If you’re a high school student planning to major in medicine or thinking about a future healthcare career, you should consider joining a free medical summer program. For students living in California, local programs are one of the strongest options to build early experience without adding any financial pressure.
California has many hospitals, research institutes, and universities that run summer programs for high school students every year. Choosing one close to where you live helps you avoid travel and housing costs while still gaining access to the kinds of places where healthcare work happens every day. Whether you’re interested in medicine, biomedical research, or public health, these programs can help you start exploring the field with structure and support.
To make your search easier, we’ve compiled a list of 15 free medical summer programs for high school students in California!
15 Free Medical Summer Programs for High School Students in California
1. Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation
Cost: The program is fully funded!
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Application Deadline: Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November).
Program Dates: Vary based on yearly cohort. Multiple 12-week cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility:You must be enrolled in high school or plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall and must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
The Lumiere Breakthrough Scholar Program is the equivalent of the Individual Research Scholar Program at Lumiere Education. In the flagship program, talented high-school students are paired with world-class Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll develop an independent research paper. You can choose topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. This program is a solid option if you are interested in interdisciplinary research and want to create an individual research paper. You can apply here!
2. Veritas AI + Medicine
Location: Virtual
Cost: Financial aid is available
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: High school students. AI Fellowship applicants should either have completed the AI Scholars program or exhibit experience with AI concepts or Python.
Veritas AI’s AI + Medicine Deep Dive introduces you to how artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare. You’ll explore how machine learning models diagnose diseases, enhance medical scans, and help doctors explain results to patients. Through hands-on projects, you’ll build real AI tools using Python, TensorFlow, and medical imaging techniques. You’ll learn in small groups with mentors from top universities and work directly with clinical datasets. Topics include image segmentation, disease classification, and model evaluation
3. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR) Program
Location: Stanford, CA
Stipend: $500
Dates: June 9 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 22
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are high school juniors or seniors, age 16+
SIMR offers a full-time, eight-week research experience in biomedical science for high school juniors and seniors. You’ll be matched with a Stanford lab and work closely with mentors on original research in fields like cancer biology, neurobiology, bioinformatics, and more. You’ll learn molecular biology techniques, data analysis, and how to communicate scientific findings. Admission is highly competitive, with fewer than 3 percent of applicants accepted.
4. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program (SMYSP)
Location: Stanford, CA
Cost: None
Dates: June 23 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 17
Eligibility: Current high school juniors from Northern California who are low-income and first-generation college-bound
SMYSP is a five-week, tuition-free summer program for low-income, first-generation high school juniors from Northern California. You’ll explore healthcare and public health through clinical shadowing at Stanford Hospital, anatomy workshops led by medical students, and small-group research projects focused on health disparities. You’ll study epidemiology, attend lectures from Stanford faculty, and work with mentors to tackle real public health challenges. The program includes college prep, professional development, and networking with health professionals. You’ll also present your research at a formal symposium.
5. Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
Location: Duarte, CA
Stipend: $4,500
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 12
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+ who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
The Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy is a 10-week full-time research program at City of Hope for high school and undergraduate students interested in biomedical science. You’ll join a professional lab team and work on projects in cancer, diabetes, virology, or related fields. You’ll learn experimental design, lab safety, and molecular biology techniques while contributing to publication-level research. You’ll complete a final paper and present your findings at a formal symposium.
6. Bay Area Youth Science (BAYS) Program
Location: San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $5,000
Dates: June 17 – August 9
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: KIPP San Francisco College Preparatory juniors and seniors, age 16+, who have completed the spring lecture series
BAYS is an eight-week, full-time summer research internship at UCSF for rising high school juniors and seniors. You’ll join a UCSF lab and work on biomedical research projects in areas like cancer biology, infectious disease, pharmacology, and drug discovery. You’ll conduct experiments under the guidance of UCSF faculty and graduate mentors, learning lab techniques, data analysis, and science communication. The program concludes with a research symposium where you present your findings to UCSF scientists and community partners.
7. OPTIMUS Outreach Program
Location: San Diego, CA
Stipend: Provided
Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: 10th–11th grade students at select San Diego high schools
OPTIMUS is an eight-week cancer research internship for high school students in San Diego, hosted by UC San Diego’s Moores Cancer Center. You’ll work in real cancer research labs, shadow doctors in clinical settings, and learn molecular biology techniques and clinical skills like suturing. You’ll receive mentorship from faculty and surgical residents, attend seminars on medicine and research, and complete a final presentation. All participants receive a stipend.
