15 Healthcare Internships for Undergraduates

If you’re thinking about a career in healthcare, the experiences you gain in college can play a big role in shaping your direction. Internships let you step outside the classroom and see what the field looks like in practice. You might spend time shadowing doctors, working alongside researchers, or supporting projects in areas like pediatrics, oncology, autism, or anesthesia.

Undergraduate years are often when you’re deciding whether to commit to medical school, graduate study, or another path in healthcare. Internships give you the chance to test those interests early, build practical skills, and learn directly from professionals before making long-term choices.

This list brings together 15 healthcare internships for undergraduates that can help you explore your interests, gain hands-on experience, and better understand where you might want to go next.

1. The Harvard Stem Cell Institute Internship program (HIP)

Location: Harvard University, Cambridge & Boston, MA (placements at affiliated hospitals and research centers)
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Highly Selective
Dates: 8 weeks (Summer)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates from all institutions, regardless of prior research experience

The program is designed to conduct full-time lab research under the mentorship of a Harvard Stem Cell Institute faculty member, supporting a wide range of academic backgrounds—from students new to lab work to those with prior experience in stem cell science. You are matched to one of Harvard's eight affiliated hospitals or research centers based on fit and availability. The program is structured to help you explore stem cell science in depth while gaining training, guidance from scientists, and opportunities to build your research interests in a rigorous academic environment.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Remote
Cost: Varies depending on program type; financial aid available
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple 8–12 week cohorts offered year-round (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter)
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort (typically Jan, May, Sept, Nov)
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates, high school, and gap year students able to commit 10–20 hours/week

If you're an undergraduate interested in healthcare, the Ladder Internships program offers a remote, project-based experience with startups working in fields like health tech, biotech, or AI in medicine. You'll be matched with a high-growth startup—many of which have raised over $1M—and contribute to projects under the guidance of both a company mentor and a Ladder Coach. Throughout the program, you’ll gain industry exposure, build professional skills, and finish with a final presentation of your work. This flexible internship runs year-round, making it easy to align with your academic schedule.

3. Johns Hopkins Summer Internship Program (SIP)

Location: Baltimore, MD
Stipend: $3,000–$5,500
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: May 25 – August 2
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Open to current undergraduate students; priority given to those from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds

As an SIP participant, you'll spend ten weeks conducting full-time research in a biomedical or public health field under the guidance of faculty scientists. The program is designed to support students from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, offering lab experience, research training, and mentorship. Beyond lab work, you’ll take part in career development workshops, networking events, and opportunities to present your research. Many students also continue presenting their work at national conferences after the summer ends!

4. The Harvard Summer Research Program in Kidney Medicine (HSRPKM)

Location: Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals in Boston, MA (BWH, BIDMC, BCH, MGH)
Stipend: Paid housing and stipend provided; includes all-expenses-paid trip to a national symposium
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 3
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in an undergraduate degree program; 3.4 GPA or higher and prior wet lab experience preferred

This 8-week program offers a dive into kidney medicine for undergraduates interested in pursuing a PhD or MD-PhD. You’ll be placed in a research lab at one of four Harvard-affiliated hospitals and gain experience in nephrology research while participating in weekly curriculum sessions on kidney physiology and disease. Beyond the lab, you'll shadow clinicians in nephrology clinics, tour a dialysis center, and help with community-based kidney screenings. The program combines scientific research with clinical exposure and community engagement. It culminates in a national symposium where you’ll present your work alongside peers from across the country.

5. Mayo Clinic Biomedical Statistics & Informatics Internship

Location: Rochester, Minnesota
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Minimum of 8 weeks; offered in Spring and Fall
Application Deadline: Varies depending on cohort and availability
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in statistics, bioinformatics, or related fields

This internship places you directly on active Mayo Clinic research teams, where you’ll support data analysis projects in biomedical statistics and informatics. Under the supervision of a statistician or bioinformatician, you'll sharpen your coding and analytical skills while contributing to meaningful research. It's a great fit if you’re looking to build your technical foundation in healthcare research while gaining experience using statistical tools and exposure to clinical research workflows!

6. Maternal and Child Health Careers/RISE-UP Program (MCHC/RISE-UP)

Location: Hybrid (1-week orientation in Baltimore, MD; placements at partner institutions nationwide)
Stipend: $5,400
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: May 26 – July 31
Application Deadline: February 7 
Eligibility: Rising undergraduate juniors or seniors, or recent graduates (within 12 months); minimum GPA of 2.7

Through this initiative, you'll gain public health leadership experience across clinical, research, and community engagement settings, with a focus on maternal and child health and health equity. The program is hosted by Kennedy Krieger Institute in partnership with major academic and tribal institutions, including Johns Hopkins, UC Davis, and the University of South Dakota. You'll start with a one-week orientation in Baltimore before beginning fieldwork, seminars, and professional development projects. Activities emphasize the social determinants of health and disability-focused care, and you'll collaborate with interdisciplinary teams throughout the summer. Scholars also have the chance to present at conferences and build connections across a national network.

