Medical research programs offer high school students the opportunity to explore the medical field through hands-on experiments and mentorship. If you’re a student interested in medicine but don’t know where to start exploring it in an advanced setting, a medical research program is the best way to do so.
Why should I do a medical research program for high school students?
Research is a skill highly valued across subjects, especially STEM. If you’re considering a medical career at college or after, having a strong research skillset will make it easier for you to gain professional experience, as well as lab experience in a specific medical field.
You will work on real-life projects that provide you with a more profound understanding of modern research methodologies, laboratory techniques, and scientific writing. Moreover, in these programs, you can collaborate with professionals in the field, thus gaining a deeper insight into having a career in medicine.
If you are thinking of participating in a medical research program, here are the details regarding 13 medical research programs for high school students!
13 Medical Research Programs for High School Students
1. Duke’s Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program
Location: Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, North Carolina
Cost/Stipend: Free with a stipend of $2,600 provided for high school students
Dates: June 24 – July 29
Application Deadline: January 2
Eligibility: Anyone, including high school students, with U.S. citizenship or permanent residency
In this five-week program, you will be working alongside other participants and a faculty member from the Duke Clinical Research Institute to write a research paper focused on a particular medication’s uses and effects. As a result, you will be able to co-author an academic paper and familiarize yourself with different research methodologies and academic writing. The STAR program brings a medical writer who will train you in writing medical manuscripts, while a statistician will teach you to analyze data. Additionally, you will attend lectures that focus on topics such as neonatology, antimicrobial therapy, and pharmacoepidemiology.
2. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI)
Location: Remote
Cost: $850 + application fee of $40 (scholarships available)
Dates: June 16 – June 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students who are over 14 and are US citizens or permanent residents
This summer internship focuses on utilizing artificial intelligence for medical research, as well as the technical and clinical aspects of AI in healthcare. As part of the program, you will attend lectures, receive mentorship from researchers, and participate in research projects and social activities, all focused on improving your understanding of the link between artificial intelligence and the medical field. More importantly, AIMI’s primary goal is to inspire you to utilize AI to drive advancements in the medical field.
3. Pathways to Medicine: High School Mentorship Program
Location: The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: Saturdays in September – December; each session is one or two hours long
Application Deadline: September 7
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 12, with students from Rhode Island encouraged to apply
This program from an Ivy League university connects you with a medical student who mentors you throughout and helps prepare you for a career in medicine. Your sessions will include healthcare simulations and interactive workshops that focus on strengthening your academic skills. In other words, the program is your opportunity to gain hands-on experience in concepts that you learn in theory in your high school science classes. You will also learn to use university resources, like the digital library, to conduct research and present your research as a poster at the end of the program.
4. HMRI’s Year-round Biomedical Research Internship
Location: Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free and no stipends provided
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who can commit to one year or at least a semester
When selected for this internship, you will get to work with biomedical researchers who will provide mentorship and train you in conducting experiments in laboratories. You will find the available research topics on the application form, from which you can pick your top two preferences. Typically, your research will concentrate on brain- and heart-related diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, migraine, vaping and e-cigarette toxicity, cardiovascular signaling, and neuroscience. By the end of the internship, you will have gained a deep understanding of your topic and honed your research skills.
5. Pre-College Research Internship for Scholarship and Mentoring (PRISM)
Location: UAB School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL
Cost/Stipend: $1,000 stipend is provided after completion
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 16
Eligibility: High school juniors who have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and are US citizens or permanent residents
Hosted by the University of Alabama Medicine’s surgery department, PRISM prepares you for a career in medicine, especially if you are interested in becoming a surgeon. Surgeons will assist you in completing research assignments. The internship will help you understand the significant impact conducting research can have on patient care. In addition to completing research projects, you will also take part in seminars, workshops, and clinical shadowing sessions. Each year, only five students are selected to participate in this internship program.
6. Coriell Summer Experience for High School Students
Location: Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ
Cost/Stipend: No stipends provided
Dates: Mid-July – Mid-August
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 17 years old, have a US residency, and can commute to the location every day for the program
The Coriell Summer Experience for High School Students gives you the opportunity to work in biobanks with scientists and technicians who help you understand the daily operations and the industry better. As a participant, you will conduct research in the Coriell Biobank while simultaneously learning skills such as generating, freezing, and distributing samples, all of which are essential for scientific research. Other than that, you will also be working at Coriell’s Stem Cell Lab and Molecular Biology Lab, where you will hone various skills, including exploring induced pluripotent stem cells, karyotyping, and extracting DNA.
