14 Healthcare Internships for High School Students in Montana
Participating in a healthcare internship as a high school student is a good way to explore a future career in medicine. Not only does it provide practical experience, but it also gives you a realistic look at healthcare environments before you commit to a college major. This kind of exposure enhances your resume and academic profile, making you stand out to college admissions boards. Furthermore, building early relationships with working professionals can improve your future employability by expanding your network and giving you access to valuable mentorship.
What healthcare internships are available for high school students in Montana?
High school students in Montana who are curious about medicine can find several types of internships that offer a look at the healthcare field. These opportunities usually involve shadowing doctors and nurses, helping with basic office tasks, organizing medical supplies, or joining community health and education projects. Prominent facilities across the state, such as Billings Clinic, Logan Health, Benefis Health System, Providence St. Patrick Hospital, and St. Vincent Healthcare, are great places to look for these experiences. By spending time in these medical environments, you can build basic workplace skills, see what patient care looks like, and figure out if a career in health and wellness is the right path for you.
If you are interested in healthcare careers, we have listed 14 healthcare internships for high school students in Montana below to help you get started.
1. NIH Summer Internship Program
Location: NIH campuses, including Hamilton, MT
Stipend: $2,530
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective; limited cohort size
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer (typically June–August)
Application Deadline: February 18
Eligibility: Graduating high school students enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school; permanent home address within 40 miles of an NIH campus; U.S. citizens or permanent residents; 17+ by June 1
Through the NIH Summer Internship Program, you will work on research projects in biomedical, clinical, or public health science alongside NIH investigators. You will assist with experiments, data collection, literature review, and research documentation under the guidance of a mentor. You will attend professional development workshops, seminars, and optional networking events that support your scientific skills and career insight. You will have the opportunity to present your work at poster sessions or group meetings. The program offers both onsite laboratory experiences and virtual research work.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Remote. Attend from anywhere in the world!
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25%; 70–100 students per session
Dates: Various cohorts in Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall
Application Deadline: Varies based on the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
During this virtual internship, you will work remotely with a startup or nonprofit on a real-world project tied to its day-to-day operations. You will be responsible for defined tasks such as research, analysis, strategy support, or content creation, depending on the host organization. Throughout the program, you will receive structured guidance from a company manager and ongoing support from a Ladder Coach. You will also meet regularly to review progress and refine your work. At the end of the internship, you will present your final project to stakeholders. Apply now!
3. Summer Internships for High School
Location: McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, Montana
Stipend: $3,500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically 10–15 students
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Students who have completed junior or senior year of high school; must be on track for four years of math, chemistry, biology, and/or physics
Through this healthcare internship for high school students in Montana, you will spend eight weeks working in a McLaughlin Research Institute lab or the Animal Resource Center on an active scientific research project. You will assist faculty, postdoctoral researchers, or research assistants with lab tasks, learn investigative techniques, and participate in workshops, journal clubs, and seminars. You will also interact with other student researchers and discuss findings. At the end of the program, you will present a formal summary of your project.
4. ProvidenceReady Montana Programs
Location: Missoula and Polson, Montana
Cost/Stipend: No cost for the Earn to Learn track; $1,200 for the standard tuition track / Stipend paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size varies
Dates: 6-week training cycles offered on a rolling quarterly basis
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Must be at least 18 years old by the start date
In this program, you enter the medical field through an "Earn to Learn" model that pays you an hourly wage to attend classes and clinical rotations. You study healthcare topics like basic patient care, vital signs monitoring, and infection control. During the six-week training, you will practice in a nursing simulation center, measure patient blood pressure, assist individuals with daily tasks like eating, and record medical data. The program completely covers your certification costs and transitions you into a permanent hospital job after you pass your exams. Ultimately, you develop core clinical skills, emergency CPR proficiency, and strong patient communication abilities.
5. St. Luke’s Med-Ahead High School Internship Program
Location: St. Luke’s University Health Network campuses
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically 15–25 students per session
Dates: 8 weeks between late June and mid-August
Application Deadline: Mid-March
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (must be at least 16 years old) with a minimum 3.5 GPA
In this healthcare internship for high school students in Montana, you will spend the school year gaining firsthand exposure to how a community hospital operates. You will rotate through multiple departments, including emergency services, family medicine, administration, marketing, finance, and medical records. You will also attend weekly classroom sessions that cover topics like HIPAA, infection control, and professional conduct. With patient consent, you will observe healthcare professionals at work and take part in structured activities every two weeks in a new area. Ultimately, you will learn how different teams collaborate to deliver care.
