15 Summer Healthcare Programs for High School Students

Key Takeaways

• Programs vary significantly in whether they focus on hands-on clinical exposure or laboratory research. Tufts Mini-Med School and Penn Medicine Summer Program both emphasize clinical simulation skills like suturing and vital signs, while programs like Stanford SIMR and MD Anderson focus on bench research in specific biomedical disciplines.
• Several programs are geographically restricted to local students despite their research depth. The MPFI internship requires Palm Beach or Martin County residency, Roswell Park’s SURE-CAN program is limited to four specific New York counties, and MD Anderson’s program is limited to Texas high school seniors.
• Emerging technology increasingly appears alongside traditional biomedical research. Stanford AIMI focuses specifically on machine learning applied to medical imaging, and Roswell Park’s SURE-CAN program includes coursework on the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
• Cost varies enormously across this list, from free programs like the Coriell Summer Experience and Perry Outreach Program, up to $15,200 for University of Chicago’s RIBS program, with several offering need-based financial aid or scholarships.
• Summer healthcare programs are a strong way to build clinical and research exposure ahead of a medical career, but they are not the only path for a student interested in independent research. Those who want to pursue a research project in a different field might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a mentored virtual research program with 600+ specializations across subjects like political theory, data science, and biology.

15 Summer Healthcare Programs for High School Students 

If medicine, nursing, or public health is even a maybe for you, high school is the right time to test that theory out loud instead of just in your head!

Summer healthcare programs put you in real clinical and research spaces, next to doctors, nurses, and researchers who are doing this work every day. Most high schoolers never get that close to actual patient care or actual lab work, and once you have, it changes how you think about the whole field.

What do summer healthcare programs for high schoolers include?

It depends on the program, but you might shadow doctors on rounds, run experiments in a real lab, study anatomy up close, dig into a public health problem, or work with other students on a healthcare project that actually goes somewhere. Along the way, you pick up things that matter later too, like how to observe, think like a scientist, and explain what you’re seeing to someone else.

Admissions officers notice this kind of thing. A biology grade tells them you can learn the material. A summer spent in a real clinical or research setting tells them you’re actually curious about it, which is a different and more convincing story.

So here are 15 summer healthcare programs for high school students worth a serious look! If you are looking for an experience that blends healthcare with laboratory experiments, you might also want to explore our guide on health science programs for high school students!

1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)

This summer healthcare internship directly immerses students in medical research under the guidance of Stanford University faculty and researchers. You select from eight distinct areas, including Immunology, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Cardiovascular Biology, Bioinformatics, Genetics, or Bioengineering. The technical curriculum is supplemented by safety training, core scientific lectures, and comprehensive career seminars exploring graduate and medical school pathways. The experience culminates in a formal poster session where you present your work to the Stanford scientific community.

2. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)

Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students in subjects such as data science, machine learning, political theory, and more! Horizon is one of the few research programs for high school students that offers you the choice to engage in either quantitative or qualitative research. Once you select a particular subject track, Horizon pairs you with a professor/PhD scholar who acts as a mentor throughout your research journey. As a participant, you will be expected to develop a 20-page research paper that you can send to prestigious journals for publication as a high school student. The program also provides a letter of recommendation for each student and detailed project feedback you can use to improve future projects. Apply here!

3. NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)

The NIH SIP embeds students directly within established intramural research groups to contribute to active, high-level scientific projects across the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences. You’ll work 40 hours per week under the direct mentorship of a Principal Investigator, engaging in basic, translational, or clinical research. Alongside practical laboratory training, you’ll have access to specialized professional development programs that target core healthcare and scientific research competencies. The curriculum incorporates dedicated resilience and well-being programs to prepare students for demanding medical careers. At the end of the term, you present your data findings at a structured scientific poster symposium.

4. UCSF Summer Student Research Program (SSRP)

This summer healthcare program places high school students directly into local clinics and basic science laboratories to execute active biomedical research projects. You’ll be paired with a dedicated healthcare provider or scientific researcher who delivers one-on-one professional mentorship. The core structure features a rigorous curriculum that incorporates weekly technical seminars, clinical workshops, and medical simulations hosted by UCSF faculty. You’ll also participate in a weekly intra-program journal club where you analyze and debate current scientific literature to build critical thinking skills. The experience concludes with a formal Research Symposium where you deliver oral and poster presentations outlining your project findings.

