13 Hospital Internships for Undergraduates in Toronto
Internships provide hands-on experience in a professional environment, allowing students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world situations. They strengthen resumes and profiles, giving students a competitive edge when applying for jobs or graduate programs. They signal to future employers and graduate programs that you have initiative, professional experience, and a clear sense of direction. So, if you’re looking to strengthen your resume, explore a potential career path, or simply gain confidence in a professional setting, an internship during your undergraduate years can be a defining step toward your goals.
Why should I do a hospital internship in college?
For students interested in healthcare, a hospital internship provides an environment where you can build a career.Toronto is home to some of Canada’s most respected academic hospitals and research institutions, making it an exceptional city to pursue this kind of opportunity. Working in a hospital setting allows you to observe clinical workflows, engage with multidisciplinary teams, and understand what patient care looks like on the ground. It also helps you decide whether you want to pursue medicine, nursing, research, or healthcare administration, and leave with a much clearer sense of direction.
We’ve reviewed some hospital internships for undergraduates in Toronto that offer genuine learning, are offered by reputable institutions, and provide experiences that can meaningfully support your path to medical school or a healthcare career.
For other healthcare-related internships, check out a list of summer-specific internships here, and find a list of more healthcare internships here.
1. SickKids Summer Research (SSuRe) Program
Location: The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto, ON
Cost: Free; positions may be paid depending on funding from the supervising scientist
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Varies by posting
Dates: May and mid-August; exact dates vary by supervisor
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and medical students; applicants must secure a research position with a SickKids Research Institute scientist
The SickKids Summer Research (SSuRe) program allows you to spend the summer working at a pediatric hospital research institute. You will be paired with a SickKids Research Institute scientist and contribute to an ongoing research project, either in a laboratory or clinical setting. The program includes weekly seminars led by hospital researchers and a Career Night to meet and discuss work with professionals in the field.
At the end of the program, you will present your project at the Summer Student Symposium. Over the 15 weeks, you will gain experience with research methods, data analysis, and communicating scientific findings in a professional context.
2. Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) — Women’s College Hospital
Location: Women’s College Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost: Paid positions; Most roles are full-time at 37.5 hours per week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Not specified
Dates: Runs for 12 to 16 weeks during summer (May – August)
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate, graduate, and health professional program students; funding streams are available for applicants from equity-deserving groups through the Emily Stowe Scholar Program.
The Summer Student Research Program (SSRP) provides an opportunity to gain early experience in research during your academic studies. You will work on a focused project while participating in panels, mentorship sessions, and professional development activities.
The program covers key topics in women’s health research and includes networking events with professionals in the field. At the conclusion of the program, you will present your project to peers and mentors. Throughout the experience, you will develop foundational research skills and benefit from guidance within a structured, supportive environment.
3. UHN Summer Training and Research (STAR) Program
Location: University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON.
Cost: Free; positions may be paid depending on the supervisor and funding source
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Students are advised to contact potential supervisors and apply as early as December – January; positions are usually finalized by spring
Dates: Runs from May to August; exact dates vary by supervisor
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate, graduate, medical, college, and health professional students.
The UHN Summer Training and Research (STAR) Program allows you to participate in supervised research within Canada’s largest hospital network, which includes multiple specialized hospital sites and research institutes. You will work alongside a UHN scientist on a research project throughout the summer and take part in sessions focused on research ethics, networking, and professional development.
The program concludes with UHN STAR Research Day, where you present your project to the research community. In addition, you will have access to workshops, career talks, and mentorship opportunities through the Office of Research Trainees.
4. Keenan Research Summer Student (KRSS) Program — Unity Health Toronto
Location: Unity Health Toronto — St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost: Free; positions may be paid depending on the supervisor’s funding
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Rolling basis; typically between January and April
Dates: Typically runs May – August for 12–16 weeks. Summer students work 37.5 hours per week
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and medical students; international students may apply with a valid Canadian work permit
The Keenan Research Summer Student (KRSS) Program lets you participate in hospital-based research at Unity Health Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital under the guidance of a Principal Investigator. You will assist with ongoing clinical or laboratory projects, gaining experience in research methods and their relation to patient care.
