If you’re looking for a rigorous (and competitive) experience in medicine, consider a summer program hosted by Harvard University!
Harvard offers several summer programs for high school students interested in medicine, all run through Harvard Medical School or Harvard Summer School. These programs focus on clinical care, biomedical research, public health, and medical ethics. You’ll get to work with Harvard faculty and healthcare professionals, gaining hands-on experience in labs, simulations, and case studies. Topics generally include genetics, immunology, pharmacology, and more.
Most of the Harvard medical summer programs below for high school students are short-term. Some offer financial aid and emphasize practical, team-based learning. These programs provide early exposure to medical fields and can strengthen future college and career plans.
Below are 10 Harvard medical summer programs for high school students!
10 Harvard Medical Summer Programs for High School Students
1. MEDscienceClinical – HMS MEDscience
Cost: $2,800 (5-day program); $2,250 (4-day holiday week); Boston-area students can apply for limited scholarships
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dates: Multiple sessions from June 9 – August 22
Application Deadline: January 1 – March 25
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
This is a week-long, non-residential summer program at Harvard Medical School for high school students. As a participant, you will develop clinical skills, gain exposure to a range of healthcare careers by engaging with professionals in the field, and strengthen your critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork abilities. You’ll train in simulation labs to diagnose and treat simulated medical emergencies and learn skills like suturing, intubation, and IV insertion. The program includes guidance from medical professionals and focuses on emergency medicine, teamwork, and clinical problem-solving. Housing and travel are not provided.
2. MEDscienceLAB Forensics – HMS MEDscience
Cost: $2,800; Limited scholarships available for Boston-area students
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dates: June 9 – 13; July 14 – 18; July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: January 1 – March 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12; Must be 16+ by the program start
MEDscienceLAB Forensics is a one-week, full-day summer program at Harvard Medical School focused on crime scene investigation. You’ll act as a forensic scientist, collecting evidence, analyzing lab samples, interviewing witnesses, and solving simulated cases. The program combines lab work with realistic scenarios in HMS’s simulation labs and includes exposure to research professionals and forensic techniques. You’ll also develop teamwork and presentation skills. This non-residential program does not provide housing or travel.
3. MEDscienceTECH Moonshot Visionaries – HMS MEDscience
Cost: $5,800; Limited scholarships available for Boston-area students
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dates: July 14 – 25
Application Deadline: January 1 – March 25
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 with experience in robotics or coding
Harvard Medical School’s MEDscienceTECH Moonshot Visionaries is a two-week advanced program for high school students with backgrounds in robotics and computer science. You’ll work in teams to design and build a fully functional AI surgical robot, specializing in roles like engineering, software, business, or product design. The program includes site visits to Harvard’s School of Engineering and medtech companies such as Johnson & Johnson. It concludes with a final demo day presentation.
4. Premedical Sciences and Ethics at Harvard
Cost:
- 7-week residential: $14,950
- 7-week online or commuter: $4,050 (1 course) or $7,900 (2 courses)
- Financial aid available
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, or online
Dates: June 21 – August 9
Application Deadline: For Regular: February 12; For late: April 9 (Maybe earlier if full)
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 by June 21 and under 19 by July 31
Through Harvard’s 7-week Secondary School Program, you will get to explore key areas of health sciences. Whether you’re interested in premedical studies, medical ethics, or the history and impact of epidemics, the program lets you dive deep into subjects that matter. You’ll also have the chance to look ahead at innovations like stem cell regeneration and their potential in modern medicine. With the option to take two courses, you can tailor your summer experience to match your interests or explore possible college majors by designing your own premed track. Upon completion, you earn Harvard College credit and gain in-depth knowledge of science and healthcare ethics.
5. Harvard Pre-College Program
Cost: $5,800 plus $75 application fee. Limited financial aid is available
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Dates: June 22 – July 3; July 6 – 18; July 20 – August 1
Application Deadline:
- Early: January 8
- Regular: February 12
- Late: April 9 (or earlier if courses fill up)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old by June 21 and under 19 years old by July 31 are eligible to apply.
