Massachusetts is home to many medical institutions, providing many options for high school students interested in healthcare and medicine. Whether you aim to become a doctor, researcher, or healthcare professional, various summer programs offer hands-on experience, real-world exposure, and learning opportunities from industry experts.
Here are 11 medical summer programs for high school students in Massachusetts.
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)—Medicine Track
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across various fields, including data science, machine learning, chemistry, neuroscience, political theory, biomedical engineering, and psychology. You can choose between quantitative and qualitative research methods. For those interested in medicine, available courses include Neuroscience, Medical Sociology, or Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Once you have chosen a topic and research method, you will be matched with a professor or Ph.D. scholar from a prestigious university to guide you during your research. You will create a 20-page research paper at the university level that can be sent to respected journals for possible publication.
This program offers the chance to conduct specialized research with expert guidance. You will also receive a letter of recommendation and detailed feedback on your project, which can be beneficial for future research and college applications. You can apply here!
Subject Areas: Neuroscience, data science, international relations, philosophy, behavioral economics, biotechnology, sociology, psychology, machine learning, environmental health and engineering, history, network science, chemistry, political theory, physics, medicine, biophysics, and more!
Location: Virtual
Application Date: Multiple deadlines throughout the year for the Spring, Summer and Fall cohorts.
Program Dates: The spring and fall cohorts run 15 weeks, while the summer cohort runs 10 weeks (June-September).
Eligibility: High school students with good academic standing (>3.67/4.0 GPA) can apply. Most accepted students are 10th/11th graders! A few tracks require prerequisites, see here.
2. MEDscience@Harvard Medical School
HMS MEDscience offers a biology course for high school students that uses simulated medical emergencies to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills. In the MEDscience “Emergency Room,” you’ll diagnose and treat life-like patients in advanced simulation labs while practising clinical skills like suturing, intubation, and IV insertion. You’ll also explore healthcare careers through discussions with Harvard-affiliated professionals and receive a certificate of completion.
Subject Areas: Medicine
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Program Dates: TBA
Cost: $2,650
Eligibility: High school students
Application Deadline: Application typically closes in March.
3. Veritas AI’s AI+Medicine Deep Dive
The Veritas AI Deep Dive is a 10-week online course for students interested in AI and medicine. You’ll learn how AI is used in healthcare, work on disease diagnosis projects, and enhance medical scans using AI models. The first two weeks introduce AI in medicine, followed by topics like medical data preparation, EDA, and Convolutional Neural Networks in weeks 3 to 5. The final weeks cover image segmentation, regularization, transfer learning, and the basics of clinical evaluation. Prior experience with Python or completion of the AI Scholars program is required.
Subject Areas: Artificial Intelligence & healthcare
Location: Remote
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year. Upcoming Summer dates can be found here.
Cost: $2,290 for the 10-week AI Scholars program | $5,400 for the 15-week AI Fellowship with Publication & Showcase | $6,900 for both. Need-based financial aid is available for AI Scholars. You can apply here.
Eligibility: Open to any student from grades 8-12 who has either completed the AI Scholars program or has experience in coding.
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
4. High School Health Careers Program at UMass
The High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP) at UMass Chan Medical School is a four-week summer residential program for Massachusetts high school sophomores and juniors interested in biomedical research, biotechnology, and healthcare. You’ll complete a research project, earn a Certificate of Achievement, and receive a stipend on successfully completing the course. The program prioritizes academic growth, leadership, and understanding of healthcare careers, focusing on students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Subject Areas: Medicine and research
Location: University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA
Program Dates: June 29 – July 25
Cost: No cost, stipend provided
Eligibility: Current high school students above 16 years of age (as of June 15), reside in Massachusetts and attend a Massachusetts high school
Application Deadline: March 3
5. Broad Summer Scholars Program
The Broad Institute, a non-profit biomedical research center in Cambridge, MA, collaborates with Harvard, MIT, and Boston hospitals to address challenges in human diseases like cancer, psychiatric disorders, infectious diseases, and therapeutics. The Broad Summer Scholars Program offers high school students a six-week opportunity to work with Broad researchers on biology research.
