15 Health Science Summer Programs for High School Students

If you’re curious about what it’s like to study medicine or work in healthcare, a summer program can give you an inside look. Health science summer programs for high school students allow you to learn about anatomy and biology while developing skills such as taking vitals or practicing sutures. 

Some of these programs are offered by top colleges and organizations. Many combine classroom instruction with labs, simulations, or hospital visits, enabling you to see how theory is applied in practical settings. You’ll gain exposure to medical technology and emerging challenges in healthcare. Some programs emphasize research, giving you the chance to work alongside faculty or professionals on ongoing projects. Others focus on patient care, giving insight into how specialists approach diagnosis and treatment.

Whether your interests lean toward medicine, nursing, research, or allied health, these programs can give you a clearer picture of what those paths involve. Below, we have listed 15 great health science summer programs for high school students to choose from.

15 Health Science Summer Programs for High School Students

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

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $40 application fee (can be waived) / All students receive a $500 stipend; stipends of $2,500 and above are provided on a need-basis
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive / Around 50 students
Dates: June 8 – July 30 (tentative)
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old and U.S. citizens or permanent residents

At SIMR, you spend eight weeks working in a Stanford lab under the guidance of a one-on-one mentor. It gives you direct exposure to the methods scientists use to study medical questions. You can choose from areas like neurobiology, cancer biology, genetics, stem cell research, and more, with placements based on your preferences. If you prefer, there’s also a bioengineering bootcamp that emphasizes hands-on learning without a lab component. Beyond lab work, you’ll attend lectures on scientific topics and safety practices, then wrap up the summer by presenting your project at a research poster session.

2. Ladder Healthcare and Medicine Internships

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies according to program type; financial aid is available / None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10-25% / 70-100 students
Dates: Several cohorts throughout the year; Summer Cohorts I and II start on June 2 and July 14, respectively
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Summer Cohort I: May 11; Summer Cohort II: June 23
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 10–20 hours/week, for 8-16 weeks

Ladder Healthcare and Medicine Internships connect high school students with early-stage startups and nonprofits in the healthcare and medicine fields, offering the chance to work directly with founders and CEOs. The focus here is less on classroom instruction and more on applying problem-solving skills in a business and innovation environment, making it especially useful if you’re interested in the intersection of healthcare and entrepreneurship. Over eight weeks, you’ll commit 5–10 hours per week to real projects, from product research to strategy discussions. The program structure varies: you can join the standard internship, work one-on-one with a CEO, or combine the internship with a mentored research program.

3. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)

Location: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
Stipend: $15/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / 8 interns
Dates: 8 weeks over the summer between June and August
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who live and attend school in Baltimore City

JHIBS is a health science summer program that introduces you to research in the neurological sciences through an eight-week placement at Johns Hopkins. You’ll design and carry out a hypothesis-driven project with a mentor while also attending seminars, professional development workshops, and networking sessions. Weekly meetings with neurologists and faculty provide a closer look at clinical applications of brain science. At the end of the program, you’ll present your findings in either an oral or poster format. Alongside lab or clinical work, you gain practice in scientific communication and career preparation.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies according to program type; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / 400+ students
Dates: Several cohorts year-round; Summer Cohorts I and II start on June 2 and July 14, respectively
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Summer Cohort I: May 11; Summer Cohort II: June 23; apply here
Eligibility: High school students with a high level of academic achievement (accepted students typically have an unweighted GPA of 3.3 out of 4)

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program gives you the chance to produce an independent research paper under the guidance of a university researcher. Over 12 weeks, you’ll move from identifying a research question to drafting and editing a paper, with one-on-one support throughout the process. Available subject areas range widely across STEM and the humanities, with options like neuroscience, medicine, and biology for those interested in health sciences. The structure is highly individualized, allowing you to align your project with your academic interests. By the end, you’ll have produced a college-level paper and presented it at a symposium, and be eligible to earn a UCSD credit.