The program provides opportunities to work closely with scientists and physicians, offering mentorship and insight into multidisciplinary hospital research. You will take part in tasks such as data collection and analysis, attend research seminars, and may have the chance to present your project at the end of the program.
5. Student Learner Placements — Michael Garron Hospital
Location: Michael Garron Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Varies by institution and program
Dates: Vary depending on placement type; available throughout the year
Eligibility: Open to students in nursing, medicine, allied health, administration, and operations programs. You must be enrolled in a recognized placement course
Michael Garron Hospital Student Learner Placements provide experience in a community hospital setting through unpaid academic placements. You will work in administrative areas such as finance, operations, or communications, learning how hospitals manage resources, budgets, and service delivery.
Throughout the placement, you will be supported by experienced staff and gain insight into organizational strategy, health economics, and nonprofit management. The program combines academic learning with practical experience and includes orientation, supervision, and opportunities for professional development.
6. Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) — University of Toronto, Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Location: Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost: Free; positions may be paid depending on the supervisor and funding
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in winter; final selections are announced in early spring
Dates: June – August; approximately 12 weeks
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate science students and first- or second-year medical students who do not hold a graduate degree. Average B+ cumulative
The University of Toronto Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) allows you to work on biomedical research projects alongside faculty and hospital-based scientists. From June to August, you will spend time in a lab or clinical setting, analyzing data, participating in journal clubs, and attending weekly seminars on topics such as molecular biology, cognitive science, and bioethics.
At the end of the program, you will present your project at Research Day, where outstanding work may be recognized. Throughout the summer, you will develop research, communication, and project management skills that are valuable for careers in healthcare, biotechnology, or related fields.
7. Virtual Interprofessional Internship in Innovation & Aging — Baycrest Health Centre
Location: Baycrest Health Centre (Virtual)
Cost: Free; Interns are paid biweekly at Ontario’s minimum wage for 32.5 hours per week, contingent on full attendance
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 18 (tentatively)
Dates: May 26 – June 20 (tentatively)
Eligibility: Open to current healthcare students, recent graduates, and aspiring clinicians interested in aging and long-term care.
The Baycrest Virtual Interprofessional Internship in Innovation & Aging is a four-week paid online program that introduces participants to aging and long-term care from a healthcare innovation perspective. You will participate in small-group sessions, complete simulation-based exercises, and work on a capstone project developed with guidance from older adults and Baycrest staff. The program allows you to gain experience in gerontology, interprofessional collaboration, and service design, using tools such as LIPHA, a simulation platform for healthcare learning.
8. Undergraduate Summer Research Program — Mount Sinai
Location: Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: $17.60/hour + 4% vacation pay (12 weeks, 37.5 hours/week)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: January 30
Dates: May – August (12 weeks, unspecified exact)
Eligibility: Students who have completed the second year of an undergraduate science program
The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute offers a competitive undergraduate summer research program at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Participants work full-time in labs on assigned projects. It targets science undergraduates past their second year. You work in a laboratory on a project assigned by your supervisor.
You develop research skills through hands-on experimentation. You contribute to ongoing scientific investigations in your chosen research area. You analyze data and interpret results under guidance. You prepare and deliver a poster presentation of your project findings at the program conclusion.
9. Volunteering in the Bloorview Research Institute — Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Location: Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid volunteer position; no stipend indicated
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Unspecified
Application Deadline: Rolling
Dates: Flexible, typically ongoing during the academic year or over a defined volunteer term
Eligibility: Individuals interested in research in childhood disability; no explicit degree level specified, but the structure is compatible with undergraduate and other trainees seeking research experience
Volunteering in the Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) allows students to join specific research projects as part of a team led by a BRI scientist, focusing on childhood disability and rehabilitation‑related topics. To participate, prospective volunteers must identify and contact a BRI scientist whose work aligns with their interests, rather than applying through a central university or student‑program portal.
Scientists may require additional materials, and volunteers are expected to wait at least 2 weeks for a response before contacting another researcher. Once a scientist agrees to host a volunteer, the individual completes a separate BRI‑specific volunteer application routed through the hospital’s Volunteer Resources department, which can include reference checks and other administrative requirements. Holland Bloorview frames this track as a way to diversify its research workforce and encourages applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups.
