Thinking about a future in healthcare, but not sure where to begin? Health care camps for high school students are one of the most accessible ways to get real exposure before committing to a long-term internship or research program. These short, immersive experiences let you step into clinical environments, try hands-on activities, and learn directly from medical professionals, all in just a few days or weeks.
A low-commitment way to explore life in medicine
Unlike year-long programs, health care camps are designed to be fast-paced and practical. You might practice taking vital signs, explore anatomy labs, participate in medical simulations, or learn how healthcare teams collaborate in clinical settings. Whether you’re curious about medicine, nursing, public health, or biomedical science, these camps help you figure out what genuinely interests you before college.
If you’re also interested in more in-depth, research-driven experiences, check out our guide to medical programs for high school students on the Horizon blog.
Below, we’ve curated 15 health care camps for high school students that stand out for their credibility, hands-on learning, and meaningful exposure to healthcare careers.
15 Health Care Camps for High School Students
1. Nova Southeastern University’s Achieve In Medicine (AIM-High) Day Camp
Location: NSU Davie/Fort Lauderdale Campus, FL | NSU Tampa Bay Regional Campus, Clearwater, FL
Cost: $1,800 + $50 non-refundable application fee | Need-based scholarships are available
Cohort Size: 50 students per session
Dates:
- NSU Tampa Bay: June 22–26
- NSU Davie/Fort Lauderdale: July 6–10 | July 12–17
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.2
AIM-High is a five-day camp at Nova Southeastern University’s Dr Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine for high school students interested in healthcare. You’ll explore areas like suturing, pharmacy, dissection, sports medicine, cancer detection, and emergency response through the “Stop the Bleed” program. You’ll learn about various medical fields, including preventive medicine, neuroscience, pediatrics, physical and occupational therapy, pharmacy, and public health. You’ll also study emerging topics like health informatics, nutrition and culinary medicine, emergency medicine, and virtual simulation labs. Hands-on training includes taking vital signs, CPR/AED certification, suturing, splinting, diagnosis practice, and emergency preparedness. You’ll connect with NSU medical students, join social events, and learn how technology supports better community health.
2. University of South Dakota Healthcare Summer Careers Camp
Location: University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Lee Medical Building, Vermillion, SD
Cost: $100 per student | Limited need-based financial aid is available
Cohort Size: 40 students
Dates: June 8–13
Application Deadline: May 12
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
The Healthcare Careers Summer Camp allows students to explore different paths in healthcare. You’ll participate in hands-on activities, observe medical demonstrations, and visit local medical facilities. You’ll also meet healthcare professionals and connect with other students who share your interests. You’ll experience college life by staying on the University of South Dakota campus. Throughout the program, you’ll participate in fun recreational activities, interact with faculty, students, and professionals from a variety of healthcare fields, and learn about courses that can help you prepare for a future in healthcare.
3. Nursing Career Camp at Southern Illinois University
Location: Southern Illinois University campus, Carbondale, IL
Cost: $50 registration fee
Cohort Size: Limited spots are available
Dates: June 24–26
Application Deadline: June 12
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, with preference given to those already enrolled in a CNA or health occupation program
The Nursing Career Camp is a three-day program designed for high school juniors and seniors interested in exploring a career in nursing. You’ll learn what a nursing career involves and practice key skills in healthcare settings using advanced simulators. The program covers patient care, including taking vital signs and safely administering medications, in a simulated environment. You’ll also tour nursing labs, try out modern medical equipment, and hear from healthcare professionals about their experiences in the field. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. It will help you develop practical skills, learn from experts, and explore whether nursing is the right career option for you.
4. Cardiac Camp @ UCSF
Location: University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Parnassus Campus
Cost: Free
Cohort Size: 20 students participated in the camp last year
Dates: July 28–August 1
Application Deadline: March 14 (priority deadline) | April 11 (regular deadline)
Eligibility: Current 9th and 10th graders from groups historically underrepresented in medicine | Must have completed at least one year of high school science, such as chemistry, biology, or physics, by July
Cardiac Camp at UCSF is a free, week-long program for high school students interested in medical careers who attend under-resourced schools in the Bay Area. You’ll learn about the anatomy and function of the cardiovascular system, heart disease, and ways to prevent it at different stages of life. Throughout the program, you’ll learn about cardiology, network with mentors, and gain insight into what a future in healthcare might involve. You’ll observe real cardiac tests and work closely with UCSF faculty and students who will provide mentorship as you explore college and career options. This experience will also help you strengthen your knowledge and encourage you to share what you learn with your community, helping to address distrust in medical care among underserved populations.
5. Texas Christian University’s (TCU) Nurse Camp
Location: Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX
Cost: $980 | Scholarships are available
Cohort Size: Maximum 40 students
Dates: June 22–27 | July 6–11
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors
Texas Christian University’s Nurse Camp gives students interested in nursing a chance to explore the field through hands-on learning. With guidance from TCU nursing faculty and students, you’ll practice essential skills like wound care, taking vital signs, performing patient assessments, and using medical terminology. You’ll also learn how nurses use anatomy, physiology, and math in real patient care. You’ll visit a hospital, participate in interactive sessions with human patient simulators, and train to strengthen your medical and communication skills. You’ll also learn about TCU’s nursing program and complete an American Heart Association CPR course. By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of what nursing involves and how to prepare for it at TCU.