5. Stanford Medical Youth Science Program

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: None / None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / 24 students
Dates: June 22 – July 26
Application Deadline: Typically mid-March
Eligibility: Low-income, first-generation high school juniors in Northern California

SMYSP is a five-week health science summer program for high school students that combines academic enrichment with real-world experience in health and medicine. You’ll split your time between hospital internships, faculty lectures, and professional development workshops. A central component is a group research project on health disparities, where you’ll prepare a paper, presentation, and poster with your peers. Examples of past projects include racial inequities in health outcomes and language barriers in patient care. Mentorship is emphasized throughout the program, with guidance from medical professionals, faculty, and college students. Weekly guest lectures, campus tours, and demonstrations are also part of the program.

6. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp

Location: CDC Campus, Atlanta, GA
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / 27 students
Dates: June 23 – 27; July 21 – 25
Application Deadline: March 7
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old on the first day of camp

CDC’s Disease Detective Camp is a fast-paced and interactive camp focusing on epidemiology and public health. You might investigate mock outbreaks, practice data collection and analysis, or be part of lab sessions. The curriculum changes each year to reflect current public health challenges, so no two sessions are exactly alike. Past topics have included emergency preparedness, global health, and chronic disease surveillance. Scientists from the CDC lead lectures and activities, giving you a direct look at how the agency responds to health issues. The program also introduces diverse career paths in public health and includes chronic disease surveillance and mock press conferences.

7. Harvard MEDscienceClinical

Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Cost: $2,800 (5-day program), $2,250 (4-day holiday week); limited scholarships available to Boston area students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive / Not specified
Dates: Multiple sessions from June to August
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12 at the time of application

The Harvard MEDscienceClinical program is a hands-on, immersive summer program for high school students interested in science, medicine, or healthcare. You will be part of simulated emergency medical scenarios that make use of Harvard Medical School’s state-of-the-art labs. You’ll practice hands-on skills such as suturing, reading vital signs, intubation, and even laparoscopic techniques. You’ll get trained in trauma care and certifications like CPR/AED through specialized workshops. Small group settings give you direct interaction with physicians, nurses, and medical students as you work through scenarios together. Beyond clinical practice, MEDchats connect you with healthcare professionals who share career paths and patient cases. 

8. UPenn Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Academy

Location: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $100 application fee (can be waived) + $10,050 (full scholarships available for eligible Philadelphia residents)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive / Not specified
Dates: July 11 – August 1
Application Deadline: Typically late April
Eligibility: 9th to 11th-grade students who have completed one year of biology before the start of the program

UPenn’s Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Academy explores how pathogens affect human health and how scientists respond to outbreaks. You’ll study core topics like molecular biology, genetics, immunology, and epidemiology while applying this knowledge to case studies on diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, influenza, and COVID-19. Daily activities range from lectures and group discussions to field trips and hands-on lab experiments in microbiology. Guest experts, including researchers and public health professionals, share insights from their work in pandemic response. You’ll also prepare a final project in which you create a public service announcement and lead a discussion about epidemic response. 

9. Tufts Mini Med School

Location: Boston Health Sciences Campus, Boston, MA, and Tufts Medford Campus, Medford, MA
Cost: Session 1 (commuter only): $3,525 + $100 Materials fee | Session 2: $6,750 (residential), $5,225 (commuter) + $200 Materials fee | Session 3: $4,550 (residential), $3,525 (commuter) + $100 Materials fee; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Session 1: June 23 – 27; Session 2: July 6 – 18; Session 3: July 20 – 27 (tentative)
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders who are 16 or older by the start of the program | Have completed one year of high school biology

Tufts Mini Med School is an intensive program where you step into the role of a medical student. Lectures from Tufts faculty and clinicians introduce you to topics like antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, and vaccines, while clinical simulations and anatomy labs allow you to practice skills such as suturing, taking vital signs, and handling diagnostic cases. A highlight is the multi-day “Tragic Case of Stan” lab, in which you identify and treat a fictional patient’s infection using real medical tests. Alongside this, you’ll hear from professionals across fields like dentistry, veterinary medicine, and physician assistant practice, giving you a wide view of health careers. 

10. Stanford STaRS Internship Program

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Stipend: None; transportation costs may be covered in extenuating cases
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / Around 20 students
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: November 30
Eligibility: High school students who are 16 or older by the start of the program

The Stanford STaRS program (Science, Technology, and Research at Stanford) is an interdisciplinary academic program at Stanford University. In this program, you spend seven weeks at Stanford engaging in full-time biomedical research, practicing lab techniques like histology and imaging, and attending workshops on scientific communication. You’ll be paired with mentors who guide you through lab work and help you navigate research questions. Community activities, such as excursions to research facilities or tours of Stanford labs, give you a sense of science as a collaborative field. The experience culminates in a presentation where you share your findings with faculty and peers. 

