If you’re a high school student curious about medicine, biology, or biomedical research, getting real-world exposure early can completely change how you see the field. Free medical research programs give you the chance to step beyond textbooks and classrooms and actually experience how science and healthcare work in practice. You’re not just observing, you’re learning directly from scientists, physicians, and researchers while contributing to meaningful work.
Why should I do a medical research program in high school?
Unlike typical summer camps or short courses, these programs are immersive and often highly selective. You will be analyzing real data, working in a lab, or understanding how medical discoveries move from research to real patient care. Just as importantly, because these opportunities are fully funded or tuition-free, you don’t have to worry about cost getting in the way of accessing high-quality mentorship and cutting-edge research environments.
If you’re still exploring whether medicine is the right path for you, you might also find it helpful to check out our Horizon blog on medical programs for high school students, which breaks down other ways to build exposure before college.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled 11 free medical research programs for high school students!
11 Free Medical Research Programs for High School Students
1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)
Stipend: Provided (amount varies by funding source)
Program Dates: June 8 – July 30
Application Deadline: February 21
Cost: Free
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in 11th or 12th grade, aged 16 or older, attending high school in the U.S. Preference for Bay Area students
The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR) immerses high school juniors and seniors in biomedical research under the mentorship of Stanford faculty and researchers. Through the program, you engage in hands-on experiments across various fields, including stem cell biology, cancer immunology, genetics, and bioengineering, gaining direct exposure to laboratory techniques such as PCR, electrophoresis, and microscopy. The program emphasizes the fundamentals of experimental design, data analysis, and literature review in the field of medical research. You will conclude your experience by presenting your findings in a symposium-style format, simulating real scientific communication. This intensive experience develops technical competence and introduces students to the collaborative nature of medical research.
2. Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Stipend: Monetary award provided
Program Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: February (exact dates announced annually)
Cost: Free (includes housing and meals)
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, or Wisconsin
The Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program offers a six-week, fully funded biomedical and engineering research experience for high school students. You will work alongside faculty, graduate mentors, and postdocs in areas such as cancer immunology, molecular physiology, neuroscience, and bioengineering, gaining practical lab experience and learning to design and communicate research. You will typically spend 30–35 hours per week conducting hands-on experiments and attending scientific communication seminars. The program culminates in a final research symposium, where you will present your posters and discuss findings with university scientists. Through this immersion, you get to build both technical and professional skills essential for future study in medicine and biomedical engineering.
3. Child Health Research Internship – Children’s Hospital Colorado
Stipend: $4,400
Program Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically first week of February
Cost: Free (includes stipend for travel and housing)
Location: Children’s Hospital Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
Eligibility: High school seniors (age 18+), undergraduate, graduate, or first-year medical students. High school applicants must be Colorado residents and available for the full 9 weeks
Hosted by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, this nine-week program immerses you in child health and pediatric medical research. You get to work directly with faculty mentors on lab-based or clinical projects addressing diseases in childhood development and healthcare outcomes. You’ll attend a weekly research seminar series, contribute to ongoing investigations, and present findings through written reports and poster presentations. Funding is available for accepted interns to present their work at scientific meetings, emphasizing academic rigor and communication in the biomedical sciences. This program provides one of the few structured, paid research opportunities in pediatric medicine for eligible high school students.
4. Simons Summer Research Program – Stony Brook University
Stipend: Provided (amount varies each year)
Program Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: February 5
Cost: Free
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents currently in 11th grade; must be at least 16 years old by the program start date
The Simons Summer Research Program places high school juniors in university laboratories across biology, chemistry, biomedical engineering, and related fields. You will join active research teams, working under faculty and graduate mentors to design experiments, collect data, and interpret findings. You’ll gain technical proficiency in lab techniques such as gel electrophoresis, microscopy, and protein assays, while also learning to synthesize data into written abstracts and research posters. Weekly faculty seminars and workshops complement the lab experience, emphasizing scientific communication and collaboration. The program concludes with a poster symposium where you will present your work and receive a stipend award supported by the Simons Foundation.
5. Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK) – Mayo Clinic Florida
Stipend: None
Program Dates: June 2 – December 3
Application Deadline: December 31
Cost: Free
Location: Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors attending high school in Duval or St. Johns counties, Florida
The SPARK Research Mentorship Program at Mayo Clinic offers high school students a deep dive into biomedical research and translational medicine. You will spend a minimum of 25 hours per week conducting research in areas such as cancer biology, immunology, neuroscience, regenerative sciences, and drug development under the guidance of Mayo faculty. You’ll learn wet-lab techniques, data analysis, and experimental design, while also engaging in professional seminars and year-round research continuation. Many participants present at science fairs and regional conferences, and several projects progress to publication or national recognition. The extended mentorship structure, spanning summer and fall, provides sustained exposure to research methods and professional ethics within a leading medical institution.
