14 Healthcare Internships for High School Students in Phoenix, AZ

Healthcare internships are a good choice for high school students who want to see how medical environments work. You'll get to shadow professionals, work on projects, and develop skills like communication and patient care that you can't practice in a classroom. It's a useful way to find out whether a specific area of healthcare is something you want to pursue before committing to a college major. A healthcare internship can also strengthen your college applications, especially if you’re applying for competitive pre-med majors. 

What healthcare internships are available for high school students in Phoenix?

Phoenix is a good place to find healthcare internships for high schoolers. The city has a growing healthcare and biomedical sector, centered around the Phoenix Bioscience Core, with a mix of private research clinics, nonprofit hospital networks, and the state's only public teaching health system. That variety means you can get exposure to areas like precision medicine, genomic research, and telehealth, while building connections with professionals who can mentor you. 

To help you with your search, we’ve narrowed down 15 healthcare internships for high school students in Phoenix, AZ.

1. AZ Youthforce – Gateway Community College Internship

Location: GateWay Community College (Washington Campus), Phoenix, AZ
Stipend: $15.15/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size varies by semester
Dates: Summer and academic year sessions available
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students/young adults ages 16–21

In this internship, you will explore diverse topics ranging from nursing and respiratory care to surgical technology and medical imaging. Throughout the program, you will engage in activities like practicing in simulation labs, earning your Basic Life Support (BLS) and AED certifications, and assisting with behavioral health tasks. A unique feature of this internship is the Essential Skills training and the pairing with a dedicated mentor who coaches you through the workplace environment. By the end of the term, you will have mastered vital skills in patient interaction, professional communication, and clinical safety, positioning you ahead of your peers for a future medical career. 

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies according to the program type; 100% financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Between 10 and 25% acceptance; typical cohort size ranges between 70 and 100 students
Dates: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter cohorts
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary - Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students who can commit 10–20 hours per week for 8–12 weeks

Ladder Internships pair you with a remote role at an early-stage or rapidly growing startup. You work closely with a company manager in fields such as technology, AI and machine learning, health tech, marketing, journalism, or consulting. Your tasks involve hands-on projects that help you develop practical skills while contributing meaningfully to the company’s work. Many partner companies operate in fast-paced, high-growth environments, providing you with insight into the daily demands of startup life. Throughout the internship, you collaborate with professionals, enhance workplace skills, and complete a final presentation highlighting your achievements. The fully online format allows you to participate from anywhere while gaining valuable professional experience. Apply now!

3. Summer Institute on Medical Ignorance (SIMI)

Location: University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 25 students per year
Dates: June 1 – July 17
Application Deadline: Mid-March
Eligibility: High school juniors & seniors; 3.0+ GPA

In the Summer Institute on Medical Ignorance (SIMI), you will explore topics such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, neuroscience, and genetics. Over seven weeks, you will work in research laboratories and clinics alongside faculty mentors, performing activities like DNA isolation, fingerprinting, and team-based video production. By maintaining "ignorance logs" and presenting a final capstone project, you develop critical questioning techniques, refined problem-solving skills, and a skeptical, curious mindset essential for medical research. This immersive experience equips you with the intellectual tools to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of modern medicine.

4. Hospice of the Valley: Teens in Nursing

Location: Phoenix, AZ Metropolitan Area (various palliative care units/offices)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 15–20 students per session
Dates: Training sessions typically occur in October, February, and June
Application Deadline: Generally, one month prior to the scheduled training date
Eligibility: High school students (minimum age 14) residing in Maricopa County/Phoenix area

The Teens in Nursing program at Hospice of the Valley offers a hands-on bridge into the professional medical world. Throughout the program, you will delve into specialized topics such as pulmonary disease, dementia care, and the fundamentals of palliative support. You will assist with patient care, organize essential medical supplies, and provide vital companionship to families. A unique feature of this experience is its focus on intergenerational connection, allowing you to learn from patients' life histories while attending interactive peer support meetings to process the emotional aspects of the work. These experiences build the maturity needed for a successful career as a registered nurse.

