Are you a Maryland high school student considering a career in medicine, nursing, or healthcare? A summer medical program could be your chance to explore these fields in a hands-on way and see what they’re really like.
These programs let you dive into topics like biology, neurology, and genetics while working directly with professionals. You could shadow doctors, work on group projects, attend seminars, or try lab activities that show how the science you learn in school applies in real life. It’s also a great way to figure out if a career in medicine is for you. You’ll learn what skills are needed and see what it takes to succeed in the field.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 13 summer medical programs for high school students in Maryland. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
1. Horizon Academic Research Program (HARP)
Subject areas: Multiple fields, including medical technology, medical sociology, and psychology.
Location: Virtual
Cost: The program has a registration fee. You can get the cost breakdown by raising an interest form here.
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA of at least 3.67 on a 4.0 scale can apply. Most students who are accepted are high school sophomores or juniors. Only a couple of tracks come with formal prerequisites, further details regarding which can be found here.
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).
Horizon offers trimester-long research programs for high school students across subject areas such as biology, chemistry, neuroscience, psychology, and more! It is one of the few programs for high schoolers that offers a choice between quantitative and qualitative research.
During the program, you will be assigned a mentor, who would typically be a professor or PhD scholar from a leading university. Under the mentorship, you will work on a project, which involves writing a 20-page university-level research paper. Your work can also be sent to journals for publication.
At the end of the program, HARP provides all participants with a letter of recommendation and detailed project feedback, which they can use for future projects as well as college applications. Before applying, you can find out more about the program here!
2. GBMC Healthcare’s High School Student Program
Subject areas: Medicine, healthcare, health management, nursing, and other related fields
Location: Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Charles St. Towson, MD
Cost: None, however, students get documented community service hours necessary for graduation in a positive healthcare setting, along with other benefits.
Eligibility: Students who have completed their sophomore year and are at least 16 years old can apply.
Application deadline: TBA
Program dates: Participants are supposed to work one day per week throughout the summer months—June, July, and August.
GBMC’s High School Student Program offers a unique volunteer opportunity for 15 students annually. As a volunteer, you’ll gain firsthand experience in a healthcare setting, working closely with professionals across various departments. Your tasks will include assisting with patient care, learning about hospital management, and observing daily hospital operations. This experience will help you explore the healthcare field, determine if it’s the right career path for you, and provide valuable skills that will benefit your future professional endeavors.
3. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Subject areas: Applicants can choose from multiple fields, including medicine and public health, neurobiology and neuroscience, and biology.
Location: Virtual
Cost: The fee starts at $2,990.
Eligibility: High school students from anywhere around the world can apply.
Application deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Program dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is designed for high schoolers interested in working on their research project. Founded by Harvard and Oxford alumni, Lumiere offers a chance to engage in cutting-edge research while exploring topics in areas like medicine, healthcare, AI in medicine, neuroscience, and more. It’s also a fairly selective research program! Previously, more than 4,000 students applied for just 500 spots. If selected, you will be assigned a Ph.D.-level mentor, who will work with you closely, helping you come up with a university-level research paper. You can learn more about the research experience here.
4. National Institutes of Health High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)
Subject areas: Health- and medicine-related fields, including biology, biochemistry, epidemiology, neuroscience, immunology, bioinformatics, pharmaceutical sciences, and nursing
Location: NIH research campuses in the US including the campus in Bethesda, MD
Cost/Stipend: No registration cost | A stipend of $2,300/month will be provided to each HS-SIP participant.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and seniors who reside within 40 miles of the NIH Campus on which they will work can apply.
Application deadline: Applications for the HS-SIP typically close in February.
Program dates: The program runs from June to August.
HS-SIP is a paid research program run by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the US government’s leading medical research agency. With an acceptance rate of about 7%, this program offers select students the opportunity to work alongside top researchers. If accepted, you’ll join a research group and collaborate with a Principal Investigator. You’ll engage in cutting-edge biomedical research across various fields, such as neuroscience, cancer biology, genetics, immunology, and more.
During the 8-10 week program, you’ll focus primarily on your research project, but personal and professional development is also a key component. NIH offers workshops on becoming a successful scientist, career development, and science skills. The program concludes with a Summer Poster Day, where you’ll present your research and share your experience with peers and the NIH community. You can either apply to HS-SIP or one of its student cohorts—HiSTEP and HiSTEP 2.0.