11. Rady Children’s Summer Medical Academy (SMA)

Location: Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA
Cost: $3,000; limited scholarships available for students from eligible Title I San Diego County high schools
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective / Approximately 24 - 30 students
Dates: Session 1: June 16 – 27; Session 2: July 7 – 18
Application Deadline: February 21
Eligibility: High school students who have completed the 9th grade by June | 15–19 years old

The Summer Medical Academy introduces you to the breadth of healthcare through a mix of lectures, skills clinics, group projects, and career panels. Over two weeks, you’ll practice clinical techniques such as CPR, suturing, and medical history-taking while also exploring fields like orthopedics, pharmacy, genomics, and emergency medicine. Simulation labs provide opportunities to apply your training in realistic scenarios. The program also includes discussions on emerging topics, such as AI in healthcare and integrative medicine. You learn fundamental clinical skills such as CPR, medical history taking, umbilical IV placement, suturing, wound management, handheld ventilation, and trauma/emergency care.

12. Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford (PIPS)

Location: Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee (can be waived) / Students with demonstrated financial need are eligible for a $3,000 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / Around 40 students
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: Rising juniors or seniors who are 16 or older |  Cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0 |  Live and attend school in one of the following counties: San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Santa Cruz

PIPS is a six-week research internship for students new to lab work. You’ll join a faculty lab focused on maternal and child health, where you spend most of your time completing a mentored research project. Weekly workshops cover research methods, leadership development, and college preparation. There’s also the Near Peer Mentor (NPM) program, where each student is paired with 2–3  undergraduates, medical students, or residents who provide guidance and share their own academic journeys. The program concludes with a poster symposium where you present your findings to faculty and your family. 

13. Georgetown University Medical Immersion Academy

Location: Georgetown University School of Medicine
Cost: Estimated fees: $8,410 (residential); $6,355 (commuter); limited scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective / Not specified
Dates: June  8 – 27
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: High school students | Minimum 2.0 GPA | At least 15 years old by the start of the program

The Georgetown University Medical Immersion Academy is a 3-week summer program designed for high school students to experience a snapshot of a first-year medical school curriculum. Faculty and medical students from Georgetown University School of Medicine guide you through areas like cell biology, pathology, immunology, cardiology, and endocrinology. In addition to classroom sessions, you’ll practice clinical skills such as wound care, suturing, airway management, and CPR. Group discussions and research-based projects give you exposure to current challenges in medicine and advances in medical science. The program also includes guest lectures and field-based learning.

14. Wake Forest Summer Immersion Medicine Institute

Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC
Cost: $3,400; limited need-based scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / Not specified
Dates: July 6 – 11; July 20 – 25
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students

Wake Forest’s Summer Immersion Medicine Institute introduces you to medical specialties like internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, and cancer care. You will divide time between hospital tours, simulation labs, and skill-building workshops where you’ll measure vital signs, conduct ultrasounds, and learn suturing techniques. A highlight of the program is visiting Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where you’ll see medical technology in action. You’ll also interact with medical school students, giving you an idea of what their training involves. Along with learning basic clinical skills, you will also develop diagnostic, patient interaction, and networking skills.

15. MD Anderson Cancer Center High School Summer Program

Location: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: $6,800 for 10 weeks ($6,120 for nine weeks)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective / Typically 10-12 students
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Texas high school seniors who will be 18 years or older by the start of the program | U.S. Citizen, permanent resident, or work-eligible visa holders

The MD Anderson Cancer Center High School Summer Program is a competitive summer research training program designed for current high school seniors in Texas. It places you directly into an MD Anderson laboratory, where you’ll contribute to biomedical research alongside faculty mentors. Most of your time will be spent conducting experiments and learning the day-to-day discipline of a researcher. Weekly seminars will expand your view of different biomedical fields and expose you to a range of topics in cancer research and treatment. You’ll also take part in activities like posters and abstract presentations, which mirror the way professional scientists communicate their work.

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