6. High School Summer Research Experience in Cancer (SURE-CAN) – Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Stipend: Unpaid
Program Dates: June 26 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 2
Cost: Free
Location: Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY
Eligibility: High-school juniors enrolled in schools within Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, or Chautauqua counties (NY) interested in pursuing careers in scientific or medical research
Hosted by Roswell Park, a National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, SURE-CAN introduces you to cancer biology, genomics, imaging, and AI-based methods in medicine through an intensive 6-week mentored research experience. You will join active research teams, conduct wet-lab or computational experiments, and explore topics in biochemistry, molecular biology, and data analysis while learning professional lab techniques and ethical research practices. The curriculum includes lectures, seminars on scientific communication and reproducibility, and culminates in a poster presentation of each student’s research findings. This selective program provides rigorous exposure to the intersection of biology, technology, and medicine within a world-class cancer research setting.
7. Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) – Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Stipend: $3,600 + partial transportation reimbursement
Program Dates: June 29 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 21
Cost: Free
Location: Cambridge, MA
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors attending Massachusetts high schools within commuting distance to the Broad Institute; must have a B or higher in math and science
Hosted by the Broad Institute, a global leader in genomics and biomedical discovery, the Broad Summer Scholars Program allows you to work alongside researchers on original projects in cancer biology, infectious diseases, psychiatric disorders, chemical biology, and computational genomics. You will gain hands-on experience in both wet-lab and computational methods, attend lectures on advanced scientific topics, and receive mentoring from world-class scientists. The program includes structured sessions on poster design, data presentation, and scientific communication, culminating in a research symposium. Students receive a $3,600 stipend, making it both a free and paid opportunity in biomedical research.
8. Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) – The Rockefeller University
Stipend: None
Program Dates: June 22 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 2
Cost: Free
Location: The Rockefeller University, New York, NY
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors (must be at least 16 years old by program start). U.S. citizens and permanent residents preferred.
The Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (SSRP) is an intensive, team-based research experience where high school juniors and seniors conduct mentored biomedical research in collaboration with scientists from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell Medicine. Scholars are divided into research teams that work on original projects in areas such as neuroscience, molecular biology, genetics, and immunology. The program emphasizes both experimental and analytical skills, from lab techniques and data collection to poster design and research presentation. You will attend workshops, elective courses, and scientific lectures while contributing to active investigations in Rockefeller’s world-class labs. The program is fully free and highly selective, with only 32 students accepted annually.
9. AAMC Minority Serving Institution Pathway Initiative (MSIPI)
Stipend: None
Program Dates: 5 weeks (varies by site)
Application Deadline: February 5
Cost: Free
Location: Partner campuses — Albany State University (GA) and Portland State University (OR)
Eligibility: Students from Minority-Serving Institutions or those enrolled at institutions serving underrepresented populations in medicine. High-achieving seniors transitioning to college and undergraduates are encouraged to apply
The MSIPI, funded by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), is a free summer enrichment and research experience that supports underrepresented students interested in careers in medicine and the health professions. Conducted at Albany State University and Portland State University, the program integrates academic enrichment, clinical exposure, and mentored research projects in fields such as public health, biomedical sciences, and medicine. You will gain experience in health data analysis, critical thinking, and career planning workshops while networking with medical educators and professionals. The initiative aims to strengthen the pathway from college entry to medical and biomedical research careers, providing hands-on and virtual training without any program cost.
10. High School Research Immersion Program – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Stipend: $4,800
Program Dates: June 1 – July 25
Application Deadline: January 31
Cost: Free
Location: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Eligibility: Current high school juniors from Memphis and surrounding counties in Tennessee, Mississippi, or Arkansas; minimum 3.0 GPA; must be at least 16 years old
The St. Jude High School Research Immersion Program offers an eight-week mentored biomedical research experience in the hospital’s renowned labs. You will be paired with scientists to conduct research in areas such as molecular biology, data science, epidemiology, or clinical research, while exploring the broader role of science in society. You’ll receive intensive lab training, work full-time on a project, and learn to design experiments, analyze data, and communicate findings through a professional scientific poster presentation. The program also integrates science communication and reflection workshops, helping you develop a personal narrative for college applications. All selected students are paid a $4,800 stipend, making this both a fully funded and competitive entry point into real-world medical research.
11. Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation High School Summer Program – MD Anderson Cancer Center
Stipend: Provided
Program Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 14
Cost: Free
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Eligibility: Current Texas high school seniors (must be 18 years or older by program start); must have been accepted to a college program starting in the upcoming fall; U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or eligible visa holders
Hosted by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, this 10-week biomedical research program introduces select Texas high school seniors to hands-on laboratory experiences under the mentorship of leading scientists. Through the program, you’ll conduct real research projects in cancer biology, biomedical sciences, or allied health disciplines, learning how to apply foundational scientific principles to real-world medical problems. The experience includes seminars, poster sessions, and professional skill-building workshops, culminating in a research presentation and celebration event. You will work full-time in MD Anderson’s state-of-the-art labs and gain a deep understanding of the discipline and rigor behind clinical and biomedical research. This fully funded program offers a stipend and is one of the most prestigious high school medical research opportunities in Texas.
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 Illinois Urbana-Champaign