5. Mayo Clinic CARES (Career Advancement, Research, and Education Summer Program)

Location: Mayo Clinic, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 40 students admitted
Dates: 2-week programs in June
Application Deadline: February 15
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores or juniors who are Arizona residents

In this program, you’ll explore a broad range of healthcare careers through structured workshops and guided professional interactions at Mayo Clinic. Rather than focusing on research or clinical shadowing, the experience emphasizes career awareness and skill development across hospital-based roles. You’ll attend sessions led by Mayo Clinic professionals who share insights into their daily work and career pathways in fields such as respiratory therapy, clinical research, surgical technology, and medical assisting. The program helps you understand how different departments and roles contribute to patient care within a large healthcare system. 

6. Barrow Neurological Institute Summer High School Internship Program

Location: Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies by department and lab
Dates: June 8 – July 9
Application Deadline: February 10
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 or older

Through this summer internship program, you can expect to gain early exposure to neuroscience research in a professional clinical and laboratory setting. You may work in translational neuroscience research labs or contribute through research support roles in areas such as marketing, neuroscience publications, or foundation operations. If placed in a laboratory, you’ll assist with hands-on experiments using advanced research tools while learning how scientific questions are developed and tested. Throughout the program, you’ll receive mentorship from researchers and staff, with an emphasis on understanding scientific literature, research communication, and laboratory techniques. The experience concludes with participation in a high school research symposium, where you present your work.

7. The Burton Family Foundation Summer Health Institute

Location: Arizona State University, Downtown Phoenix Campus
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 24–48 students per session
Dates: Mid-June
Application Deadline: Early April
Eligibility: High school juniors

The Burton Family Foundation Summer Health Institute is a week-long immersive program that introduces you to a broad range of healthcare careers through hands-on learning and campus-based experiences. During the program, you’ll participate in daily medical simulations at the Creighton University School of Medicine, practicing skills such as suturing, IV insertion, intubation, and injections. You’ll also engage directly with members of the healthcare team to better understand the roles of physicians, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, physician assistants, and other providers. The experience includes touring healthcare facilities within Phoenix’s health corridor, offering exposure to real clinical environments.

8. Dignity Health Junior Volunteer Summer Program

Location: Phoenix (St. Joseph's), Chandler (Regional), and Gilbert (Mercy Gilbert)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically 30–50 students per hospital site
Dates: Early June – Late July
Application Deadline: Mid-March
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–17 (Must have a 3.5+ GPA for East Valley sites)

By participating in the Dignity Health Junior Volunteer Summer Program, you will gain an immersive look into the daily operations of a professional medical environment while developing a foundation in patient-centered care. Throughout the summer, you will engage in activities like escorting patients via wheelchair, restocking critical supplies in nursing units, and managing information desks to assist families. By the end of the session, you will have sharpened your communication, teamwork, and leadership skills, making you a more competitive candidate for future medical school applications or healthcare scholarships.

9. HonorHealth Summer Teen Program

Location: Various HonorHealth Medical Centers in Phoenix (John C. Lincoln, Deer Valley, Sonoran Crossing)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; approximately 20–40 students per site
Dates: 7 weeks between June and July
Application Deadline: Late February
Eligibility: Incoming Arizona high school juniors or seniors

The HonorHealth Summer Teen Program offers you a hands-on dive into the medical world by combining hospital volunteer service with exclusive "Meet. Explore. Discover." (M.E.D.) educational sessions. Throughout this seven-week commitment, you will explore diverse healthcare topics ranging from trauma simulation and forensic nursing to surgical preparation and even the mechanics of sterile processing. You will engage in activities like escorting patients, managing supplies, assisting families in surgery waiting areas, or participating in mock trauma demonstrations. By the end of the summer, you will have sharpened your communication and leadership skills while gaining the confidence and maturity needed for a future in medicine.