5. Nova Southeastern University Achieve in Medicine (AIM-High) 

AIM-High exposes high school students to varied healthcare professions, spanning more than 15 distinct healthcare fields, covering clinical procedures such as diagnostic suturing and physiological dissections. You complete over seven hours of daily scientific instruction, working alongside NSU faculty and current medical students. You’ll use advanced medical technology, including augmented reality software and 3D anatomical modeling tools, inside the university’s professional simulation laboratories. The program integrates interactive roundtable discussions on medical school navigation and includes a required community service project focused on public health.

6. Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) Summer Research Internship

This internship provides an immersive laboratory experience focused on brain structure, function, and development. You choose from three distinct tracks: Neuroscience, Scientific Programming, or Mechanical Engineering. Students in the neuroscience track perform wet-lab operations involving genetic engineering, microbiology preparations, histological staining, and advanced microscopy techniques. The computational and engineering tracks focus on writing software for data visualization or utilizing CAD software like SolidWorks to fabricate custom research tools. You’ll write a formal scientific abstract based on your laboratory results and deliver a final presentation to the research community. 

7. Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) High School Summer Internship Program

This structured program introduces students to the scientific process within the largest research institute in the United States dedicated to reproductive biology and women’s health. You’ll be placed directly into active research laboratories to participate in basic, translational, or clinical health science. Under the supervision of principal investigators, you’ll learn essential laboratory techniques, execute quantitative data analysis, and observe clinical methodologies. The curriculum focuses on expanding knowledge in fields such as oncology, reproductive development, and reproductive genetics. The experience concludes with formal presentations, requiring students to discuss their laboratory findings before an audience of scientific peers and mentors.

8. Roswell Park High School Summer Research Experience in Cancer (SURE-CAN) Program

The Summer Research Experience in Cancer (SURE-CAN) introduces you to cancer research through lectures, laboratory training, and faculty-guided research projects. You’ll study topics such as oncology, tumor immunology, genomics, medical imaging, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare while working in either wet-lab or computational research settings. Along the way, you’ll learn how researchers collect and analyze data, apply basic medical statistics, and follow research ethics in scientific studies. Professional development sessions cover scientific communication, research careers, and pathways in healthcare. The program concludes with a research poster presentation, where you’ll present your work and discuss your findings with faculty and fellow researchers.

9. MD Anderson Cancer Center High School Summer Program

Funded by the Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation, this summer healthcare program exposes students to a full-time biomedical research environment. You’ll work in MD Anderson laboratories, engaging in hands-on projects across varied biomedical disciplines. The curriculum centers on the foundational principles of scientific investigation, teaching you experimental design, cell biology, and laboratory safety protocols. The daily laboratory experience will be accompanied by faculty-led seminars addressing diverse oncology topics, clinical research innovations, and allied health professions. At the conclusion of the program, you’ll prepare and deliver both an oral presentation and a comprehensive written report detailing your research results.

10. Coriell Summer Experience for High School Students

This summer healthcare program places a small group of high school students directly into active biobanking and molecular biology production environments. You learn the foundational laboratory techniques required to generate, freeze, and distribute biomaterials for the Coriell Biobank. Within the specialized Stem Cell Laboratory, you’ll learn about induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and observe genetic diagnostic techniques like chromosome karyotyping. The curriculum includes hands-on DNA extraction protocols inside the Molecular Biology Laboratory under the guidance of career technicians. You’ll also attend weekly scientific faculty seminars and receive human resources training in public speaking, resume formulation, and interview practices.

11. University of Chicago Research in the Biological Sciences (RIBS)

RIBS is designed to introduce students to the technical skills used in modern biological and medical research laboratories. You’ll spend the majority of each day inside a professional laboratory environment learning advanced molecular techniques. The curriculum covers genetic transformation protocols, restriction enzyme mapping, gel electrophoresis, polymer chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and sterile tissue culture methods. You’ll work in dedicated teams under university instructors, design independent projects, collect experimental data, and present a final defense of your research to a panel of scientists. 

