7 Hospital Internships for High School Students in Dallas, TX

If you are in high school and curious about medicine, an internship is a good way to explore a hospital or research lab. By participating in a hospital internship, you can shadow doctors and nurses, practice lab techniques, and see how healthcare teams work to help patients. These experiences can make your college application stand out by giving you practical skills and even help you decide whether a healthcare career is the right fit for you.

Dallas is home to some of the country’s most respected medical institutions, and many of them offer high school students internships. UT Southwestern, Parkland Memorial, and Texas Health offer programs that allow you to learn about hospitals, research labs, and non-clinical healthcare roles. And if traveling is not an option, several universities such as Stanford and Wake Forest offer virtual programs. 

Check out these 7 hospital internships for high school students in Dallas, Texas.

1. UT Southwestern Medical Center STARS Summer Research Program

Acceptance Rate: Cohort Size: Competitive Location: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Stipend: Paid
Dates: 8 weeks, June - August
Application Deadline: January 20 (applications open November 22)
Eligibility: Current high school juniors, at least 16 years old by June 1

The STARS program offers students an opportunity to spend eight weeks working inside a real biomedical research lab – learning directly from scientists and experiencing what it's like to do hands-on research. As part of this hospital internship for high school students in Dallas, TX, you’ll work directly with faculty mentors on ongoing projects, learning how to design experiments, analyse data, and communicate results. Don’t worry if you are a beginner – the program is designed for students new to lab work, so you will begin with the basics before progressing to more advanced tasks. By the end of the program, you will have built a strong foundation in technical lab skills and present your research at a formal symposium. 

2. Parkland Health Workforce Development High School Summer Internship

Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Highly competitive
Location: Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, TX
Stipend: $18.25/hour
Dates: 8 weeks, June to August
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors from Dallas-Fort Worth with a 3.0+ GPA, at least 16 years old

This Parkland Health Workforce Development High School Summer Internship gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep one of Dallas County’s major teaching hospitals running. The program is focused on the non-clinical side of healthcare – the administrative and support roles that make healthcare possible. You’ll work up to 20 hours a week in different departments, learning everything from scheduling to logistics. Along the way, you will develop workplace skills, receive mentorship, and gain professional training in a hospital environment. By the end of the program, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of how hospitals function and discover the various career paths in healthcare beyond direct patient care.

3. Texas Health High School Student Service Learning Program (HSSSL)

Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: 20 students selected from 200+ applicants
Location: Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Dallas, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: June – August; minimum 128 hours
Application Deadline: February 2 (applications open January 6)
Eligibility: High school students at least 16 years old with a valid Social Security number

The HSSSL program gives you an opportunity to experience hospital life by working in both clinical and non-clinical hospital departments. You’ll gain insights into patient services as well as hospital business operations, seeing how different teams contribute to care delivery. This hospital internship for high school students in Dallas, TX requires 16 hours of work per week in a hospital setting – learning how every role keeps the hospital running smoothly. By the end of the program, you’ll develop essential communication and administrative skills necessary for a successful  career in healthcare. 

4. Dallas Works High School Summer Internship Program

Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: 100+ students
Location: Various sites across Dallas, TX
Stipend: Paid
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application Deadline: April 28
Eligibility: Students ages 16–21 in Dallas County, enrolled in Dallas ISD, Dallas College, or UNT at Dallas, who complete Career Ready Workshops and Internship Prep Bootcamp

Dallas Works helps high school students gain real-world experience through paid internships at local businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. As an intern, you’ll spend 20 to 40 hours a week in a professional setting, developing career skills while contributing to real projects. The program places special focus on supporting students from underserved communities. You can even request placements in medical sciences through partners such as Parkland Health, where you can explore non-clinical roles in healthcare and see how hospitals function behind the scenes. Before starting your internship, you will complete skill-building workshops and bootcamps that ensure you are ready for the internship environment and professional success later in life.

5. Texas Health Resources Junior Volunteer Program

Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Varies by hospital
Location: 18 Texas HealthLocations, including Dallas, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: 9 weeks, June–August
Application Deadline: Typically February 21 (varies by location)
Eligibility: High school students ages 16–18 with a Social Security number; each hospital sets additional requirements

The Texas Junior Volunteer is a summer program that introduces high school students to healthcare and how hospitals run on a day-to-day basis. As a Junior Volunteer, you’ll get to support departments ranging from patient care to business services. Most of the  responsibilities will be either clerical or administrative, giving you a look into behind-the-scenes hospital work. The program focuses on Texas Health’s “Promise Behaviors,” which highlight teamwork, integrity, and compassion. By the end of the program, you’ll have a better understanding of how hospitals function, while developing valuable workplace skills that will help you in your career. Depending on your assigned hospital, your time commitment may range from 32 to 128 hours.

6. UT Southwestern Health Professionals Recruitment Exposure Program (HPREP)

Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: Not specified
Location: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: January 11, 18, and 25
Application Deadline: October 8 – November 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 10–12 with an interest in medicine or science

Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program (HPREP) is an opportunity for high school students to explore a wide range of healthcare careers through a mix of workshops and mentorship. You’ll take part in activities such as CPR training, prosthetics and orthotics labs, microbiology experiments, and even suturing practice – giving you a taste of what working in healthcare feels like. You’ll also learn about career pathways in medicine, nursing, dentistry, and public health. Mentorship is a central feature of HPREP, with UT Southwestern students guiding you through both career planning and skill development. A college fair rounds out the program, giving you resources for the next step in your academic journey.

7. STARS Summer Science Camps

Acceptance Rate / Cohort Size: 30 students per camp
Location: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
Cost: Free
Dates: June 5 – July 18 (multiple sessions)
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: High school students in Dallas ISD; grade requirements vary by camp

STAR Summer Science Camps help high school students dive into different STEM fields such as biology, anatomy and physiology, biotechnology, chemistry, and physics, through interactive activities and group projects. For example, in the Biology Camp, you’ll study photosynthesis, respiration, organelles, DNA, and protein synthesis while completing lab-based exercises. Hands-on activities such as anatomy dissections, genetics projects, and mobility simulations make the sessions highly interactive. Each camp is guided by lead instructors, teachers, and mentors, ensuring that you get the most out of your learning experience.

Bonus: Ladder Internships

Cohort Size: Selective; varies by program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program format; financial aid available
Dates: 8–16 weeks, offered year-round
Application Deadline: August 24 for the fall cohort
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, or gap year students who can commit 5–15 hours a week

Ladder Internships, founded by Harvard graduates, connect high school students with startups and nonprofits across various industries, including health tech, mental health, AI, consulting, and more. As an intern, you’ll work on real projects for your assigned organisation while developing professional communication and time-management skills. Interns also join group sessions that mirror real workplace collaboration and receive guidance from both a Ladder coach and your site manager. By the end of the program, you’ll have a portfolio of meaningful work to feature on your college applications, experience of working in a professional environment and insight into which career paths might suit you best. You can check out the application form to learn about the available internship formats. 

Image Source - UT Southwestern Medical Center Logo