If you’re a high school student in Ontario thinking about a future in medicine, joining a local summer medical program can be a practical and affordable way to start. These programs let you explore different areas of healthcare such as clinical practice, biomedical research, public health, and medical technology through hands-on learning and direct exposure to professional settings.
Ontario has a wide range of options. Universities, hospitals, and research centers across the province run summer programs that include lab work, clinical skill-building, and mentoring from professionals in the field. Choosing a program close to home can also help you save money, especially if it is offered in a commuter format or online.
Whether you are considering a healthcare career or just want to understand what medical work looks like, here are 15 summer medical programs in Ontario for high school students!
15 Summer Medical Programs for High School Students in Ontario
1. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
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 virtual research program designed for high school students. You’ll work one-on-one with a PhD mentor to complete an independent research project over 12 weeks. By the end, you’ll have written a full research paper. The program covers a wide range of subjects, including psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
2. Veritas AI + Medicine Deep Dive
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by the program. Need-based financial aid is available. Apply here.
Application deadline: On a rolling basis. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November).
Program dates: Multiple 12-15-week cohorts throughout the year, including spring, summer, fall, and winter.
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Veritas AI – AI + Medicine Deep Dive is an online program for high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In this track, you explore how AI is used in the medical and healthcare fields. You work on real-world projects where you use AI and machine learning models to diagnose diseases, enhance medical imaging, and explain model outcomes to support doctors and patients. Apply here!
3. Hamilton Health Sciences Secondary School Research Bursary
Location: Hamilton Health Sciences centers across Hamilton, ON
Cost: Free. Participants will be given a $1,500 bursary award
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: 15 students
Program Dates: June 30 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Grades 11 and 12 students
Hamilton Health Sciences Secondary School Research Bursary is a seven-week summer internship where you work with research teams at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University. You get hands-on experience in areas like population health, cancer research, child development, geriatric medicine, and lab-based studies. The program includes mentorship, technical training, and exposure to clinical research environments at places like the Escarpment Cancer Research Institute (ECRI) and the GERAS Centre.
4. Women’s College Hospital’s Emily Stowe Scholar Program
Location: Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 7 – August 15
Application Deadline: February 28 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: Open to students in grade 11 or 12, aged 16 or older by July 7. You must have finished grade 11 or 12 Biology and Chemistry. For students who identify as Black, Indigenous, racialized women, 2SLGBTQI+, trans, two-spirit, non-binary, or persons with a disability.
The Emily Stowe Scholar Program at Women’s College Hospital is a six-week full-time summer research program for high school students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized women, trans, two-spirit, non-binary, or as a person with a disability. You’ll work on health research projects, attend seminars and panel talks, and join weekly group sessions to share updates. The program also includes mentorship with researchers and healthcare professionals, networking events, and tours of the University of Toronto Medical Gardens. You finish the program by presenting your work at a Research Symposium.
5. Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto – Summer Mentorship Program (SMP)
Location: University of Toronto’s St. George campus, ON
Cost: None. A stipend of $1,600 is provided
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: Approximately 100 students
Program Dates: July 2 – 25 (can differ from year to year)
Application Deadline: December 1 – March
Eligibility: You must be a high school student in Ontario in grade 10 or 11. You need to be at least 16 years old by June 30. You must have finished a grade 10 or 11 course in science, social science, or humanities. Students who are Black or Indigenous will get priority.
The Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine is a four-week, full-time program that introduces you to a range of health science fields. You’ll explore subjects like medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, public health, kinesiology, and social work through lectures, labs, assignments, and interactive sessions. The program includes mentorship from university students and health professionals, giving you insight into both academic pathways and professional roles. At the end of the program, you’ll earn a high school credit and receive a $1,600 stipend.
6. Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program – Sunnybrook Research Institute
Location: Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON
Cost: None. Students may receive a stipend
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: 10%, 25 participants
Program Dates: 8 weeks starting from July 2
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 or older by July 1. You need strong grades in Math and Science and must be legally allowed to work in Canada.
The Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute is an eight week in person internship for high school students in Ontario. You will work in one of four streams: programming, experimental work, biology, or engineering and technology development. You will contribute to active research projects focused on medical device development. The program includes lab work, coding tasks, and seminars on clinical trials, the peer review process, and lab operations. You will also take part in mentorship sessions, skill building workshops, and group discussions on equity in science and career options.
7. STEM Fellowship’s Research Exploration Opportunity (REO)
Location: Various universities across Canada, including the University of Guelph, University of Toronto, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, McMaster University, and Wilfred Laurier University in Ontario
Cost: Free
Program Dates: Typically starts in summer—exact dates vary according to the university
Application Deadline: Opens in November or early December and closes on January 13 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students in Canada can apply
Research Exploration Opportunity (REO) is a six week summer program where you take part in hands-on research across STEM fields, including medicine and life sciences. You are paired with a graduate student mentor and join them in a real lab setting. You will shadow research staff, attend lab meetings and faculty talks, and learn basic experimental techniques using advanced lab equipment. The program also includes facility tours and structured activities to help you build skills in scientific inquiry, data interpretation, and lab communication. You get firsthand exposure to how research labs work day to day.
8. Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University’s CampMed Program
Location: NOSM University campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, ON
Cost: $450
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: 24 participants per campus (based on previous years)
Program Dates: Sudbury CampMed: July 7 – 11; Thunder Bay CampMed: July 14 – 18
Application Deadline: May 2 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students living in Ontario. Priority will be given to grades 10 or 11 students residing in Northern Ontario.