6. Tufts University School of Medicine’s Mini Med School
Location: Tufts University Medford / Somerville Campus, MA | Tufts University Boston Health Sciences Campus, MA
Cost:
- Session 1: $3,625 (Commuter)
- Session 2: $6,950 (Residential) | $5,425 (Commuter)
- Session 3: $4,650 (Residential) | $3,625 (Commuter)
- Limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Dates: June 22–26 (Session 1) | July 5–17 (Session 2) | July 19–24 (Session 3)
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders or recent high school graduates who are at least 16 years old and have completed one year of high school biology
Tufts University’s Mini Med School is a summer program designed for students interested in pursuing careers in medicine and health. Designed and taught by Tufts medical faculty and students, it will allow you to explore what studying at a top medical school is like. You’ll attend lectures, explore case studies, and participate in hands-on sessions in the Clinical Simulation Center and anatomy lab. You’ll learn suturing, taking vital signs, and other clinical techniques. You’ll also join Q&A sessions with doctors, admissions staff, medical students, and professionals in fields like veterinary medicine, dentistry, and physician assisting. Career seminars and labs in microbiology, anatomy, and biomedical sciences will help you explore different paths in healthcare. By the program’s end, you’ll complete a capstone project on a medical topic or skill and gain information about the admissions process.
7. The National Center for Rural Health Professions’ Rural Health Careers Camp
Location: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
Cost: $100
Cohort Size: Maximum 50 students
Dates: June 23–25
Application Deadline: Applications open in January
Eligibility: Rising high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who live in and attend school in rural communities with populations of 25,000 or fewer | Preference is given to incoming freshmen and underclassmen from designated counties
NCRHP’s Rural Health Careers Camp enables high school students to explore healthcare through over 15 hands-on labs and activities. You’ll stay in campus housing, meet other students with similar interests, and experience college life. Camp counselors who are health professions students will guide you, and you’ll hear directly from healthcare providers about their work and career paths. Days typically run from 8 or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., followed by workshops, guest speakers, and team-building games in the evening, with some downtime before lights out at 11 p.m. Most sessions take place on campus, but you’ll spend one day participating in rotations at the UIC Health Sciences Campus in Rockford.
8. Florida State University College of Medicine Summer Institute
Location: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Cost: $1,650 | Scholarships are available for Florida residents
Cohort Size: 20 students per session
Dates: June 8–13 | June 22–27 | July 13–18
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors with a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.3 and strong grades in math and science
The FSU College of Medicine Summer Institute is a week-long residential program for high school students interested in pursuing a career in medicine. You’ll attend presentations by FSU medical faculty, explore college life from a medical student’s point of view, and learn about financial aid and pre-health advising. You’ll visit rural medical facilities, shadow researchers and physicians, and participate in workshops on topics like medical ethics, CPR, vital signs, college admissions, and financial planning. You’ll also join recreational activities, tour an anatomy lab, and work with other students on a group research project about a health issue. The week concludes with a research competition, where you will present your research, followed by an awards ceremony.
9. UMass Chan Medical School’s High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP)
Location: Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, North Worcester, MA
Cost: Free | Students earn a $600 stipend
Cohort Size: Around 20 students
Dates: June 28–July 24
Application Deadline: March 2
Eligibility: Current Massachusetts high school sophomores and juniors | Must be at least 16 | Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident | Must provide proof of health insurance coverage before acceptance of the program
The UMass Chan Medical School’s High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP) is a tuition-free residential program that introduces local students to careers in biotechnology, biomedical research, and healthcare. During the four-week program, you’ll take classes in math, language arts, biology, and information technology, attend seminars on cultural and health topics, and participate in field trips. You’ll also complete a Health Disparities Research Project on a cultural group in Massachusetts and take part in paid internships that allow you to work with physicians and healthcare professionals. Evaluations include pre- and post-tests, such as the Cognitive Abilities Test and the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. You’ll receive feedback from instructors and internship mentors and complete a final anonymous survey.
10. MD Camp at The Ohio State University
Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Cost: $325 | Need-based full and partial scholarships are available
Cohort Size: Limited cohort size
Dates: June 9–27
Application Deadline: March 21
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who live in Ohio and have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.3 GPA in math and science
The MD Camp at The Ohio State University is a three-week summer program designed for students interested in the health professions and biomedical research. You’ll shadow clinicians and researchers at the Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, learning what a career in medicine involves and how to prepare for it. Run by second-year medical students, the camp features lectures from Ohio State faculty and medical professionals on topics such as ethics and health disparities. You’ll work on clinical cases, practice procedures such as phlebotomy, suturing, and taking patient histories, and learn how to diagnose and treat common conditions. You’ll also explore medical research by analyzing case studies, discussing experimental design, and hearing from students about their research experiences. Along with shadowing physicians in areas like pediatrics and internal medicine, you’ll participate in a community service project and interact with guest speakers from various healthcare fields.