The Harvard Pre-College Program is a two-week residential course where high school students take one college-level, non-credit class in a small seminar (about 15 students). Some courses include psychology, medicine, and public health. You’ll attend daily classes, complete assignments, and receive a transcript and faculty evaluation. The program also offers college readiness workshops on admissions essays and financial aid. Alongside academic exploration, you’ll take part in creative and social activities that challenge and inspire you.
6. MEDscienceDental – HMS MEDscience
Cost: $2,800; Limited scholarships available for Boston-area students
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dates: July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: January 1 – March 25
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12; Alumni of MEDscience Clinical, LAB, or Forensics programs are not eligible
MEDscienceDental is a one-week, full-day program at Harvard Medical School for high school students interested in dentistry and medicine. You’ll work with high-tech patient mannequins to evaluate, diagnose, and treat oral health conditions through simulated clinical cases. The program offers hands-on dental training and insight into oral health’s role in overall care. You’ll also engage with dentists and dental students from Harvard School of Dental Medicine, learning about dental careers while developing skills in diagnosis, critical thinking, and communication.
7. Harvard Medical School Pre-College HMX Program
Cost: $1,795; Need-based scholarships are provided
Location: Online
Dates: Flexible; Year-round with rolling enrollment
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students aged 13+; Transcripts or recommendations not required
Taught by Harvard Medical School faculty, this program covers core pre-med topics like biochemistry, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, and physiology. Each course offers 30-40 hours of interactive videos, case simulations, quizzes, and mentor support. You’ll learn how basic science applies to clinical medicine and earn a Certificate of Completion upon finishing. You’ll also build a strong foundation across various medical disciplines. It’s a chance to prepare for a future in science, medicine, and related fields, while becoming part of a tradition of academic excellence.
8. MEDscienceTECH Moonshot Foundations – HMS MEDscience
Cost: $2,800; Limited scholarships available for Boston-area students
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dates: June 9 – 13; June 23 – 27; July 7 – 11; July 28 – August 1; August 4 – 8
Application Deadline: Applications for 2025 are closed. Will open in winter–spring
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
MEDscienceTECH Moonshot Foundations is a one-week, full-day summer program at Harvard Medical School for high school students interested in medicine, biomedical engineering, and computer science. You’ll use design thinking to build AI-enabled surgical robots that address medical challenges for simulated patients—no coding or robotics experience needed. Working in teams, you’ll develop and pitch prototypes to industry professionals while gaining practical skills in design, communication, and problem-solving. The program also offers exposure to healthcare settings and surgical robotics.
9. The Academies by Harvard Student Agencies: On-Campus Summer Pre-Med Academies
Cost: $1,800; Need-based financial aid available
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Dates: Multiple sessions from June to August
Application Deadline: July 27 (late)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
Harvard’s On-Campus Summer Pre-Med Academies gives high school students the chance to explore medicine before college. As a participant, you will gain practical clinical skills from guest speakers and students from Harvard Medical School. You can choose to participate in either of two tracks: the Pre-Med: Biology and Chemistry Academy or the Pre-Med: Human Anatomy and Physiology Academy. During the Biology and Chemistry Academy, you will learn about organic chemistry, genetics, immunology, and so on. Whereas, during the Human Anatomy and Physiology Academy, you will learn how to read medical images and will gain an understanding of the working environment in the emergency room.
10. MEDscienceLAB – HMS MEDscience
Cost: $2,800; Limited scholarships are available for Boston-area students
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Dates: June 23 – 27; July 7 – 11; August 4 – 8; August 11 – 15
Application Deadline: January 1 – March 25
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12; Must be at least 16 years old by the beginning of the program
MEDscienceLAB is a one-week, full-day program at Harvard Medical School that links clinical practice with biomedical research. You’ll start with simulated patient care in the medical simulation lab, then move to research labs to analyze samples and conduct experiments. The program focuses on real-world lab techniques and how research supports medical diagnostics. You’ll also explore careers in biotech, public health, and clinical research through interactions with professionals.
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program in subjects like data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, and chemistry, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! Horizon is a selective virtual research program where you conduct advanced research and write a paper on a topic of your choice. It offers over 600 research areas and has worked with 1,000+ high school students. You can find the application link here!