You will engage in original research, attend scientific talks and career sessions, and present your findings in a poster session. The program also provides a $3,600 stipend.
Subject Areas: Medicine
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Cost: None
Eligibility: Open to rising high school seniors who are US citizens having a good academic standing in the Science and Math courses, and are within commute distance to the Broad Institute
Application Deadline: January 22
6. Mini Med School at Tufts University
The Tufts University Summer Mini Med School is for high school juniors and seniors interested in medicine. You’ll explore infectious diseases and immunology through lectures, hands-on clinical training, case studies, and field trips to the Tufts Medical Campus and other institutions. The program offers simulations, anatomy lab visits, and Q&A sessions with medical professionals for an introduction to healthcare. You’ll also work on a capstone project, such as creating a health-related video.
Subject Areas: Immunology
Location: Tufts University, Medford, MA
Program Dates: TBA
Cost: In addition to a $100 materials fee:
- Commuter: $5,000
- Residential: $6,500
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors or recent graduates who have completed at least 1 year of biology and are 15 years old by the start of the program
Application Deadline: Application typically closes in May.
7. Secondary School Program at Harvard University—medical courses
The Secondary School Program (SSP) at Harvard Summer School lets high school students experience college-level academics while earning college credit. For those interested in health and medical sciences, SSP offers specialized courses like Neurodiversity, Social Medicine and Social Change, Introduction to Research in Psychopathology, and Race, Gender, and Medicine.
Subject Areas: Medicine
Location: Virtual
Program Dates: June 21 – August 9
Cost: $3,900 (4-credits) and $7,600 (8-credits)
Eligibility: High School Students who are at least 16 years of age by June 21
Application Deadline: February 12
8. Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Youth Neurology Education and Research Program
The Youth Neurology Education and Research Program offers research opportunities for underrepresented high school and college students in neurology. You’ll start with a boot camp to learn essential lab skills, then work with an MGH Neurology faculty member on a research project. The program ends with a research presentation, with support for publishing your work and submitting it for awards.
Subject Areas: Medicine
Location: Massachusetts General Hospital lab in Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville, MA
Program Dates: June 30 – August 8
Cost: No cost, stipend provided
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors or recent graduates living or studying in Massachusetts
Application Deadline: January 31
9. Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
The CURE program offers high school students the chance to conduct cancer research at institutions like Dana-Farber and Harvard Cancer Centers. You’ll contribute to DF/HCC research projects under the guidance of cancer experts. This full-time, paid internship includes orientation, training, and participation in scientific seminars, professional development, and journal clubs. By the end of the program, you’ll prepare and present an abstract, poster, or PowerPoint on your research project.
Subject Areas: Medicine, research
Location: Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA
Program Dates: May 27 (college) | June 18 (high school
Cost: No cost, stipend provided
Eligibility: Massachusetts high school sophomore, junior, or senior at least 16 years old and from an underrepresented/financially disadvantaged background.
Application Deadline: February 03
10. Project Success by Harvard Medical School
Project Success is a paid summer research internship at Harvard Medical School for underrepresented or disadvantaged high school students in Boston and Cambridge. You’ll conduct biomedical research, attend workshops and seminars, and receive career guidance. The program includes lab placements at Harvard or affiliated institutions with mentorship, visits to hospitals and biotech organizations, and computer training.
Subject Areas: Biotech
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Program Dates: June 30 – August 15th
Cost: No cost, stipend provided
Eligibility: High school students who reside in Boston and Cambridge
Application Deadline: February 3
11. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging Summer Research Internship
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) offers a selective two-week program for students interested in AI and healthcare. You work with peers and experienced scientists to learn AI fundamentals in medicine, guided by Stanford faculty. You’ll collaborate on a hands-on research project, attend guest lectures from industry professionals, and participate in social networking events. By the program’s end, you’ll have contributed to AI research in healthcare and receive a certificate of achievement.
Subject Areas: AI and healthcare
Location: Virtual
Program Dates: June 16th-27th | 9am-1pm PT (Online)
Cost: No cost
Eligibility: High school students above the age of 14 who are enrolled in high school
Application Deadline: February 28
Image Source – Harvard Logo
