15 Healthcare Internships for High School Students in Hawaii
Healthcare internships give high school students the opportunity to explore medicine and public health through real-world experiences. By observing professionals, assisting with research or community programs, and learning about patient care systems, students develop communication skills, empathy, and a stronger understanding of how healthcare works in practice. These internships also help students explore different career paths in medicine, nursing, public health, and biomedical research while building confidence in professional environments.
What healthcare internships are available for high school students in Hawaii?
Hawaii offers a unique setting for healthcare learning, shaped by its island geography, diverse communities, and strong focus on community-centered care. Students can explore healthcare experiences connected to rural medicine, environmental health, indigenous health practices, and hospital systems serving multicultural populations. With universities, medical centers, and community health organizations across the islands, Hawaii provides meaningful opportunities for high school students to understand healthcare in both local and global contexts.
Here’s a list of 15 curated healthcare internships for you to check out, basis location, quality of experience and program offerings!
For other healthcare-related internships, check out a list of summer-specific internships here, and find a list of virtual healthcare internships here.
1. Hawai‘i Pacific Health – Health Careers Summer Internship
Location: Hawaii Pacific Health medical centers, Oahu and Kauai, HI
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Oahu: June 15 – July 24; Kauai: June 15 – July 23
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors, and college students
The Health Careers Summer Internship at Hawaii Pacific Health is a six-week paid internship designed for high school juniors, seniors, and college students interested in exploring careers in health care. You will gain firsthand exposure to hospital environments by learning about medical systems and interacting with experienced health care professionals across multiple specialties. The program allows students to explore different career pathways in fields such as nursing, imaging, rehabilitation services, and health care technology. Internships take place across Hawaii Pacific Health’s network of medical centers, giving participants insight into how hospital teams collaborate to deliver patient care.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Varies by program; full financial aid available
Dates: Offered in multiple cohorts across the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Start dates vary by cohort: January (Spring), May (Summer), September (Fall), and November (Winter)
Eligibility: Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships matches you with a remote internship at an early-stage or fast-growing startup. You’ll collaborate with a company manager on real projects in areas such as technology, AI and machine learning, health tech, marketing, journalism, or consulting. The experience focuses on practical, hands-on work that helps you build professional skills while contributing to active company initiatives. Because many partner startups operate in dynamic environments, you’ll also gain insight into how growing companies function day to day. Throughout the program, you’ll work with industry professionals, strengthen workplace skills, and conclude the internship with a final presentation highlighting your work.
3. Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience – Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Location: Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience, Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: $149 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohorts
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 27
Eligibility: Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an accredited college or university; a small number of high school seniors may be considered
In the Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience Summer Internship Program, you’ll spend about two months working with neuroscientists and medical researchers investigating neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. The experience combines lectures, data collection, and collaborative research guided by faculty mentors and medical student leaders. The program emphasizes hands-on clinical research, allowing you to gain exposure to patient-centered studies, data analysis, and teamwork in a medical setting. Alongside research activities, you’ll participate in professional development sessions and create a research poster to present in a competitive session evaluated by the Dean of the John Burns School of Medicine.
4. Teen Health Camp
Location: Multiple locations across Hawaii
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Varies by location
Application Deadline: Varies by location
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12 interested in health careers
Teen Health Camp, hosted by the Hawaiʻi/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in collaboration with the John A. Burns School of Medicine, is a free, one-day program that introduces high school students to careers in healthcare. The camp is offered across multiple Hawaiian islands, making it accessible to students from different communities. You will attend hands-on workshops to learn basic clinical skills, such as casting, suturing and CPR, from medical students and healthcare volunteers. The event also includes exhibitor sessions where students can learn about health profession schools, scholarships, and healthcare training pathways.
5. Medical Diagnosis and Treatment (MDT) Summer Program – University of Hawaiʻi’s John A. Burns School of Medicine
Location: John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: $575 fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 6–10
Application Deadline: Registration opens in late March
Eligibility: Open to students in grades 10–12 who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program
The Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Summer Program at the University of Hawaiʻi’s John A. Burns School of Medicine is a week-long, hands-on summer program for high school students interested in healthcare careers. You will engage in small-group, problem-based learning sessions focused on common illnesses and clinical decision-making. The program includes anatomy laboratory demonstrations, clinical skills training, simulated patient interactions, and medical simulation exercises. Students learn foundational clinical techniques such as measuring vital signs, using a stethoscope, and interviewing patients. This program is ideal for high school students who want early exposure to clinical learning and medical training environments.
6. UH Cancer Center High School Cancer Research Program
Location: University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Typically offered during spring
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th grade students
The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center High School Cancer Research Program introduces high school students to cancer research, prevention, and population health science. The program is designed for rising juniors and seniors, and it focuses on helping students understand cancer risk factors and the scientific methods used to study them. You will engage in guided learning activities related to biomedical and behavioral research, often working with faculty mentors and researchers affiliated with the cancer center. The experience emphasizes cancer prevention, health disparities, and the unique public health challenges facing Hawaiʻi and Pacific Island communities.
7. Hawai’i Pre-Health Career Corps
Location: John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round program
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students of any age interested in health careers
The Hawaiʻi Pre-Health Career Corps (PHCC) is a year-round career-exploration and mentorship program designed to support students interested in healthcare professions. Organized by the Hawaiʻi/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center (AHEC), the program aims to increase awareness of health careers and strengthen the local healthcare workforce pipeline. Members gain access to mentoring, job-shadowing opportunities, research exposure, and campus visits to medical education facilities. The program also offers hands-on workshops, career panels, and academic-readiness resources such as résumé support and test-preparation guidance. Through these experiences, students build foundational knowledge about healthcare pathways while developing professional and academic skills.