5. Johns Hopkins University’s Summer Academic Research Experience (SARE)
Subject areas: Biomedical sciences, medicine, laboratory science, and STEM fields
Location: Johns Hopkins Department of Physiology, Baltimore, MD
Cost: None
Eligibility: Baltimore high school students from low-income backgrounds can apply.
Application deadline: TBA
Program dates: The program runs for eight weeks in the summer. The dates haven’t been announced yet.
SARE is an eight-week program that offers high school students from disadvantaged/low-income backgrounds the opportunity to engage with academic research, STEM fields, and health-related disciplines.
The program is divided into three components – academic, research, and professional development. In the first component, you will attend classes on writing, math, bioethics, and laboratory science. The second portion of the program involves working with a mentor, who will be either a doctoral student or a postdoctoral fellow. You will also spend the majority of your time in the program engaging with ongoing research and learning laboratory skills. In the third component of the program, you will be able to work on developing a work ethic and professional skills, like communication, punctuality, and accountability. The program ends with a presentation, where you will share your experiences with other SARE scholars and faculty.
6. Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Pharmacy Camp
Subject areas: Pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Location: Notre Dame of Maryland University
Cost: $450, which includes lunches.
Eligibility: High school students can apply.
Application deadline: Registration opens in January. Deadline dates are unavailable
Program dates: June 23-27
The Pharmacy Camp, organized by Notre Dame of Maryland University’s School of Pharmacy, is a five-day program for high school students interested in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. You will have the opportunity to make medicines in the lab, learn about medication therapy management, and explore careers in medicine and pharmaceutical sciences. The camp covers topics such as precision medicine, drug research, and patient care, providing a comprehensive introduction to the field. You’ll also get a sneak peek into the life of a pharmacist and gain insights into various aspects of the profession.
7. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS)
Subject areas: Neurological and biomedical sciences
Location: Virtual or in-person formats available. The in-person program is conducted at the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology, east Baltimore Campus, Baltimore, MD.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. The in-person program provides an hourly stipend to interns and also covers their transportation, but not accommodation. The virtual program offers a $500 scholarship to participants to support their education.
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (in the country for the virtual program and in Baltimore City, MD for the in-person program) from underrepresented backgrounds are eligible to apply.
Application deadline: Applications for JHIBS typically open in December and close in March.
Program dates: The in-person program runs for eight weeks, while the virtual program runs for five weeks. Both versions are typically conducted in the June–August period.
JBHIS is a research internship program organized by Johns Hopkins’ Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery. It offers you the chance to gain exposure to neuroscience, medicine, and research. You can choose between an eight-week on-campus internship or a five-week virtual program. The in-person program is highly competitive, typically accepting only eight students each year, while those not selected for the on-campus option may be offered the virtual program.
In the in-person program, you’ll work on a research project, receive one-on-one mentorship, attend scientific seminars, and participate in career guidance sessions. The virtual program covers key laboratory techniques and related activities. In-person participants also present their research through an oral or poster presentation. You can check out past JHIBS research topics here.
8. Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens (BRBT) at Johns Hopkins
Subject areas: Biomedical sciences, biophysics,
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Cost/Stipend: A stipend of $15/hour is provided to BRBT participants.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors and recent high school graduates in Baltimore can apply. Check the detailed eligibility criteria here before applying.
Application deadline: TBA, but applications are typically due in February.
Program dates: The program typically runs for five weeks from July to August.
BRBT is a five-week research internship, in which you get to work in Johns Hopkins University’s laboratory, learn lab techniques, and explore scientific concepts. During the program, you will engage in biomedical research, specifically biophysics studies. Through this experience, you will learn how to prepare reagents and materials for biophysical studies and explore microbiology techniques as well as DNA and protein engineering. Apart from research skills, you will be able to hone your critical thinking skills as you participate in biomedical research. Additionally, by working alongside graduate students, university faculty, and post-doctoral researchers, you will get insight into what a career in biomedical research looks like.
9. Medicine Encompassed
Subject areas: Various branches of medicine, including cardiology, neurology, anatomy, and more.
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Eligibility: All high school students can apply.