10. Anne & David Ward Family Summer Student Research Day — Bloorview Research Institute
Location: Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Conference Centre and Coriat Atrium, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: Unpaid attendance; participation in the associated Ward Family Summer Student Research Program is a paid research position funded by the Ward Family Foundation and institutional donors
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx. 17 students
Application Deadline: Typically early‑ to mid‑spring
Dates: Not specified (typically July)
Eligibility: Undergraduate and medical students from universities across Canada; includes a SOAR (Sparking student Opportunities for Advancing inclusive childhood disability Research) stream for learners from under‑represented communities
The Anne & David Ward Family Summer Student Research Day is the culminating event for the Ward Family Summer Student Research Program at the Bloorview Research Institute, where selected students present their summer research projects to an audience of hospital staff, scientists, and external guests. Participants are embedded in specific BRI labs — such as the Autism Research Centre, EPIC Lab, PROPEL Lab, and PRISM Lab — where they work under the supervision of senior researchers on childhood‑disability and developmental‑differences topics.
The day features research‑poster presentations, short “Quick Hits” talks, and longer formal research talks, with awards given for best poster, best quick‑hit, and best full presentation. The 2025 cohort of 17 students was chosen from more than 1,200 national applications, including those in the SOAR‑stream track that targets underrepresented learners through a partnership with the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine and the Community of Support‑Research Application Support Initiative (COS‑RASI).
11. Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation — Summer Student Research Program (SSRP)
Location: William Osler Health System (Brampton Civic Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital, Peel Memorial Centre), Toronto Metropolitan Area, ON
Cost: Free; paid positions at minimum wage
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: February 16
Dates: June 1 – August 25
Eligibility: Open to undergraduate students with at least two years of post-secondary education completed, ideally in a health-related discipline
In the ORIHI Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), you spend 15 weeks designing and carrying out a research project. You work full-time at hospital sites such as Brampton Civic, Etobicoke General, and Peel Memorial, contributing to studies that inform patient care and hospital operations.
Your responsibilities include preparing ethics submissions, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting your results at the ORIHI poster day in August. You also participate in bi-weekly sessions on research methods, regulatory requirements, and tools such as Excel and PowerPoint. Guidance is provided by clinical supervisors and research staff throughout the program.
12. Sunnybrook Research Institute Summer Student Research Program
Location: Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: $18.30-$20.99/hour + 4% vacation (based on year; paid by supervisor)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Application Deadline: Unspecified (apply via careers page postings)
Dates: May – late August
Eligibility: University students (B+ average minimum); post-year 1+ in any program
Sunnybrook Research Institute’s Summer Student Research Program offers university students hospital-based research placements across its platforms. It emphasizes exposure to postgraduate research environments through seminars and presentations. The program runs from May to late August with competitive PI-selected positions.
You will receive orientation to SRI research platforms upon arrival, and you will attend regular seminars where faculty present their ongoing investigations. You will work directly with a Principal Investigator on hospital-based projects matching your interests, and explore research across SRI’s platforms, like brain sciences or other areas. You will showcase your summer project at the poster competition in McLaughlin Auditorium.
13. Scarborough Health Network Nursing and Allied Health Students
Location: Scarborough Health Network hospitals, Toronto, ON
Cost/Stipend: Unspecified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ～750 students per year
Application Deadline: Via school coordinators (Fall: June 15; Winter: Oct 15; Spring/Summer: Feb 15)
Dates: Fall, Winter, Spring/Summer terms
Eligibility: Diploma, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate students in nursing, OT, RT, SLP, MLT, pharmacy, physio, social work
Scarborough Health Network offers supervised practicum placements for nursing and allied health students from partnered colleges and universities. These clinical experiences occur across most SHN programs and services under the guidance of experienced staff.
You complete supervised clinical rotations in assigned SHN services. You gain practical experience alongside skilled staff and physicians. You apply academic training to real patient care scenarios. You participate in various hospital programs that match your discipline.
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Image source - SickKids logo