If you’re interested in medicine, public health, or how the body works, but don’t want to commit to a pricey in-person program, consider joining a free online medical research program for high school students! As a participant, you’ll learn how to read medical research papers, study health data, and write short research summaries, all virtually.
Some programs, such as the research programs below, also teach you how to use tools like Python or R to study things like disease patterns or brain activity. Topics may include cancer, mental health, medicines, or global health issues. Doctors, scientists, and medical students will guide you through each step.
To help you get started, here are 15 free and fully online medical research opportunities for high school students!
15 Free + Online Medical Research Opportunities for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Cost: $5950 onwards; financial aid options available
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September)
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer, and Fall cohorts. The summer II cohort application deadline is June 22.
Eligibility: High school students with GPA >3.67/4.0, typically 10th/11th graders
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subject areas such as medicine. It is one of the few programs that let you choose between doing quantitative or qualitative research.
Once you select a subject track, Horizon matches you with a professor or PhD scholar who serves as your mentor. You are expected to develop a 20-page research paper that meets college-level standards. Some students choose to submit their papers to journals for publication.
The program also provides a letter of recommendation and detailed project feedback that you can use for future research or academic work.
2. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Cost: $2,990 onwards; Financial aid is available.
Program Dates: The summer cohort runs from June to August, the Fall cohort from September to December, the Winter cohort from December to February, Spring cohort from March to June
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. The deadline for Summer Cohort II is June 23
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA >3.3/4.0
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a 12-week research program for high school students. It offers one-on-one research opportunities across a wide range of subjects. You are paired with a PhD mentor and work on an independent research project throughout the program.
At the end, you complete a research paper based on your chosen topic. Subjects available include medicine, neuroscience, health science, life sciences, and others. You can find more information about the application on the program’s website.
3. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship
Cost: Free; $40 application fee (waivable)
Program Dates: June 16 – June 27 (2 weeks)
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: U.S. high school students aged 14+, strong math/programming skills
The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship is a two-week virtual program focused on AI applications in healthcare. You will take part in lectures and hands-on projects led by Stanford faculty. During the program, you will build skills in machine learning, data analysis, and AI programming.
Topics include medical imaging and disease diagnosis, using tools such as Python and TensorFlow. The program is designed to introduce you to interdisciplinary work at the intersection of AI and medicine.
4. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 5 weeks from July to August
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors/seniors who are U.S. residents
The Johns Hopkins Introduction to Biomedical Sciences (JHIBS) is an 8-week virtual summer program focused on neuroscience and neurological disorders. You will work with Johns Hopkins faculty, attend seminars, take part in professional development training, and present your research findings.
The program helps you build skills in neuroscience research methods, data collection, analysis, and presentation. You will use tools such as data analysis software and virtual lab simulations to explore topics in cognitive science and scientific reporting.
5. Medicine Encompassed
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: All high school students can apply
Medicine Encompassed is run by students and offers virtual research projects in areas like public health, epidemiology, and clinical studies. You’ll work on collecting and analyzing data, engaging with communities, and learning how research gets published.
Volunteers who are medical or pre-med students will guide you through designing studies and writing up your findings. You’ll get to be part of real medical research and connect with a network of students and professionals, which can help you get ready for college-level work.
6. EnergyMag Internship
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 2-8 weeks (half-time); 1-9 months (quarter-time)
Deadlines: Rolling
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, with one honors science/English class, GPA >3.25
In this virtual internship, you explore renewable energy research related to biomedical engineering. You’ll build skills in scientific research, data analysis, professional interviewing, and report writing.
The program covers both the scientific and business sides of renewable energy technologies. You might use tools like Excel, MATLAB, or engineering design software, which help develop your analytical and communication skills for biomedical engineering.
7. APA Internship
Cost: Free (unpaid academic credit options)
Program Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students, U.S. residents, work-eligible
In the APA internship, you’ll work on real psychology research and support projects. Your tasks might include coordinating studies or handling administrative work. You’ll learn how to collect and analyze data, use psychological assessments, and work with tools like SPSS or R for statistics.
You’ll also practice sharing research results. This internship gives you hands-on experience in medical research methods and shows how psychology connects to health and society.
