Clinical research is the engine behind every medical breakthrough. While most people think of research as something reserved for college labs and hospitals, there are multiple programs designed for high school students to start early. These opportunities offer fundamental exposure to the methods and processes that shape modern medicine.
Getting involved in clinical research early shows you what it’s really like to work in medicine or science. You’ll learn how trials are set up, how data is collected from patients, and how researchers figure out what works and what doesn’t. It also adds solid experience to your resume and helps you figure out if you want to take this path in college or build a career around it later.
To help you navigate what’s out there, here’s our curated list of the 17 best clinical research opportunities for high school students!
17 Clinical Research Opportunities for High School Students
1. Houston Methodist’s Summer Internship Program
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 9 – August 1
Application deadline: December 2 – January 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors with a minimum 3.5 GPA who will be at least 16 years old by the start of the program are eligible to apply.
Houston Methodist’s program trains you in core clinical research skills like study design, data collection, statistical analysis, lab techniques, scientific writing, and how to follow research ethics and protocols. You work on real research projects with a faculty mentor, learning how studies are done in a hospital setting. You also attend seminars, collaborate with research teams, and present your findings at a final symposium. The program takes place on the Houston Methodist University campus.
2. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost: $840 + $40 application fee (Financial aid available)
Program dates: June 16-27
Application deadline: December 9 – February 28
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are 14 years or older by the start of the program are eligible.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging Summer Research Internship focuses on how AI is used in clinical research, especially in medical imaging. You work in small groups to train machine learning models, analyze datasets like chest X-rays, and interpret the results in a medical context. You learn skills like Python coding, model evaluation, data annotation, and how to apply AI tools to real clinical workflows. Stanford researchers guide you as you solve case-based challenges that reflect current problems in patient care.
3. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
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.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! 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.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Varies depending on program type
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
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 psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
5. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center DACCPM Summer Research Program
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: November 18 – January 20
Eligibility: High school seniors who are 18 years or older, in good academic standing, or graduating are eligible to apply.
This 10-week program trains you in clinical research areas like cancer biology, immunology, and pain management. You begin with a cancer biology boot camp, then work with a mentor on a hands-on project. You learn lab techniques, data analysis, research design, and how to interpret clinical results. Your project might involve studying how cancer treatments affect the body or why cancer recurs. You get experience in how lab work leads to new therapies. At the end, you present your findings at a research symposium.
6. Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research Program
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Cost: Free; stipend provided (amount unspecified)
Program dates: June 30–August 8
Application deadline: November 1–January 31
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and recent high school graduates living or studying in Massachusetts during the program who have work authorization in the U.S.
Massachusetts General Hospital’s Youth Neurology Education and Research is a neurology-focused program that gives you direct research experience in clinical neuroscience. After a preparatory boot camp, you join a UCSF lab studying topics like brain function, neurological disorders, or cognitive health. You learn lab techniques, data collection, research ethics, literature review, and how to analyze findings. You also attend talks by neurologists and observe how research is applied in clinical settings. The program ends with a formal presentation where you share your research with scientists and peers.
7. UT Austin’s High School Research Academy (HSRA)
Location: University of Texas, Austin campus, TX
Cost: $4,000 (limited need-based scholarships are available)
Program dates: June 9 – July 16
Application deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (for the upcoming academic year) who are 15 years or older by June 1 and are Texas residents can apply.
High School Research Academy places you in a UT Austin lab for five weeks, where you work on research in genetics, neuroscience, or molecular biology. You learn how to design experiments, collect and analyze data, and apply methods used in clinical and biomedical research. You work with university researchers, complete assignments that build your scientific writing and presentation skills, and attend sessions that connect lab work with real-world problems. The program ends with a research symposium and provides a stipend.
8. Roswell Park High School Summer Research Program (SURE-CAN)
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 26–August 8
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Current high school juniors residing and enrolled in a school in Western New York who are U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents and 15 years of age or older at the program’s start.
SURE-CAN is a six-week cancer research program where you work on lab-based or computational projects focused on cancer diagnostics and treatment. You gain skills in lab techniques, data analysis, clinical statistics, research ethics, and how tools like medical imaging and AI are used in oncology. You also explore how physics and engineering support cancer care. With guidance from researchers, you learn how clinical research questions are formed and how lab findings move toward patient applications. The program ends with a formal presentation of your work to an academic audience.
9. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) High School Summer Internship Program
Location: National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus, Bethesda, MD
Cost: Free; up to $2,500 stipend
Program dates: 8 weeks in the summer (varies according to your coordinating center and research mentor)
Application deadline: February 15
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or legal Permanent Residents and are 16 years of age or older.
In this full-time summer internship, you work in an NIH lab focused on digestive, kidney, or endocrine diseases. You assist NIDDK scientists with clinical research by analyzing data, following lab protocols, or reviewing patient-based studies. Before starting, you complete training in lab safety and research ethics. Over 8 to 10 weeks, you gain skills in data interpretation, clinical study design, and lab procedures. You present your project at a research forum and can continue receiving academic mentorship after the program ends.
10. Harvard Medical School’s Project Success
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 30 – August 15
Application deadline: February 3
Eligibility: Boston/Cambridge high school juniors and seniors who will be over 16 years of age by June 30, are from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds, have a GPA of 2.7+, and have completed courses in biology, algebra, and chemistry.