12. Tufts Mini-Med School

This summer healthcare program offers high school students a realistic glimpse into the medical profession, medical school training, and diverse healthcare career paths. Through lectures, clinical case studies, and hands-on workshops, you’ll study key medical disciplines including anatomy, physiology, and pathology. The curriculum includes advanced medical simulation sessions where you practice clinical skills, such as suturing, taking vital signs, and patient history intake, under the guidance of Tufts University medical faculty and students. You’l’ also explore public health issues, medical ethics, and global healthcare delivery models. The experience culminates in a capstone team project where you analyze a complex medical case and present your diagnosis and treatment plan. 

13. Penn Medicine Summer Program

Modeled directly after the first-year medical school curriculum at the Perelman School of Medicine, this summer healthcare program provides students with foundational knowledge in medical training. Each week of the program represents a standard year of medical education, advancing from basic medical studies to specialized fields, surgery, and psychiatry. You participate in hands-on gross anatomy, pathology, and precision suturing labs using medical manikins and professional apparatus. The curriculum features live surgical viewings, guided tours of advanced vaccine research facilities, and medical simulations led directly by active clinical faculty. Additionally, you’ll receive formal instruction to achieve official CPR certification before the conclusion of the session.

14. Stanford AIMI

AIMI is a virtual summer healthcare bootcamp that provides a technical introduction to the intersection of machine learning and healthcare. The curriculum covers foundational data science principles, medical image processing, model evaluation metrics, and the ethical considerations of deploying clinical AI. You’ll attend live, interactive lectures led by Stanford clinicians, computer scientists, and researchers to bridge the gap between computational theory and real-world medical practice. Beyond synchronous lectures, you engage in daily, hands-on breakout sessions to execute guided medical case studies. The program also integrates a Meet-the-Expert speaker series that highlights diverse career trajectories spanning biomedical engineering, clinical informatics, and health technology policy.

15. COPE Junior Health Scholars Program

This program allows high school students to shadow and assist healthcare teams directly on the patient floors of active hospitals. Junior Health Scholars receive comprehensive training in hospital infrastructure, medical terminology, patient privacy regulations (HIPAA), and standard safety procedures. Under direct clinical supervision, you’ll assist with non-clinical patient comfort tasks, observe nurse and physician workflows, and learn the day-to-day operations of varied clinical units. The structural curriculum focuses on patient communication, empathy in healthcare settings, and multidisciplinary care models.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these programs offer the largest paid stipends?
MD Anderson’s High School Summer Program pays $7,200, UCSF’s Summer Student Research Program pays $3,000, and the Max Planck Florida Institute’s internship is fully paid on a donor-funded basis for 40 hours per week.

Do any of these programs give hands-on clinical skills training rather than lab research?
Yes. Tufts Mini-Med School and Penn Medicine Summer Program both include hands-on clinical simulation training, such as suturing, taking vital signs, and patient history intake, alongside lectures on anatomy, physiology, and pathology.

Which programs are limited to students from a specific region?
The Max Planck Florida Institute’s internship requires Palm Beach or Martin County residency, Roswell Park’s SURE-CAN program is limited to four New York counties, MD Anderson’s program is limited to Texas seniors, and Magee-Womens Research Institute’s internship requires southwest Pennsylvania residency.

Which programs focus on emerging technology like AI in healthcare?
Stanford AIMI is built entirely around machine learning applied to medical imaging and clinical AI ethics, and Roswell Park’s SURE-CAN program also introduces students to the growing role of artificial intelligence within cancer research.

What if I am interested in research outside of healthcare or biomedical sciences?
These programs are focused specifically on healthcare, biomedical research, and clinical exposure, but students looking for a research-based credential in a different subject area might consider Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs, a selective virtual research program that pairs students with a mentor to develop an original research paper across subjects like political theory, data science, and biology.

Image source: Nova Southeastern University