11. Harvard Medical School’s MEDscienceClinical
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Cost: $2,800 (5-day program) | $2,250 (4-day program) | A limited number of scholarships are available for Boston area students
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple sessions run between June and August
Application Deadline: March 25 | Applications open on January 1
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12 at the time of application
The MEDscience Clinical Program offers high school students interested in science, medicine, or healthcare the opportunity to participate in realistic medical emergency simulations. You’ll build clinical skills, explore healthcare careers, and strengthen your critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. Working in Harvard Medical School’s simulation labs, you’ll step into the fast-paced environment of emergency care, treating STAN, a life-like interactive patient. Alongside physicians, EMTs, nurses, pharmacists, and medical students, you’ll evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients in small group settings. You’ll practice suturing, inserting IVs, interpreting vital signs, and performing intubations, and you may even take part in birthing simulations. The program includes trauma care training and certifications in Stop the Bleed and American Red Cross CPR/AED. Through MEDchats, you’ll also meet healthcare professionals, hear about their specialties and patient stories, and learn more about different career paths in medicine.
12. Georgetown University’s Medical Immersion Academy
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: $9,540 (Residential) | $7,610 (Commuter)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: June 21–July 10
Application Deadline: January 31 (early deadline) | April 15 (final deadline)
Eligibility: Current 8th–12th graders with a minimum 2.0 GPA | Must be at least 15 years old by the start of the program
Georgetown University’s Medical Immersion Academy allows students to experience what the first year of medical school is like. Taught by faculty and students from the Georgetown School of Medicine, the program covers subjects such as cardiology, pathology, cell biology, immunology, and endocrinology, providing an understanding of how the body’s systems function. You’ll also learn key emergency medicine skills like wound care, suturing, physical exams, bleeding control, CPR, airway management, oxygen and medication administration, and splinting. You’ll attend sessions at Georgetown University Medical Center, meet professionals, and hear from guest speakers in the D.C. medical community. You’ll also create a research-based poster on a program theme and earn a Certificate of Participation at the end.
13. Rochester Institute of Technology’s Health Care Careers Exploration Program
Location: Rochester Institute of Technology / National Technical Institute for the Deaf Campus in Rochester, N.Y.
Cost: $900
Cohort Size: Limited cohort size
Dates: July 18–22
Application Deadline: May 30
Eligibility: Deaf and hard-of-hearing students entering grades 10–12 in the upcoming fall who are in good academic standing
Rochester Institute of Technology’s Health Care Careers Exploration Program provides deaf and hard-of-hearing students with a hands-on introduction to the healthcare field. You’ll meet professionals working in areas like nursing, exercise science, medical imaging, and research, as well as explore career paths and majors at RIT/NTID. You’ll participate in lab tours, simulations, workshops, and group projects led by experienced mentors. You’ll also learn about fields such as radiologic technology, nursing, physical therapy, psychology, lab science, public health, and nutrition. Participants who later enrol at RIT/NTID as an undergraduate receive a $1,000 scholarship and an application fee waiver. On the final day, families can attend a workshop about college admissions, financial aid, and vocational rehabilitation resources.
14. Saint Mary’s College Healthcare Summer Institute
Location: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $995 | Scholarships are available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: July 12–17 | July 19–24
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Girls entering grades 9–12
The Saint Mary’s College Healthcare Summer Institute is a week-long residential program for high school girls interested in healthcare careers. You’ll get hands-on experience in the College’s healthcare simulation lab, meet the MedFlight Emergency Transport team, tour South Bend’s Memorial Hospital, and earn CPR certification through the American Red Cross. You’ll attend lessons and guest lectures on various health topics, work with Saint Mary’s students and professors, and explore different career paths in healthcare. You’ll also practice health assessment and treatment skills, interact with healthcare professionals, and participate in interactive lab sessions. After completing the program, you’ll receive one hour of elective college credit from Saint Mary’s College.
15. Wake Forest Summer Immersion Medicine Institute
Location: Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,500 + $60 non-refundable application fee | Limited need-based scholarships are available
Cohort Size: 25–30 students per week
Dates: July 5–10 | July 19–24
Application Deadline: Applications open on November 1 | Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Current high school students in grades 9–12 who are in good academic standing
The Wake Forest Summer Immersion Medicine Institute enables high school students to explore various healthcare careers through hands-on learning experiences. You’ll practice skills such as suturing, taking blood pressure, and using ultrasound tools while studying topics including cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, internal medicine, cancer care, and surgery. You’ll visit labs and medical facilities, tour the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the Wake Forest School of Medicine, and explore technology used in areas like cardiac catheterization and rehabilitation. You’ll also practice in simulation labs, interview standardized patients, and learn directly from current medical students.
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 – Wake Forest University