Project Success places you in a biomedical research lab at a Harvard-affiliated hospital or institute for seven weeks. You work with mentors on projects that connect lab experiments to clinical questions in disease and treatment. You learn lab techniques, data analysis, and how research supports therapeutic development. The program also includes seminars on public health, career planning, and site visits to hospitals and biotech firms. You receive a stipend, and the program is designed to support students from underserved backgrounds.
11. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program in Biomedical Sciences
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: November 18 – January 15
Eligibility: Current high school seniors over 18 years of age or older by program start, currently enrolled in a Texas public, private, or charter high school, or a Texas home school, are eligible to apply.
This ten-week program places high school seniors in biomedical research labs at MD Anderson, where projects often connect directly to clinical cancer studies. You learn lab techniques, molecular analysis, and how to interpret clinical data under the guidance of a research mentor. The program mirrors a real research setting with faculty seminars, poster sessions, and elevator pitch competitions. You take full responsibility for your project and see how research findings contribute to cancer treatment. The program ends with a formal poster presentation and provides a significant stipend.
12. Pathmaker Scholars
Location: University of Utah – Huntsman Cancer Institute, UT
Cost: Free; up to $4,000 stipend
Program dates: May 26 – July 31
Application deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school students who have completed their junior year before the start of the program, are members of a historically underrepresented group, and are citizens or non-citizen nationals of the USA, or have a valid Alien Registration Card I-551.
Pathmaker Scholars is a residential program where you join a university-based lab focused on cancer-related biomedical research. You work with a faculty mentor and research team, learning experimental design, data analysis, and how to communicate scientific findings. You see how basic science connects to clinical oncology by taking part in weekly seminars and research discussions. The program ends with you presenting your work at a local symposium and a national research conference.
13. Mayo Clinic SPARK Research Mentorship Program
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 3 – December 2
Application deadline: November 1 – December 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors enrolled in Duval or St. Johns counties in Florida with a minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA.
SPARK places you in a biomedical research lab at Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus, where you work with clinical scientists in fields like cancer biology, immunology, or neuroscience. You focus on a specific research question and gain experience in lab techniques, molecular analysis, research ethics, and scientific reasoning. The program runs through the summer and includes continued involvement during the school year. You’ll commit to a regular schedule and work closely with a mentor, seeing how lab discoveries contribute to clinical care. Many students use their research for science fairs or future academic projects.
14. UT Health San Antonio Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy (VBRA)
Location: San Antonio, TX
Cost: Free
Program dates: 7 weeks during the summer for 3 years. Tentative dates – June 11 – July 24
Application deadline: February 7 – March 7
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores who are at least 15 years of age by June 15 and meet the grade criteria (90% or above in Math, Science, and English; 85% if in Pre-AP, AP, or Dual Credit courses) can apply.
Voelcker Academy is a multi-year program that starts with a seven-week summer research experience in UT Health San Antonio labs. You work with faculty mentors on projects focused on disease mechanisms, diagnostics, or therapy development. You learn lab techniques, data analysis, and how to frame clinical research questions. During the school year and in the following summers, you take on more responsibility through independent research and presentations.
15. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP)
Location: Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Cost: Free; $3,600 stipend
Program dates: June 30 – August 8
Application deadline: November 13 – January 22
Eligibility: Rising MA high school seniors with a B or better in science and math who are U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents, or non-US citizens with work authorization.
Broad Summer Scholars pairs you with a scientist for six weeks to work on a research project in areas like cancer, infectious disease, or psychiatric disorders. You gain experience with lab and computational techniques such as gene editing, molecular profiling, or modeling, depending on your lab placement. Your work connects directly to disease biology and contributes to research with clinical relevance. You also attend scientific talks and present your project at a final poster session, building both technical and communication skills in a real research environment.
16. High School Research Immersion Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Location: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Cost: Free; $4,800 stipend
Program dates: June 2 – July 25
Application deadline: January 31
Eligibility: High school juniors from the Memphis-Shelby County area and surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas who are 16 years or older with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
At St. Jude, you spend the summer working on research that supports pediatric care, focusing on areas like cancer, genetic disorders, epidemiology, or behavioral science. As a rising senior, you work alongside researchers or clinicians on a defined project and gain experience in lab methods, data analysis, and study design. The program includes structured mentorship, training in research communication, and reflection on how science informs clinical care. You finish by presenting your project publicly, building both research and presentation skills in a clinical research setting.
17. Baylor College of Medicine’s Saturday Morning Science (SMS) Summer Research Program
Location: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Cost: Free
Program dates: June 11 – August 4
Application deadline: April 18
Eligibility: High school students who are 18 years of age by June 1 and have a U.S. Social Security card or the U.S. Permanent Resident card can apply.
In the SMS Summer Research Program at Baylor, you work with a faculty mentor on a biomedical project that ties into clinical questions. Your project may involve techniques like disease modeling, lab diagnostics, or molecular analysis, depending on your lab placement. You also attend weekly seminars that link your work to topics in clinical science and explore career paths in medicine and research. The program ends with a research symposium where you present your findings.
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