Pharmacy Camp is a week-long residential program for rising high school freshmen, juniors, and seniors. It takes place on Auburn’s campus and focuses on pharmacy through hands-on activities. You take part in compounding labs, tour pharmacies and healthcare sites, and learn basic medication administration. The camp is taught by pharmacy faculty and guided by second and third-year PharmD students. You stay in dorms and take part in social events along with academic sessions.
Location: University of Toledo, Ohio
Cost: $300
Dates: June 16–18
Application deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors and seniors
University of Toledo Pharmacy and Science Career Camp is a three-day residential summer program for high school students. It introduces you to careers in pharmacy, drug discovery, forensic science, clinical research, and related fields. You take part in workshops, lab simulations, and interactive sessions like drug discovery and forensic analysis.
The program also covers areas like cosmetic science and shows how pharmacy connects with other science-based careers. You tour the UToledo campus and meet faculty and students. The camp is held in two sessions during the summer, and you can choose the one that fits your schedule.
Location: UIC Health Sciences Campus at Rockford
Cost: $25
Dates: April 5
Application deadline: Unspecified
Eligibility: Open to current high school students
High School Pharmacy Camp (HSPC) at UIC is a half-day, in-person program run by the UIC College of Pharmacy. It introduces you to the full range of pharmacy careers through panels and hands-on activities. You learn about over 80 career paths, including clinical pharmacy, community pharmacy, regulatory work, and pharmaceutical innovation. The program is open to students from Illinois and other states. The goal is to help you understand the field and plan your academic and career steps.
Location: University of the Pacific, Stockton, California
Cost: Regular tuition: $3,650; Discounted rate for Pacific affiliates (alumni, staff, faculty, family): $3,150
Dates: June 2–12 and June 17–27
Application Deadline: Registration typically runs from November to May; spots fill up early.
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12 who have an interest in science and healthcare
The Future Pharmacists Program at the University of the Pacific is a two-week residential summer camp for high school students. The program introduces you to both clinical and research sides of pharmacy through hands-on activities and interaction with professionals. You shadow PharmD and PhD students, practice skills like immunization and compounding, and take part in patient care simulations. Activities include responding to a mock cardiac emergency and solving pharmacy-related tasks in an escape room. You also design small research experiments and learn how clinical trials work, guided by faculty and pharmaceutical scientists
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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