7. UIC Rockford Summer Science Internship
Location: University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford, Rockford, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free with a stipend provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific
Dates: June 9 – August 1
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old and from the listed school (check list here)
This internship program allows you to discover if a career in medical research is suitable for you by being involved in experiments that have an impact on scientific discoveries that can be used to cure diseases. You will be involved in research focused on vaccinations, cancer cures, and the development of new drugs. You will also work with scientists, learning some important laboratory skills from them, and build a relationship with them that can go beyond your time in the program. Note that the course is a highly competitive opportunity, with only five students selected each year out of the 45 applications accepted.
8. Wake Forest Summer Immersion Medicine Institute
Location: Wake Forest University Reynolda Campus, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,400 (need-based scholarships are available)
Dates: July 6 – July 11 or July 20 – July 25
Application Deadline: Opens on November 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9 to 12
This summer immersion program takes you to healthcare organizations in Winston-Salem, providing you with both practical and theoretical understanding of a career in various medical fields. Over the course of one week, you will explore a diverse array of topics such as cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, and cancer care, alongside the newest technological advancements in the medical field. The program also invites guest speakers who will speak to you about research in medicine that can be particularly useful for students who are interested in diving deep into medical research.
9. UT Health Summer Research Program
Location: The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
Cost/Stipend: No stipends provided
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: February 5
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old, have completed courses in biology and chemistry, and will be returning to high school the following academic year
Through participation in this program, you will be involved in medical research projects by contributing to various aspects, including writing hypotheses, conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting the research findings. To ensure that all lab activities are performed safely, you are expected to attend an online safety training session before the start date. Post completion of the program, you will have gained the experience of working in a research lab under the guidance of a mentor.
10. Science Program for the Advancement of Research Knowledge (SPARK)
Location: Mayo Clinic campus, Jacksonville, FL
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: June 3 – December 2 (commit to 25 hours per week during summer break and have a flexible schedule during the academic year)
Application Deadline: December 31
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in Duval County or St. Johns County with an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher
Organized by Mayo Clinic, SPARK is your opportunity to contribute to real-world research projects while having experts in the field to mentor you. While working in Mayo Clinic’s advanced research lab facilities and becoming accustomed to using its state-of-the-art equipment, you will also have the opportunity to expand your knowledge and experience in research. The program covers different health-related research topics, including epidemiology, immunology, drug development, cancer biology, and more.
11. Molecular Medicine In Action (MMIA)
Location: Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Cost/Stipend: Free
Dates: March 1 – March 2
Application Deadline: November 7
Eligibility: High school students from grades 10 to 12 and living in Indiana
Catered to students interested in entering the medical field, the MMIA is a two-day symposium that encourages participants to work on medical research projects that will contribute to the latest developments in the healthcare industry. In this two-day program, you will participate in interactive sessions that explore a wide range of topics, including molecular biology, cytogenetics, and cancer therapy. You will also meet with scientists, clinicians, counselors, and professors, who will help you find a career path in the medical industry.
12. Johns Hopkins University’s Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE)
Location: The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Stipend: $3,000 stipend is provided
Dates: June 23 – August 14
Application Deadline: Opens on November 1
Eligibility: High school students who come from homes where the collective income is less than 200% of the federal poverty limit
The SARE exposes students from a low-income background to careers in biomedical research while providing participants with the academic skills required to excel in college. Your sessions will include advanced courses in scientific writing, data analysis, mathematics, and bioethics. Simultaneously, you will also gain research experience by working in labs with mentors who train you in conducting experiments and writing scientific papers.
13. Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
Location: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Cost/Stipend: Interns will be paid; the exact stipend rates will be discussed during the screening interview
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students in grades 11 and 12 who are at least 16 years old and can commute to the program
This is an eight-week internship that begins with two weeks of training on using lab equipment and lab safety procedures. After completing the training, you will begin working on research projects under the guidance of a mentor who will support you throughout the process. You will also have the opportunity to expand your skillset and become better prepared for future college and career opportunities by attending research seminars, professional development workshops, and networking events. The program concludes with a presentation of your research.
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