If you are a high school student interested in understanding how diseases spread, how healthcare systems work, and how data shapes health policies, then a public health research program is worth considering! A public health research program introduces you to key topics like epidemiology, biostatistics, and environmental health.
You’ll work with real-world data, analyze health trends, and study the impact of factors like pollution, infectious diseases, and healthcare access. Some programs also teach you how to use tools like R, STATA, and ArcGIS to interpret public health data.
If this sounds like something you want to explore, here are 15 public health research opportunities for high school students!
15 Public Health Research Opportunities for High School Students
1. Horizon Academic Research Program – Public Health Track
Location: Virtual
Cost: Cost: $5,950 for a Labs course and $5,950 for a seminar course.
Program Dates: The cohort starts June 16. Lab dates are flexible, but you must apply at least four weeks in advance.
Application Deadlines: Priority: March 23; Regular I: April 20; Regular II: May 18
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! Only a couple of tracks require formal prerequisites, more details of which can be found here.
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as data science, machine learning, political theory, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the very few research programs for high school students that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research!
Once you select a particular subject track and type of research you’ll be paired with a professor or Ph.D. scholar (from a top university) who will mentor you throughout your research journey. You’ll work to create a 20-page, university-level research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student.
This program is a solid opportunity for you to pursue a research program in highly specialized fields, under the guidance of a top scholar. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student, as well as detailed project feedback that you can use to work on future projects and college applications. Apply here!
2. Harvard T.H. Chan StatStart
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Free; includes a CharlieCard for commuting and daily lunch
Program Dates: June 30–July 24 (with a final presentation on July 25)
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: Open to all, priority for rising juniors/seniors, first-gen, or low-income students. STEM interests and basic algebra are required.
StatStart is a month-long summer program from the Biostatistics Department at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. You spend time learning R programming, putting together statistical models, and working through problems that make you think. Lectures break down concepts, lab sessions let you practice, and a group research project wraps it up.
Biostatistics grad students mentor you, guiding you through computing skills and showing how statistics connects to public health. You will also dig into real-world data sets, like tracking disease patterns or analyzing fitness trends. You also get tips on applying to college and finding careers in STEM fields.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program – Public Health Track
Location: Remote
Cost: $2,800 (12 weeks) | $5,400 (16-20 weeks). Financial aid is available.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Varying deadlines based on cohort. The Summer Cohort I application deadline is April 13!
Program Dates: Summer: June – August, fall: September – December, winter: December – February, spring: March – June.
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum 3.3 out of 4 GPA
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program, founded by Harvard and Oxford researchers, offers high school students the opportunity to work one-on-one with PhD mentors to develop an independent research project in their subject area. If selected, you’ll work closely with mentors to create a college-level research paper based on your project, with additional support from writing coaches.
During this period, you’ll engage in thorough research, participate in workshops, and gradually refine your work. By the end of the program, you will have a completed research paper and gained experience in research methods, critical thinking, and academic writing. More details about the application are here! You can choose your subject track in the application form, such as public health, as well as a specific area of focus, such as social sciences, throughout your research experience!
4. Boston University RISE Internship – Public Health Track
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: $5,700 tuition; additional fees for room and board (financial aid available)
Program Dates: June 30–August 8 (Residential students start June 29)
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents; strong academic background in STEM required
The RISE Internship program at Boston University offers high school students a chance to explore research in public health and other STEM fields over six weeks. You work full-time on projects with mentors who are BU faculty, postdoctoral fellows, or graduate students guiding you throughout the process.
In the public health track, you focus on epidemiological studies, biostatistics projects, or health policy research while learning to use data analysis tools and mastering research methods. Weekly workshops guide you through topics like research ethics, how to explain scientific ideas, and building connections in the field, all leading up to a final presentation where you share your work at the Poster Symposium.
5. Tufts STEM+M CONNECT
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: A stipend is paid!