8. Stanford Summer of Neurosciences Program
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school juniors/seniors
Stanford Summer of Neurosciences Program explores neuroscience through lectures and interactive sessions with Stanford experts and guest speakers. You will study brain anatomy, neural circuits, and neurosurgery through lectures and interactive sessions with Stanford faculty and guest speakers.
The program includes discussing published research and completing small projects in a Journal Club format. You’ll use online neuroscience resources and data visualization software to strengthen your research and communication skills while deepening your understanding of neuroscience.
9. Global Health Leaders at Johns Hopkins University
Cost: $99 conference fee; financial aid available
Program Dates: July 13 – July 21 (mostly weekends)
Application Deadline: Mid-February
Eligibility: High school students from any country
The Global Health Leaders Conference lets you learn about global health through online lectures and panel discussions. You’ll explore how health problems are studied and addressed worldwide. You can also present your research in the Student Speaker Series.
The program helps you develop skills in researching health topics, understanding data, creating presentations, and speaking clearly to different audiences. You’ll work with experts to understand current issues in global health and improve your critical thinking.
10. Carnegie Mellon OLI – Introduction to Psychology
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Self-paced
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: No specific requirements
This self-paced course covers key areas of psychology like cognitive processes, social behavior, and developmental psychology. You’ll work through interactive modules on topics such as consciousness, motivation, and wellness.
The course helps you understand core psychological theories and develop independent learning skills using online tools. You’ll practice applying concepts, analyzing behavior, and managing your study time.
11. UT Southwestern Mental Health / Psychiatry Internship
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 2 weeks in June
Application Deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
The UT Southwestern Medical Center Psychiatry Department offers this internship to introduce you to careers in mental health. You’ll join interactive online sessions with professionals from neurology, psychiatry, medicine, and social work.
Before the course, you’ll read journal articles and other materials to prepare for exploring these fields. During the internship, you’ll develop practical skills in psychotherapy, psychiatry, and neuroscience through hands-on activities.
12. UCLA Neuroscience Scholars Program
Cost: Free
Program Dates: June 16—July 24; 6 weeks; 3 days a week
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: High school juniors/seniors (16-18); underrepresented communities
UCLA’s Mary Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care offers this free program where you attend virtual neuroscience seminars focused on Alzheimer’s and related neurological diseases. You’ll work on research projects under expert mentorship and take part in grand rounds and journal clubs.
The program helps you build skills in neuroscience research, data analysis, and presenting findings. You’ll use research databases and analytical software to explore topics in neuropsychology.
13. MIT PRIMES-USA
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Year-long, beginning on January 1
Application Deadline: November 18
Eligibility: High school juniors, sophomores, or home-schooled students of the same age, residing in the US outside the Greater Boston area
PRIMES-USA is a virtual research program that lasts a year. You focus on mathematics and its applications in fields like medicine. You work on research projects alone or with a group. MIT faculty and graduate students guide you through teleconferencing. You use software like MATLAB or Python for simulations and data analysis. The program helps you build skills in mathematical reasoning and independent research.
14. IYRC Summer Program on Medicine and Research
Cost: $750; full financial aid available
Application Deadline: May 31
Program Dates: June 21 – August 30
Eligibility: High school and college students
The IYRC Summer Program on Medicine and Research is a 10-week virtual program where you learn directly from faculty and medical students at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Each week, you’ll join live sessions covering topics like neurosurgery, psychiatry, and internal medicine.
You’ll work on case studies and research projects to build clinical reasoning and research design skills. The program also gives you access to over 200 hours of office hours with medical students for feedback and mentorship.
15. American Cancer Society Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) in Oncology
Cost: Free with a stipend of $500
Application Deadline: May 15
Program Dates: July 21 – August 1
Eligibility: High school students identifying as female
The ACS SHE program offers a two-week virtual experience focused on cancer research. You’ll join interactive case studies and research activities through the eCLOSE Institute, learning about oncology and healthcare careers.
You’ll attend virtual lectures and discussions and have chances to connect with professionals in the field. This program helps you gain knowledge about cancer research and how it affects patient care.
Image source – Johns Hopkins University
