Top 12 Summer Medical Research Programs for High School Students
- Stephen Turban
- Apr 1
- 8 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
If you're a high school student thinking about a career in medicine or planning to major in a medical field, joining a research program can be one of the best ways to get experience. Through these programs, you’ll work in labs, analyze data, and learn techniques like growing cells, testing samples, or using software to track disease patterns.
Many of these programs cover costs or even offer stipends so that you can focus on learning. You’ll meet researchers who share what it’s like to work in medicine and help you build connections. Whether you’re set on medicine or still figuring it out, this experience can strengthen your college applications and help you decide if a future in medicine or research is the right fit.
We’ve put together a list of the top 12 summer medical research programs for high school students! Note: While some of these programs have publicly disclosed their acceptance rates on the web, we have estimated acceptance rates for other programs based on the average applicant pool and prestige.
Stanford University offers one of the country's most established medical research programs, and SIMR gives high school juniors and seniors the chance to engage in biomedical research. With an acceptance rate below 3% and a cohort of about 50 students, SIMR allows you to work with Stanford’s graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. You can specialize in one of eight research fields: Cancer Biology, Neurobiology, Immunology, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Biology, and Genetics and Genomics. Based on your interests, you’ll be placed in a discipline and spend two months researching with experts in the field. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 50 students are selected per cohort, and the acceptance rate is approximately 2-3%.
Location: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
Stipend: Provided (amount varies, at least $500)
Program Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S.-based high school juniors or seniors (16+), U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Lumiere Research Scholar Program - Medicine Track
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as medicine, neuroscience, health science, life sciences,and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Programs start at $2990
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as medicine! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research.
Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is highly selective
Location: Virtual
Stipend: No stipend is available.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
The Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus offer a nine-week summer internship focused on child health research. You’ll work in a biomedical research lab under faculty mentorship from the Department of Pediatrics, gaining experience in pediatric medical studies. The program includes a weekly seminar series. You’ll present your research findings through an oral or poster presentation, and students are encouraged to submit abstracts to scientific meetings. Selected students may also receive travel funding to present their research.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is highly selective.
Location: Children’s Hospital Colorado & University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Stipend: $4,400
Program Dates: June 2 - August 1
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school seniors (18+), undergraduates, first-year medical students; U.S. students or international students with a valid U.S. visa; full program availability required.
The MPFI Summer Research Internship offers a six-week experience in neuroscience research. You’ll work alongside MPFI researchers, learning lab techniques like genetic engineering, microbiology preparations, histological staining, and microscopy. If you’re interested in data analysis or mechanical engineering, the program offers specialized tracks in scientific programming (Python, C++, Matlab, Java) and mechanical design (SolidWorks CAD software). At the end of the program, you’ll present your research findings to scientists and the local research community. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective with an acceptance rate of approximately 10%
Location: Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL
Stipend: $13/hour
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors (16+) from Palm Beach or Martin County, FL; must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. and available full-time.
The Arthritis Foundation Summer Science Internship Program allows you to work on medical research at Stanford University and UCSF, two of the country’s leading medical institutions. Over eight weeks, you’ll work on projects in rheumatology and immunology alongside scientists and clinicians. You can choose between lab-based research (bench work) or clinical and epidemiological research, focusing on arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Throughout the program, you’ll learn medical research methods, analyze data, and contribute to studies tackling health challenges, all while building connections with experts in the field.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: The program is highly competitive, accepting only 12 students
Location: Stanford University & UCSF, California
Cost: Paid internship
Program Dates: Eight weeks during the summer, around June - August
Application Deadline: March 10
Eligibility: Must be 17+ by June 1, parental consent required if under 18.
The MWRI High School Summer Internship Program offers research experience in women’s health, reproductive biology, and biomedical science. Over six weeks, you’ll work on maternal health, fertility, cancer, and infectious diseases alongside faculty from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine and Swanson School of Engineering. You’ll develop research skills in basic, translational, and clinical studies and attend weekly Lunch & Learn sessions where researchers share their career paths. The program wraps up with a final research presentation.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective. An acceptance rate of less than 8%.
Location: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
Stipend: $1,800 (for students qualifying under the National School Lunch Program)
Program Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school sophomores or juniors (16+) residing in Southwest Pennsylvania.
If you’re interested in cancer research and want experience early on, the Future Scientist Program (FSP) at Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center offers an eight-week introduction to oncology and biomedical research. You’ll work on a research project in basic science, translational medicine, or clinical oncology guided by university scientists. You’ll learn lab techniques like cell culture and PCR, analyze experimental data, and review scientific literature. You’ll also attend seminars by oncology experts and present your research findings at the program’s conclusion.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; exact stats not available.
Location: Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN
Stipend: Paid. The exact amount is not specified.
Program Dates: June 3 - July 26
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: High school juniors from public schools in Indianapolis or Marion County, IN.
The Biomedical Research Academy at the University of Pennsylvania offers a three-week residential program focused on cellular, molecular, and genetic research. You'll build a strong foundation in biomedical research through lectures from Penn scientists and faculty, journal clubs analyzing peer-reviewed articles, and lab work. You’ll learn experimental techniques like PCR, gel electrophoresis, bacterial transformation, and ELISA. The program also covers computational biology, teaching you Bash and Python for genomic sequence analysis and biological data interpretation.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Moderately selective
Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: No stipend. There is a cost of $5,949 (covers tuition, fees, and housing.)
Program Dates: July 5 – July 26
Application Deadline: No information is available; check the program page for updates.
Eligibility: Current 9th–11th graders with at least one year of high school biology.
The Coriell Summer Experience is a four-week internship at the Coriell Institute for Medical Research for high school students interested in biomedical research and biotechnology. You’ll work with scientists and technicians, gaining skills in DNA extraction, karyotyping, stem cell research, and biobanking operations. The program includes scientific seminars led by Coriell’s research faculty and career development sessions on resume-building and interview preparation. It wraps up with a final research presentation. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Moderately selective; cohort size undisclosed
Location: Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ
Stipend: Unpaid. Residents of the City of Camden may request transportation assistance through Camden Loop for the duration of their internship.
Program Dates: Mid-July to Mid-August
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Must be 17+ by July 1, a U.S. resident, and able to commute to Coriell’s facility.
The High School Student Research Apprentice Program at UConn Health provides a five-week experience in basic science and clinical research. You will work in cutting-edge research labs, gaining experience in biomedical sciences while being mentored by faculty and researchers. The program is part of the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative, which is designed to support students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing health careers. Participants receive a stipend for their work and engage in career development activities throughout the program.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; 24 students per cohort.
Location: UConn Health, Farmington, CT, or Central Connecticut State University
Stipend: Provided, exact amount not specified.
Dates: June – July (5 weeks, Monday–Friday)
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school juniors (16+) from CT schools with School-to-Career coordinators (not required for 18+), B average, underrepresented or disadvantaged background, U.S. citizen/permanent resident, and able to commute to UConn Health or CCSU.
The RIBS program at the University of Chicago offers a four-week pre-college research experience focused on molecular biology, genetics, developmental biology, and cancer research. You’ll conduct independent experiments using techniques like PCR, gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing, analyze genetic data, and study cell structures through advanced microscopy. Throughout the program, you’ll write detailed lab reports, present your findings to faculty and peers, and attend seminars by University of Chicago researchers on topics like gene regulation and disease pathways.
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Moderately selective.
Location: University of Chicago (Residential)
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: June 14 – July 12
Application Deadline: The application window has closed for this cycle
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders; high school biology required
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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