Program Dates: June or July (exact dates vary by track); includes a year-round mentorship component
Application Deadline: March 2 (recommendations due March 16)
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who are at least 16 years old by July 7; must be authorized to work in the U.S. (citizen, permanent resident, or EAD holder); preference for first-generation and low-income students from the Boston area
The Tufts Arts, Humanities, and Sciences Summer program, now part of the STEM+M CONNECT program, offers you a paid, one-month summer experience that combines research, mentoring, and pre-college coursework in health sciences. You choose between the Mini Medical School, where you receive hands-on medical training and analyze case studies, or Laboratory Science Investigations, where you research antimicrobial resistance using a One Health approach.
Both options include workshops on professional development, opportunities to network with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color scientists, and structured mentoring from Tufts University undergraduates and faculty.
6. Yale Young Scholars Summer Program in Biostatistics and Clinical Research
Location: New Haven, CT
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 17–August 1
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (preference given to seniors); must be Connecticut residents with strong math skills and an interest in statistics, programming, and medical research.
The Yale Center for Analytical Sciences hosts a two-week program that introduces high school students to statistical methods and research design focused on medicine and public health. You work with real health science data, learning skills like calculating disease rates, spotting health trends, and testing hypotheses with numbers. You pick up R programming to analyze data, figure out how to read medical study results, and practice designing health surveys.
The program pushes teamwork, critical thinking, and solving problems with data, wrapping up with a research presentation you create. They recommend knowing some programming, like Java, Python, C++, or R, since you tackle computational methods in biostatistics quickly, all tied to understanding health issues.
7. Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI)
Location: La Jolla, CA
Cost: Unpaid
Program Dates: June 2–August 8 or June 16–August 22
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students (must be at least 16), undergraduates, graduate, and professional students with an interest in genomics or mobile health (mHealth) research
The Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, California, offers a 10-week internship where you team up with a research mentor to explore translational medical research tied to health. You focus on using genomics and mobile health technologies to tackle real health problems, building your research project, and presenting it at a poster symposium when it’s done.
You spend most of your time in a dry lab setting, learning skills like analyzing genetic data to spot disease patterns, tracking health trends with mobile tech, and pulling insights from big health datasets. Some get to work in a wet lab, handling samples to study health at a molecular level.
8. The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
Location: New York, NY
Cost: Free; need-based stipends available for financial hardship; travel support for NYC public transit provided
Program Dates: June 23–August 7
Application Deadline: January 3 (letters of recommendation due January 6)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (must be at least 16 by program start)
The Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) is a seven-week program where you work with mentors from Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine on health-focused research. You will conduct lab experiments, test cancer cells, study disease markers, and explore a health-related research question of your choice.
You will also take elective courses, attend guest lectures from health experts, and join workshops on careers in health and science. The program ends with a poster presentation where you share your research findings.
9. Columbia Environmental heAlth sciences Research for Teachers and High school students (EARTH)
Location: Remote with in-person symposium (for students from three Native communities in the Northern Plains)
Cost: Paid; compensation for up to 32 hours per week
Program Dates: 10 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Not specified (contact program directors for details)
Eligibility: High school students and teachers from selected Native communities; interest in environmental health sciences
The EARTH program is a summer research experience for Native high school students and teachers focused on environmental health sciences. You will study health-related issues like drinking water quality, air pollution, and mining-related exposures while working with scientists from Columbia University and Missouri Breaks Industries Research Inc.
You will conduct research in locally based teams, attend virtual seminars and workshops, and receive mentorship. The program ends with an in-person symposium where you present your findings. You also get SAT/ACT preparation and opportunities to connect with Native scientists and STEM professionals.
10. Penn State PULSE
Location: Virtual (Zoom) with optional in-person sessions at Penn State College of Medicine, Hummelstown, PA
Cost: None
Program Dates: September 9–December 16 (Mondays, 6–7 p.m.)
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12) interested in medicine and biomedical sciences; preference for underrepresented students in STEM
PULSE is a 12-week program at Penn State College of Medicine that introduces you to medical and biomedical sciences through lectures, problem-based learning, and mentorship from medical students. You will analyze case studies, review medical literature, and explore how antibiotics and vaccines work. You will also learn to interpret lab results, discuss disease transmission, and study healthcare systems. The program includes pre-recorded lectures, live discussions, and career workshops.