Application deadline: Rolling basis
Program dates: Runs throughout the year
Medicine Encompassed is a student-run nonprofit focused on raising awareness and accessibility to medical careers. High school students can apply for roles like writers, editors, or content creators in 18 medical committees covering topics like anatomy, surgery, and neurology. You’ll help develop the organization’s medical curriculum by creating or editing content. This experience builds skills in research, communication, and presentation. You can also explore roles in sponsorships, graphic design, marketing, and social media to support the organization’s mission.
10. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship
Subject areas: Healthcare and medicine, machine learning/AI, biology, programming. and math
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Eligibility: High school students in the US who are over 14 years old can apply. Those with strong math/computer programming skills or some experience with a healthcare project are encouraged to apply.
Application deadline: Applications are typically due at the end of March.
Program dates: The two-week program is typically conducted in June.
Stanford AIMI’s Summer Research Internship focuses on AI in healthcare and is open to high school students, with around 20 spots available each year. The online program is available to students in Maryland. If selected, you’ll attend lectures on AI fundamentals in healthcare, work with mentors from Stanford, and participate in research projects. The program also includes social activities, career sessions, and guest speakers from industry, academia, non-profits, and government. The internship lasts two weeks, with the potential for an extended independent research opportunity.
11. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Subject areas: Multiple STEM and medicine-related fields, including applied proteomics, molecular medicine, neuroscience, bioengineering, and more. You can check the detailed list of topics and prospective mentors here.
Location: Remote and in-person options are available. Students in Maryland can opt for remote internships.
Cost/Stipend: None. The application fee is $25, which may be waived based on a needs-based system.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old at the start of the program can apply.
Application deadline: The window for applications typically closes in February.
Program dates: The eight-week program typically runs between June and August.
The Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) is a summer internship program conducted by George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. You’ll work alongside faculty researchers and gain hands-on research experience. Students in Maryland can explore a list of mentors offering remote internship opportunities in various STEM fields, such as Global and Community Health. During the program, you’ll work with advanced equipment, improve your scientific writing and communication skills, and explore STEM careers. The program concludes with the annual ASSIP Research Symposium and Celebration. A key benefit is the potential for your work to be published in a scientific journal and presented at conferences. You can check previous ASSIP research here.
12. Johns Hopkins Pre-College Summer Programs
Subject areas: Medicine, neuroscience, and psychology
Location: Online and on-campus (Johns Hopkins Homewood campus, Baltimore, MD) options are available.
Cost: $6,065 (residential) | $4,660 (commuter) | $1,950 (online). Scholarships are offered.
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher can apply. International students can check the admissions guide here before applying. Additionally, certain courses will have specific prerequisites, so you should review the on-campus course catalog and the online course list before applying.
Application deadline: None
Duration/dates: Multiple sessions are held between June and August.
Johns Hopkins offers a range of courses in medicine and healthcare through its pre-college program. In a two-week session, you’ll learn from university instructors, gain college-level knowledge, and earn academic credit. One option is the Medical School Intensive, available both online and in-person, where you’ll explore internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, emergency medicine, and biomedical sciences. The on-campus program includes lectures, guest speaker presentations, and social activities, while the online program is self-paced.
13. Georgetown University’s Medical Academy
Subject areas: Medical fields, including physiology, radiology, oncology, and more
Location: Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. (about 1–2 hours from Baltimore, MD)
Cost: $2,750 for the commuter program and $3,549 for the residential program
Eligibility: High school students with a minimum GPA of 2.0 can apply.
Application deadline: Applications typically close mid-May.
Program dates: The one-week program is typically held in June or July.
The one-week Medical Academy is a program designed for high school students interested in learning about medical specialties. Although the program site is in Washington, D.C., students in Maryland can commute or use the program accommodations. During the week-long session, you will explore fields like human anatomy, cardiovascular physiology and pathology, surgery, radiology, cancer, emergency medicine, internal medicine, and otolaryngology.
Through a combination of lectures, group discussions, lab-based and other hands-on work, you will also learn about concepts like patient care and biomedical ethics. Other key parts of the program are working with a patient simulator, checking blood pressure, conducting an ultrasound, learning mammal dissection, and practicing suturing. During the program, you also get to learn from and work alongside university professors, physicians, and medical students.
Image Source – Johns Hopkins Logo