7. BioXFEL Undergraduate Summer Research Internship

Location: University at Buffalo, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, and Arizona State University
Stipend: $6,000
Acceptance rate: Highly competitive
Dates: May 29 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or nationals pursuing undergraduate or post-baccalaureate studies in STEM; women and underrepresented minorities encouraged to apply

This 9.5-week program offers training in XFEL-based structural biology research for students interested in careers in physics, chemistry, biochemistry, or computational biology. You’ll be placed in labs at top partner institutions and work on projects involving topics like protein crystallography, algorithm design, or microfluidics. Alongside your lab work, you’ll take part in weekly seminars, workshops in scientific communication, and career development activities. The program ends with a research presentation where you'll share your findings with the BioXFEL community. 

8. The Summer Undergraduate Research Training (SMART) Program

Location: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Medical Center, Houston, TX
Stipend: Approx. $5,400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; around 100 students selected annually
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates in science, math, and related fields; non-science majors with relevant background may also apply

The SMART program places you in a medical center for nine weeks of research in fields like biomedical science, bioengineering, and computational biology. You'll conduct a full-time research project under faculty mentorship while participating in seminars and career development activities tailored for undergraduates. In addition to scientific training, the program emphasizes peer networking and professional skill-building. You'll also have access to housing near campus and enjoy a collaborative atmosphere at Baylor College of Medicine. 

9. Summer Training in Academic Research and Scholarship (STARS) Program

Location: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Highly selective
Dates: 8-week program
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Open to undergraduates and first-year medical students underrepresented in medicine with an interest in biomedical careers

As a participant in the BWH STARS Program, you’ll spend eight weeks conducting research at labs affiliated with Harvard Medical School while receiving mentorship from leading physician-scientists. The program combines research training with opportunities to shadow clinicians and engage in professional development seminars. You'll also take part in academic enrichment sessions that highlight career paths in medicine and biomedical research. This full-time experience includes travel support, housing, and a stipend to help cover meals and daily expenses.

10. The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) 

Location: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Early June – Early August 2025 (includes one-week orientation)
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Rising juniors, seniors, or recent graduates from accredited colleges

The SPHSP is a summer program designed to introduce you to careers in public health and biomedical sciences. The program includes public health coursework, mentored fieldwork three days a week, and seminars led by health professionals. You'll be matched with a mentor from a local public health organization and gain experience addressing health issues. The program starts with an orientation in New York City and concludes with a capstone showcase at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta.

11.  Child Health Research Internship – University of Colorado & Children’s Hospital Colorado

Location: Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
Stipend: $4,400
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: Feb 1
Eligibility: Must be a high school senior (18+ and Colorado resident), undergraduate, graduate student, or first-year medical student; must be available for the full 9-week program

This internship immerses you in pediatric research through direct lab work under the mentorship of faculty from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado. You’ll attend weekly seminars on current child health research, receive one-on-one mentorship, and present your findings in both written and oral formats. You may be sponsored to present at scientific conferences. Mentor preference is considered during placement, and all interns are expected to actively engage in both research and professional development activities throughout the summer.

12. The Pediatric Anesthesia Clinical and Research Internship at Boston Children's Hospital (BCH)

Location: Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: May – August
Application Deadline: Closed for Summer; applications for next academic year open in September
Eligibility: Undergraduate students, including those from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine and research

Designed to bridge the gap between academic study and clinical practice, @PACaRI offers undergraduates a structured summer experience combining operating room exposure, research, and professional development. You’ll work as an anesthesia technician alongside clinicians, conduct literature-based research in teams, and present your findings at PACaRI Grand Rounds. The program also includes career workshops, targeted lectures, and personalized medical school advising.

13. Feinstein Summer Research Internship Program

Location: Manhasset, New York (Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research)
Stipend: $2,000
Cohort Size: 25 students selected
Dates: May 28- July 23
Application Deadline: January 24
Eligibility: Current undergraduate students enrolled at U.S.-based colleges; international students must be studying in the U.S.; high school students not eligible

If you're an undergraduate interested in disease-focused medical research, this program offers experience within a major biomedical research institute. You'll be matched with a faculty researcher in your area of interest and work on an ongoing project. Weekly seminars and career workshops complement the lab work, and the internship culminates in a poster presentation to peers and faculty. This program is particularly suited for students considering careers in clinical or translational science.

14.  MGH Lurie Center for Autism – Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Location: Lexington, Massachusetts (Massachusetts General Hospital Lurie Center for Autism)
Stipend: Hourly pay as MGH temporary employees
Acceptance Rate: Competitive selection with interview
Dates: June 2 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Undergraduate students (preference for rising juniors/seniors); rising sophomores may apply; must be in or able to reside near Boston during the program

This full-time program offers you experience in autism and related neurodevelopmental research. You'll work with a faculty mentor on a semi-independent project while participating in weekly seminars and observing clinical care across disciplines like psychiatry, psychology, and neurology. Your responsibilities span literature reviews, patient recruitment, data management, and biosample processing. The program ends with a formal presentation of your work to peers and staff. Neurodiverse students are strongly encouraged to apply.

15. SPARC – Summer Program for Academic Research in Cancer

Location: Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Not specified
Dates: May 20- July 26
Application Deadline: Late 2025 (exact date TBD)
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or green card holders; open to graduating high school seniors (age 18+), undergraduates, and first-year IU medical students

SPARC offers you a summer experience in cancer research, combining mentored lab, computational, or clinical research with workshops and shadowing opportunities. You’ll work full-time on a dedicated project under a faculty mentor and present your results in a formal setting. Alongside research, you'll participate in professional development sessions, networking events, and clinical shadowing (for med students). Housing assistance may be available for out-of-state students with demonstrated need. 

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