8. BrainSport Summer High School Research Internship
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Cost: None
Dates: June 6 – August 1
Application Deadline: April 4
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors; preference for students interested in continued research and peer mentorship
The BrainSport Summer High School Research Internship is an eight-week neuroscience and sports medicine program hosted by UCLA’s Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Concussion Program. You’ll join a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers studying brain injury and recovery in youth athletes. Projects focus on concussion research, cognitive testing, and neuroimaging analysis using tools like fMRI, EEG, and behavioral assessments. You’ll assist with literature reviews, data entry, and patient recruitment, and attend weekly lab meetings with the BrainSPORT team.
9. UCSF Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP) High School Intern Program
Location: San Francisco, CA
Stipend: $3,200 (part-time); $4,500 (full-time)
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: High school juniors in SFUSD, SF charter schools, or College Track San Francisco; priority for students from underrepresented backgrounds
The UCSF Science & Health Education Partnership (SEP) High School Intern Program is an eight-week paid biomedical research internship for rising seniors in San Francisco public and charter schools. You’ll be matched with a UCSF scientist mentor and conduct hands-on research in fields like immunology, neuroscience, stem cell biology, and cancer. You’ll learn experimental design, lab techniques, and data interpretation while contributing to a real research project.
10. Pediatrics Internship Program (PIPS)
Stipend: $3,000
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: Early Spring
Location: Stanford, CA
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors from select Northern California counties; minimum 3.0 GPA; priority for students with limited research experience
PIPS is a six-week summer research internship at Stanford for rising juniors and seniors from Bay Area high schools. You’ll explore pediatric and biomedical science through hands-on lab work, faculty-led seminars, and professional development workshops. Research topics include child health, genetic disease, and molecular biology. You’ll learn lab protocols, data handling, and experimental design while working closely with Stanford researchers. The program is designed for students with little or no prior research experience and emphasizes equity in science and medicine.
11. PITCH (Program for the Investigation and Training in Careers in Health)
Location: San Francisco, CA (UCSF Mission Bay campus)
Cost: None
Dates: July 7 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Rising 10th–11th graders with a 2.5+ GPA; preference for EAOP students and partner school attendees
PITCH is a three-week summer program at UCSF designed for first-generation and low-income high school students interested in healthcare careers. You’ll explore public health, medicine, and biomedical science through project-based learning, hands-on activities, and mentorship from UCSF graduate students and faculty. You’ll study healthcare systems, analyze public health issues, and develop a group research project to present at the closing Health Symposium.
12. Brain Camp
Location: UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus Heights, San Francisco, CA
Cost: Free
Dates: July 28 – August 2
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors interested in neuroscience; preference for students from underserved backgrounds
Brain Camp is a free, one-week neuroscience immersion program for underserved high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area. Led by UCSF medical students and faculty, the program introduces you to brain health, clinical care, and neuroscience research through hands-on activities and mentorship. You’ll explore specialties like neurology, neurosurgery, and neuropathology while learning neuroanatomy, imaging techniques, and basic clinical skills like suturing and reflex testing. The program includes lectures, lab-based activities, and college prep workshops.
13. County of Santa Clara Student Internship Program
Location: Santa Clara County, CA
Stipend: $15–$19 per hour
Dates: Year-round (varies by department)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students with a work permit and a minimum 2.5 GPA
The County of Santa Clara Student Internship Program gives you the chance to work in public health, healthcare administration, emergency services, and other government departments. You’ll support real projects, help with administrative tasks and data entry, and take part in community outreach. You’ll build professional skills and learn how public-sector healthcare systems operate from the inside. This is one of the few paid, year-round public-sector internships available to high school students in California.
14. Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) Student Research Internship Program
Location: La Jolla, CA
Cost: Free
Dates: June 2 – August 8 or June 16 – August 22
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+ with a strong interest in biomedical or translational research
SRTI offers a 10-week summer internship where you’ll dive into translational science and work alongside leading researchers at Scripps. You’ll explore genomics, digital health, and clinical trials while gaining hands-on experience in study design, data analysis, and participant engagement. You’ll also learn research ethics, scientific communication, and how to develop study protocols. You’ll complete an independent research project and present your findings at a final poster symposium.
15. Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Location: Los Angeles, CA (various medical centers and virtual)
Cost: Free. One $500 scholarship is available
Dates: Two- or four-week sessions between June and August
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: Current 11th and 12th grade students; additional site-specific criteria may apply
The Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program gives you the chance to explore careers in medicine by shadowing healthcare professionals at top Los Angeles hospitals like Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, and Children’s Hospital LA. You’ll observe pediatricians, nurses, and allied health specialists in clinical settings, attend educational seminars, and assist with supervised care tasks. You’ll also learn about healthcare delivery systems and reflect on your experiences through presentations. The program includes both in-person and virtual options, depending on placement.
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 – Bay Area Youth Science (BAYS) Program, UCSF