10. Banner Health HS Clinical Volunteer

Location: Various Phoenix area hospitals (Thunderbird, Desert, Estrella, etc.)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: Year-round: Minimum 6-month commitment; Summer: Approximately June – August
Application Deadline: Year-round: Rolling; Summer: Mid-March
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18

In this program, you will explore vital healthcare topics such as patient privacy (HIPAA), infection control, and hospital operations across various departments. You will engage in activities such as rounding on patients to ensure their comfort, assisting nursing staff with non-medical tasks, and managing front-desk greetings or patient escorting. This program treats you as a genuine member of the care team, often requiring a dedicated 100-hour commitment. Through this experience, you will develop professional communication, empathy, and time management skills that are critical for any future healthcare provider. It is a strong platform for you to gain a competitive edge for college applications.

11. Abrazo Health High School Volunteer

Location: Abrazo West Campus (Goodyear) & other Phoenix/Glendale sites
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 40–45 students
Dates: Early June – Late July
Application Deadline: Mid-March
Eligibility: Students aged 15–19

In this program, you explore diverse clinical topics ranging from trauma medicine and respiratory therapy to surgical robotics and emergency management. You’ll engage in hands-on activities like practicing wound care, learning to use surgical instruments, and even observing how staff scrub into the operating room. The program also features the "Lunch and Learn" series, where you gain insider knowledge from surgeons, nurses, and therapists about their roles. By the end of the summer, you will have sharpened essential skills in patient communication, teamwork, and medical observation while completing a minimum of 40 volunteer hours.

12. College of Medicine Phoenix – InstaMED Scrubs Academy

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; approximately 130 students per monthly session
Dates: Monthly on Saturdays; January 17, February 21, March 21, April 18, May 16
Application Deadline: Rolling registration
Eligibility: Arizona high school students 

InstaMED is a virtual healthcare exploration program that introduces you to medical careers through interactive, case-based learning. Led by medical students from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, each session focuses on real-world clinical scenarios followed by guided discussions. You’ll spend time working through problems that build critical thinking skills while learning how different healthcare professionals approach patient care. By attending multiple sessions, you’ll gradually explore different paths within healthcare and gain a structured understanding of how clinical teams work. Students who complete a set number of sessions receive a certificate recognizing their participation.

13. Stanford Medicine Clinical Summer Internship (Virtual)

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Summer: $4,580 + $95 application fee | Fall: $2,480 + $75 application fee; fee waivers are available for summer sessions / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; around 24 students
Dates: Summer: July 27 – August 7 | Fall: September 10 – November 12 (tentative)
Application Deadline: Summer: February 2; Fall: June 1
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are 16 or older and have completed a high school biology course

Through this virtual clinical internship, you’ll engage in live, interactive medical training from home through daily or weekly Zoom sessions. You’ll participate in guided activities using mailed supply kits, which may include organ dissections, suturing practice, injections, and vital sign assessment. The curriculum also covers patient interviews, clinical case discussions, and diagnostic reasoning through simulated scenarios. Throughout the program, you’ll attend live lectures and small-group sessions led by Stanford faculty and medical students. You’ll collaborate with peers in team-based clinical exercises while receiving mentorship from individuals currently training in medicine. The experience emphasizes consistent participation and skill development, helping you gain exposure to practical aspects of clinical care.

14. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship

Location: Virtual
Cost: $2,400 + $45 application fee; financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; around 50 students
Dates: Session A: June 15–26; Session B: July 6–17
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: Students entering grades 9–12 who reside in the U.S. for the program duration and are over 14 years old by the program’s start

The Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship is a two-week program that immerses you in the fields of artificial intelligence and medicine. Throughout the program, you’ll attend both introductory and technical lectures, receive guidance from Stanford researchers, and participate in group research projects. The internship also includes social events and career-building activities, as well as career lunches with guest speakers from academia, industry, government, and non-profit organizations. Upon completion, you earn a Certificate of Completion and may have the opportunity to pursue extended independent research. The program strongly encourages applications from students from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds.