If you are a high school student in Ontario and you are even remotely curious about a future in medicine, getting early exposure can make a huge difference. Medical programs let you step outside the classroom and into real learning environments where you can see what healthcare actually looks like in action. Instead of only reading about anatomy or diseases, you get to observe how doctors, researchers, and healthcare teams work together to solve real problems and care for patients.
These experiences are not just about building a resume. They help you figure out what parts of medicine excite you the most, whether it is research, clinical work, public health, or biomedical science. Exploring early gives you clarity and confidence before you make big academic decisions later on.
Why explore medical programs in Ontario?
Ontario is home to some of Canada’s strongest healthcare and research institutions. From top universities to major teaching hospitals and innovation labs, the province offers high-quality opportunities close to home. That means you can gain hands-on experience without worrying about expensive travel or housing costs. These local programs are designed to fit around your school schedule, making it easier to balance academics while still building valuable real-world skills.
If you are open to exploring opportunities beyond Ontario, you can also check out our complete guide to online medical programs for high school students here.
To help you get started, here are 13 medical programs for high school students in Ontario.
13 Medical Programs for High School Students in Ontario
1. Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto MedLinx
Location: University of Toronto, St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough campuses, ON
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: The information is not available
Program Dates: November 1 – March 31
Application Deadline: December 31 (applications typically open October 1)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10-11 who self-identify as Indigenous or Black (African, Caribbean, North American, or multi-racial with Black ancestry); must be a resident or student of a high school in Ontario; at least 16 years old by June 30; must have completed a Grade 10 or 11 science course
The University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s MedLinx program is designed for high school students from underrepresented communities who want to explore careers in medicine and the health sciences. You are mentored by undergraduate, graduate, and health professional students who guide you through the academic and personal side of preparing for a future in healthcare. The program includes extracurricular activities, community service events, and professional development workshops that help you understand the wider world of medical work. You also get shadowing opportunities in clinical settings, which give you a direct look at the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals.
2. University of Ottawa’s Destination: Family Medicine Workshops
Location: University of Ottawa Skills and Simulation Centre, ON
Cost: $200 registration fee +HST, with a bursary available for a fee waiver
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: The information is not available
Program Dates: December 8
Application Deadline: Rolling until full
Eligibility: Grades 9-12
University of Ottawa’s Destination: Family Medicine is a workshop series for high school students who want a closer look at careers in family medicine and healthcare. You build your own schedule and choose sessions that match your interests, which makes the experience flexible and easy to follow. The topics cover a wide range, including sports medicine, palliative care, ER skills, women’s health, joint injections, and other areas that family physicians handle every day. You learn basic skills and techniques used in family practice and take part in mentorship sessions, case-study discussions, and exercises that build your critical thinking. You also meet other students interested in medicine and work together on small projects.
3. UHN Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s Cancer 360: High School Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Self-paced, approximately 15 – 29 hours
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Secondary school students anywhere in the world
The University Health Network’s Cancer 360: High School program at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is a fully virtual course that uses eLearning modules, videos, quizzes, and short assessments to guide you through the material. You move through ten educational units focused on different aspects of cancer, and you get a clearer sense of the work done by professionals in cancer care. Experts lead the sessions, and you learn about issues faced by cancer survivors, basic research methods used in healthcare, cancer prevention strategies, and even the role of music therapy in treatment and recovery.
4. NOSM University’s CampMed
Location: NOSM Sudbury and Thunder Bay campuses
Cost: $450 registration fee, with financial aid available for registration fee, travel, and housing allowances
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: July 7-11 (Sudbury) and July 14-18 (Thunder Bay)
Application Deadline: March 24
Eligibility: Priority given to high school students in grades 10 – 11 as of February, and those living in northern Ontario (students in Grade 9 or Grade 12 and Ontario residents outside of Northern Ontario are also eligible)
Northern Ontario School of Medicine University’s CampMed is built for high school students from rural and remote parts of Ontario who want to explore careers in rural healthcare. You get hands-on experience that shows you what different health professionals do and how they work together to support patients. The program also introduces you to Francophone and Indigenous health and culture, helping you understand the communities that rural physicians often serve. You spend time working on leadership skills and building cultural awareness while learning how healthcare teams collaborate in real settings.
5. Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University’s Discovery Healthcare Camp
Location: Multiple locations across Southwestern Ontario (More details here)
Cost: $325.99 + tax
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Up to 30
Program Dates: July 6 – July 10 (Week 1), July 13 – July 17 (Week 2), July 20 – July 24 (Week 3)
Application Deadline: Till spots fill (applications open on March 1)
Eligibility: High school students entering grades 9 – 13 as of September; must live in Ontario, Canada
Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry runs the Discovery Healthcare Camp for high school students in Southwestern Ontario who want an early look at medical science and healthcare careers. Over five days, you learn the basics of diagnostics through case-based activities and explore how different parts of the local community shape health needs and services. The sessions are interactive and give you room to ask questions and think through actual scenarios. You also take part in hands-on clinical skills training. You practice using a stethoscope, taking blood pressure, dressing simple wounds, trying basic suturing, and working through other introductory procedures.
6. University of Toronto’s Medicine Youth Summer Program (YSP)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, ON
Cost: $1,668 CAD for each module + one-time non-refundable $98 CAD registration fee; need-based scholarships to cover program fees are available for Canadian high school students
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 120/week
Program Dates: 5–day sessions, July 7 – August 1 (check schedule here)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis (registrations typically open on February 12)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 12; grade 9 students are eligible for the microbiology module; grade 12 students should confirm with YSP officials before registration
University of Toronto’s Med YSP is a program that gives high school students an early look at careers in medical science. You learn about different diseases, how they are treated today, and how researchers study the body at the molecular and cellular level. The program offers four modules to choose from: human physiology, pharmacology and toxicology, molecular biology and genetics, and microbiology. You attend lectures, join discussions, and work through supervised lab activities that help you understand how scientists run experiments. You also hear from professionals in medicine and healthcare who talk about admissions, career paths, and the realities of working in the field. When you finish a module, you receive a certificate of completion.