NOSM Summer Camp is a week-long program hosted by NOSM University that focuses on social accountability, cultural awareness, and clinical training. You will explore healthcare challenges in underserved Northern Ontario communities while learning clinical skills like suturing, casting, and NG tube insertion. You will also learn about teamwork in medical settings, get mentorship from NOSM students, and take part in hands-on workshops. You will also build leadership skills during the week.
9. University of Toronto’s Pharmacy Summer Camp
Location: Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, ON
Cost: $799/week for Weeks 1, 2, and 3 & $649 for Week 4 (scholarships are available)
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: Up to 50 campers each week
Program Dates: Week 1: July 7 – 11; Week 2: July 14 – 18; Week 3: July 21 – 25; Week 4: July 28 – 31
Application Deadline: May 2
Eligibility: All high school students from grades 9-12 can apply
The University of Toronto Pharmacy Summer Camp is a health science immersion program that introduces you to core areas of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. You will study topics like human physiology, pharmacology, and drug development through lectures, lab activities, and group projects led by faculty and professionals from the field. Each week builds your understanding of how the body works, how medications affect biological systems, and how drugs are developed and tested. You will also take part in workshops and role playing exercises to build skills in patient counselling, scientific communication, and health literacy.
10. University of Toronto’s Medicine Youth Summer Program (YSP)
Location: St. George campus, University of Toronto, ON
Cost: $1,668 per module
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: Maximum of 120 students per module
Program Dates: Module 1: July 7 – 11; Module 2: July 14 – 18; Module 3: July 21 – 25; Module 4: July 28 – August 1
Application Deadline: No official deadline; admission is on a first-come-first-served basis
Eligibility: Rising grade 11 or 12 students
University of Toronto’s Medicine Youth Summer Program (YSP) lets you choose from four week long academic modules focused on topics in medicine and life sciences. You will study drug metabolism, human physiology, microbial identification, and forensic medicine through lab experiments, clinical demonstrations, and university level lectures. Activities include measuring lung function, analyzing DNA from mock crime scenes, testing antibiotic resistance, and simulating drug interactions at the molecular level. You will also build academic skills in interpreting data, reviewing health science research, and presenting scientific findings.
11. University of Toronto’s Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program (DEEP)
Location: St. George campus, University of Toronto, ON
Cost: $725/week
Program Dates: Multiple 1-week sessions starting from July 7 – August 15 (exact dates might vary based on the course)
Application Deadline: Application round 1: February 25 – March 23; Round 2: March 24 – April 13 (tentative, based on previous years)
Eligibility: High school students. For the Grade 9/10 program, you must have finished grade 9 math and science. For the Grade 11/12 program, you must have completed grade 11 math and science.
DEEP Summer Academy is a program where high school students explore advanced STEM topics through university level courses. You will study areas like artificial intelligence, medical technology, and biomedical engineering. Sessions are led by graduate students, researchers, and alumni who introduce you to current research, technical problem solving, and how STEM concepts are used in real life. Each course includes lectures, lab activities, coding tasks, and group design challenges.
12. Blueprint Summer Program – University of Toronto
Location: St. George’s campus, University of Toronto, ON
Cost: Free
Program Dates: July 7 – August 1
Application Deadline: November 13 – March 28
Eligibility: Black students in Grades 10 or 11 residing in Canada
Blueprint Summer Program at the University of Toronto is a four week program for Black high school students who are interested in pursuing STEM in higher education. You will explore how engineering applies to areas like human health and mechatronics through project based learning, lab work, and design challenges. You will build technical and teamwork skills while working with graduate instructors and undergraduate mentors.
The program combines academic sessions with group activities that focus on communication, problem solving, and leadership. You will also take part in educational outings and peer discussions to explore different STEM pathways. After the summer ends, you will continue with monthly workshops that help you plan your academic and postsecondary goals.
13. Schulich Medicine & Dentistry Discovery Healthcare Camp
Location: Multiple locations across Southwestern Ontario. Click here for more information.
Cost: $325.99 (plus tax)
Acceptance rate/Cohort Size: Around 100 students (information based on previous years)
Program Dates: Week 1: July 7 – 11; Week 2: July 14 – 18
Application Deadline: Registration opens on March 1
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 residing in Ontario, Canada
Discovery Healthcare Camp is a one week summer program for high school students in Southwestern Ontario who are interested in healthcare careers. You will explore fields like medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, EMS, and kinesiology through hands-on sessions in clinical skills such as suturing, wound dressing, and casting. The program includes diagnostic case studies, workshops on social determinants of health, and talks from healthcare professionals. You will learn about community based healthcare systems while building skills in medical communication, teamwork, and problem solving.
14. University of Ottawa Summer Enrichment Program – Pre-Medicine
Location: University of Ottawa
Cost: $370/week
Program Dates: July 7 – 11
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students
Summer Enrichment Program is a one week program where you explore human anatomy and physiology at the cellular level through hands-on activities and clinical skill sessions. You will learn how to suture, give injections, and make casts, while studying topics like neurobiology and the basics of different healthcare careers. You will also take guided tours of university labs and join mentoring sessions with medical students, professors, and healthcare professionals. These sessions help you understand academic pathways and what daily work looks like in nursing, physiotherapy, pharmaceuticals, and other healthcare fields.
15. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free; $500 scholarship for virtual participants
Application Deadline: March 1
Program Dates: July – August, specific dates not specified
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors from underrepresented groups in the U.S.
Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science (JHIBS) is a neuroscience internship for high school juniors and seniors that offers research experience and mentorship. If selected, you will join a research team, take part in a mentored project, and attend professional development sessions. Virtual participants also receive mentorship and join scientific discussions. You will learn basic lab techniques and get support with the college application process. To learn more about this program, check out our full guide here.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
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! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image source – University of Ottawa