8. Public Health Internship – Hawai‘i Public Health Institute
Location: Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students interested in public health; includes high school juniors and seniors, college students, and recent graduates
The Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute (HIPHI) Internship Program is a mentorship-based internship that introduces students to public health practice and workforce development initiatives. You will work with HIPHI staff or partner organizations on projects related to health policy, community health programs, advocacy, communications, and research. The program emphasizes experiential learning, allowing students to develop practical public health skills while contributing to initiatives that advance health equity and community wellness in Hawaiʻi. Participants often complete learning plans, produce final project deliverables, and engage in professional networking opportunities.
9. Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi High School Summer Youth Employment Program
Location: Kaiser Permanente medical centers and clinics (including Hawaiʻi sites such as Oʻahu and Maui)
Cost/Stipend: Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 6–8 weeks in summer
Application Deadline: Applications typically open in spring
Eligibility: Available to high school students aged 16 and above, with preference for juniors and seniors; applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. and secure a work permit if under 18
The Kaiser Permanente Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is a paid summer internship that introduces high school students to healthcare careers through workplace experience at hospitals and clinics. You will work in administrative, clerical, and healthcare support roles while learning how medical systems operate behind the scenes. Participants also attend weekly educational sessions focused on career readiness, professional skills, and healthcare career pathways. The program emphasizes mentorship, networking, and exposure to allied health and healthcare operations roles. Through hands-on work experience and guided learning activities, students gain insight into both clinical and nonclinical healthcare careers.
10. Breast Cancer Hawaiʻi Student Internship Program
Location: Breast Cancer Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round internship
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school and college students interested in health or nonprofit work
The Breast Cancer Hawaiʻi Student Internship Program allows high school students to support a nonprofit organization focused on cancer education, patient support, and community outreach. Interns typically commit a few hours each week over an extended period while assisting with program coordination, outreach initiatives, and organizational projects. Students gain exposure to nonprofit healthcare work and community-based patient support services. The internship emphasizes flexibility while encouraging long-term engagement with the organization’s mission.
11. Kaiser Permanente Junior Volunteer Program
Location: Kaiser Permanente medical centers and clinics across Hawaiʻi
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round (minimum 6-month commitment)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students age 16+ who can volunteer regularly and complete orientation, health screening, and background check requirements
The Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi Volunteer Program provides high school students with hands-on exposure to hospital and clinic environments through structured service roles. Volunteers support healthcare teams by assisting with concierge services, patient wayfinding, wheelchair distribution, vaccination clinics, and department observation opportunities. Students may also participate in the Junior Mentorship Program, which requires a structured service commitment during the school year. Through regular shifts and orientation training, participants learn about hospital operations, patient support services, and teamwork in clinical settings.
12. Queen’s Health Systems Student Volunteer Program
Location: Queen’s Medical Center and affiliated campuses, Honolulu and West Oʻahu, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer volunteer sessions
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students aged 16+ interested in healthcare careers
The Queen’s Health Systems Student Volunteer Program provides high school students with exposure to hospital environments and healthcare operations through structured volunteer service. You will support hospital staff in patient-facing and administrative roles while learning about healthcare teamwork and clinical workflows. Summer volunteer programs may include scheduled shifts over several weeks, allowing students to become familiar with hospital settings and patient support services. The program also introduces participants to healthcare career pathways through observation and interaction with medical professionals.
13. Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities (DD Council) – Disability Trainings Internship
Location: Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: $500 stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Summer internship cycle available (timeline varies annually)
Application Deadline: December 1 (based on last year)
Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, and others age 18+ (or turning 18 by August 1 of the internship year)
The Disability Trainings Internship offered by the Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities provides students with experience supporting individuals with disabilities in community-health settings. You will work with organizations such as adult day health centers, where you will help develop training materials, assist with workshops, and support outreach activities that promote accessibility and inclusion. The internship includes completing online training modules, coordinating a weekly work schedule with a supervisor, and submitting timesheets for the stipend at the end of the program.
14. Adventist Health Castle Program
Location: Adventist Health Castle, Kailua, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round volunteer program
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Students age 16+ who can commit to at least one 4-hour shift per week and complete health-clearance requirements
The Adventist Health Castle Volunteer Program provides high school students with exposure to hospital operations and patient support services in a clinical setting. You will assist hospital staff in roles such as reception support, patient transport assistance, gift shop service, and administrative tasks. Participants are required to complete orientation and health-clearance documentation before beginning regular weekly shifts. The program emphasizes service, professionalism, and teamwork within a healthcare setting.
15. HUGS Hawaiʻi Volunteer Program
Location: HUGS (Help, Understanding & Group Support), Honolulu, HI
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round opportunities
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Junior volunteers: ages 15–17, Adult volunteers: 18+
The HUGS Volunteer Program gives high school students the opportunity to support families of children with serious illnesses through community service. You may help with activities such as respite childcare, family meals, sibling camps, hospital visits, and special events. The program focuses on improving the well-being of families dealing with long-term medical conditions like cancer, heart disease, and genetic disorders. Participants complete training and orientation before contributing to programs that support both children and their caregivers.
Image source - Hawai‘i Pacific Health logo