7. University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine Summer Mentorship Program (SMP)
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, ON
Cost: Free to join; $1,600 stipend on completing the program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 100
Program Dates: Vary each year, typically June – July (4 weeks)
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in early December
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 11; must be a resident or student of a high school in Ontario; must be at least 16 years of age by June 30 (check full criteria here)
The University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) is a health science program that introduces high school students to fields like nursing, dentistry, kinesiology, pharmacy, social work, and other related areas. You are matched with a university student who is studying in the field you’re interested in, and they guide you through the academic and practical parts of the program. You work on experiments, take part in group projects, and join activities with other students who share your interests. A key part of SMP is the chance to shadow a health professional in a hospital or clinic, which gives you a clear look at how healthcare is practiced day to day.
8. Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto STEAM Design Program
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, ON
Cost: $1600 stipend
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Typically 50
Program Dates: Vary, with multiple weekly sessions (5 days each) starting in the first week of July
Application Deadline: March 29
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 – 11; priority given to students from underserved schools and neighborhoods
The STEAM Design Program at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, introduces high school students from underrepresented communities to careers in the health sciences while showing how design thinking can solve problems in the healthcare system. You take part in interactive sessions both on campus and off-site, including visits with local paramedic services and teams working inside hospitals. You also tour the university and join lab activities where you practice basic skills like dissections and suturing. The program includes workshops on career paths, 3D design and printing, and general skill development, giving you a broad view of the tools used in modern healthcare. You work with peers on a research and design project that you present at the Research and Design Challenge at the end of the program.
9. University of Waterloo’s Kinesiology Lab Days
Location: University of Waterloo, ON
Cost: $400 fee + plus HST (20 students); $800 + HST (40 students)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: The information is not available
Program Dates: December 3 – 5; December 8 – 12
Application Deadline: Till spots fill (registration opens in September, with the application to be made by your school)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 11 – 12, accompanied by their school educator
University of Waterloo’s Kinesiology Lab Days is an enrichment camp for high school students in Ontario to learn about various aspects of kinesiology. You will learn the foundations of the science of human movement and its application to fields like neuroscience, physiology, treating sports injuries, and more. You will visit kinesiology labs and participate in hands-on activities. Earlier lab activities have included athletic taping, participating in a cardiovascular test, and assembling a full human skeleton!
10. University of Waterloo’s Anatomy 101 Summer Program
Location: University of Waterloo, ON
Cost: $50 registration fee (waiver available)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: The information is not available
Program Dates: Vary, with multiple one-day sessions (check the schedule here)
Application Deadline: Till spots fill
Eligibility: High school students who have completed grade 11 or 12
University of Waterloo’s Anatomy 101 Summer Program gives final-year Ontario high school students a chance to study human anatomy at a level similar to a first-year university course. You attend a theme-based lecture taught by university faculty, then move into a lab session that follows the same topic so you can see the material in action. You can choose sessions focused on the nervous system, the musculoskeletal system, or the cardiovascular system, depending on what interests you most.
11. University of Waterloo Brain Bee Competition
Location: University of Waterloo, ON, and other locations (students should participate in the Brain Bee that is located closest to their high school)
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: The information is not available
Program Dates: March 7
Application Deadline: Till spots fill
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 through 12 in the region of Waterloo and surrounding areas
The University of Waterloo’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences organizes the Brain Bee Competition, a learning-cum-competition event for high school students to learn about the brain and the significant role of brain research. You will watch on-campus neuroscience lab activities live and participate in a multiple-choice quiz. You will gain insight into topics such as brain imaging, neurotransmitters, memory, sleep, genetics, and brain disease, and more. In the competition, which has cash prizes for the top three winners, you will answer questions about the brain and neuroscience. If you win the competition, you will have the opportunity to visit the university campus and gain more insight into the field of neuroanatomy using actual human brain specimens!
12. University of Toronto’s Reach Ahead to Kinesiology Program
Location: University of Toronto, ON
Cost: Free
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 25
Program Dates: March 12 – 14 (Indigenous Youth); March 10 – 12 (Black Youth)
Application Deadline: Till spots fill
Eligibility: High school students aged 15 – 17 who are currently enrolled in grade 10 or 11 (check eligibility criteria for indigenous youth here and for black youth here)
University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education runs the Reach Ahead to Kinesiology program for Black and Indigenous Ontario high school students who want to explore kinesiology through hands-on learning. You take part in skill-building workshops, try activities with other students, and get a clear look at what the Bachelor of Kinesiology curriculum covers. The program also introduces you to career paths in the field so you can see how kinesiology connects to health, movement, and community work.
14. University of Toronto Pharmacy Summer Camp
Location: University of Toronto, ON
Cost: Varies by the session ($500 scholarships available to cover costs)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Up to 50
Program Dates: July 7 – 31 (4 sessions, one/week)
Application Deadline: Rolling (applications typically open in May)
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 – 12
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto runs a summer camp that gives Ontario high school students an immersive look at health and the pharmacy profession through simulated health assessments. The four sessions are led by faculty, PharmD students, and pharmaceutical sciences graduate students, so you learn directly from people working and studying in the field. In week one, you cover basic anatomy and physiology. Week two introduces you to the core ideas of pharmacology. Week three focuses on drug development, manufacturing, and quality control. Week four helps you build professional communication skills used in pharmacy practice.
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 toHorizon’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 Toronto