11. Health Careers Institute at Dartmouth
Location: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Cost: $2,950 (NH residents), $3,800 (out-of-state). Scholarships are available.
Program Dates: July 7–July 12
Application Deadline: Not specified (check Dartmouth’s website for updates)
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors interested in health and healthcare careers
The Health Careers Institute at Dartmouth is a one-week residential program where you explore careers in healthcare, including clinical medicine, medical research, public health, and health policy. You will learn to interpret patient case studies, analyze public health data, and discuss disease prevention strategies.
Hands-on activities include practicing basic clinical skills like measuring vital signs, understanding diagnostic imaging, and exploring medical research techniques. You will also work on team-based research projects, engage in discussions with healthcare professionals and Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine faculty, and gain insights into medical ethics and healthcare systems.
12. Apprenticeship Bridge to College (ABC) Program
Location: Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA
Cost: Participants receive bi-weekly paychecks; the exact stipend amount is not specified.
Program Dates: June 16–July 31
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students from the Inland Empire, Southern California, especially those from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds in STEM
The ABC Program is an eight-week summer research internship where you gain hands-on experience in biomedical research under the mentorship of Loma Linda University scientists. You will study health disparities affecting underserved communities, analyzing diseases like diabetes, cancer, and HIV/AIDS. Lab work includes conducting experiments, handling biological samples, and using data analysis tools to interpret research findings. You will also attend seminars on health equity.
13. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Summer Internship in Biostatistics and Epidemiology
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Cost: Applicants can indicate their preference for a paid or unpaid internship on the application form.
Program Dates: The summer session begins in July
Application Deadline: February 1 (for summer internship)
Eligibility: High school students with a strong interest in biostatistics and epidemiology; also open to undergraduate and graduate students in related fields
The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Summer Internship in Biostatistics and Epidemiology is a research program where you gain hands-on experience in biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health. You will work with real medical and public health datasets, applying statistical modeling, data analysis, and epidemiological research methods under the mentorship of hospital researchers.
The program includes seminars, journal clubs, and research presentations on topics like clinical trials, environmental health, obesity research, and data science. Selected interns may qualify for the Woodside Internship Award, which funds a focused research project under faculty guidance.
14. Rutgers University Toxicology, Health & Environmental Disease (THED) High School Program
Location: Rutgers University, Busch Campus, Piscataway, NJ
Cost: $925 (covers tuition, materials, and lunch; need-based financial aid available)
Program Dates: Session 1: July 21–25; Session 2: July 28–August 1
Application Deadline: March 14 (rolling admissions; priority given to early applicants)
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders with an interest in biomedical or environmental sciences; completion of at least one high school biology course is recommended
The Rutgers University Toxicology, Health & Environmental Disease (THED) High School Program is a one-week summer program where you explore toxicology, pharmacogenetics, and environmental health sciences through hands-on research. You will conduct laboratory experiments, analyze drug metabolism, investigate forensic toxicology, and assess environmental health risks.
Case studies and discussions will deepen your understanding of how toxins affect human health. The program also introduces career pathways in medicine, pharmacy, and biomedical research. It takes place at the Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute, where you’ll work alongside researchers and learn how toxicology connects to public health.
15. INSIGHT High School Program
Location: Online
Stipend or Cost: $2,200 (non-refundable; financial aid not mentioned)
Program Dates: July 7–August 1
Application Deadline: May 19 (rolling admissions)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9–12 or recently graduated
The INSIGHT High School Program is a four-week virtual program focused on public health, biomedical research, and injury prevention. You will participate in interactive seminars, research projects, and career workshops, gaining skills in data analysis, public speaking, and scientific communication.
The capstone project challenges you to design an emergency response plan for trauma care during a major earthquake. Throughout the program, you will connect with healthcare professionals, researchers, and community leaders, ending with a final research symposium where you’ll present your findings to experts.
Image source: Rutgers University