6. Research and Explore Awesome Careers in Healthcare (REACH)
Location: Healthcare facilities in Western Montana, coordinated by Western Montana AHEC
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 40 students
Dates: One-day events held on scheduled dates set by hospital sites
Application Deadline: Rolling; generally requires registration 2–4 weeks before the specific event date via a teacher or regional AHEC coordinator
Eligibility: Montana high school students
In the REACH program, you will spend a day at a healthcare facility exploring different medical careers through guided, hands-on stations. You will rotate through multiple activity areas led by healthcare professionals who explain their roles and daily responsibilities. Activities may include basic clinical tasks, demonstrations, and problem-solving exercises tied to healthcare settings. Throughout the day, you will interact directly with providers and ask questions about education paths and job requirements. REACH helps you connect school learning to real healthcare work while meeting professionals from your local community.
7. Highlands College & Billings Career Center CNA Clinicals
Location: Billings & Butte, MT
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; around 33 students
Dates: 1 semester to 1 year
Application Deadline: Varies by high school
Eligibility: Students at participating local high schools
This dual-enrollment program allows you to earn a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license and college credit before graduating high school. You will study essential topics like health care foundations, college writing, and applied mathematics. To gain experience, you will complete online coursework, practice hands-on techniques with a traveling instructor, and execute 25 hours of clinical rotations at a local hospital. A unique feature is its full financial backing, providing you with free scrubs, study materials, a blood pressure cuff, and a stethoscope. Ultimately, you will master vital patient care protocols, clinical safety measures, and fundamental nursing skills to pass your state licensing exam.
8. High School Internships with Logan Health
Location: Kalispell, Montana
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies by department availability
Dates: Flexible / Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years of age
This internship program is a hands-on learning experience designed to help you explore different healthcare careers without directly treating patients. You will cover diverse topics ranging from clinical research and medical library cataloging to physical therapy and hospital operations. Depending on your assigned department, you might organize clinical trial data, develop social media content, assist with pre-production for hospital videos, or process incoming medical literature. The program allows you to rotate through non-clinical departments like the print shop, plant operations, or the fitness center to see how a large medical facility functions behind the scenes.
9. Benefis Health System Healthcare Job Shadowing Program
Location: Great Falls, Montana
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; coordinated on an individual basis
Dates: Arranged individually based on student request and facility schedule
Application Deadline: Rolling / Year-round
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
In this program, you will get a realistic, firsthand look at daily operations inside a major medical center. Your experience covers diverse healthcare topics, including direct patient care, clinical department workflows, and the roles of various medical specialists. During your time at the facility, you will follow medical professionals on their shifts, observe interactions with patients, and witness the day-to-day duties required to keep a hospital running. By participating in this experience, you will develop a practical understanding of clinical environments, improve your professional workplace etiquette, and gain career readiness skills.
10. RiverStone Health Job Shadowing
Location: Billings, Montana
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Arranged individually based on student and staff availability
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and older (Note: Students under 18 need parental permission and are restricted from shadowing in the main clinic to protect patient privacy, but may shadow in other approved departments)
In this program, you will gain a firsthand look into the daily realities of medical and public health careers. Your experience covers various healthcare topics by letting you learn directly from physicians, registered nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, and public health experts. You will complete a formal onboarding process, observe the daily routines of medical staff, shadow providers during their non-clinical tasks, and discuss community health strategies. Your placement is customized by the Eastern Montana Area Health Education Center based on your specific career goals. By participating, you will develop a practical awareness of how community healthcare operates.
11. Benefis Health System Junior Volunteers
Location: Great Falls, Montana
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 15–20 students per campus
Dates: Summer months
Application Deadline: Typically Spring
Eligibility: High school students ages 14–18
As a Junior Volunteer at Benefis Health System, you will gain hands-on exposure to daily hospital operations and patient support. During your time in the program, you will engage in activities like greeting and guiding facility visitors, assisting staff with essential office tasks, running interdepartmental errands, and delivering items to patient rooms. The program allows you to rotate through and experience both the East and West campuses of a major regional medical center. The experience covers foundational healthcare topics such as compassionate patient interaction, administrative workflows, and community health services.
12. Billings Clinic Student Volunteer Program
Location: Billings, Montana
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; usually accommodates 30–50 students annually
Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students ages 15–18; must be fluent in English
In this program, you will gain practical exposure to the daily operations of a large, integrated healthcare system. You will explore topics related to patient experience, hospital administration, and general clinical support across various medical departments. During your shifts, you will assist staff with administrative tasks, guide visitors through the campus, deliver items to different hospital units, and provide basic comfort measures to patients. The program features a highly structured onboarding process, which mimics the real hiring process for hospital employees by requiring formal interviews, background checks, health screenings, and comprehensive orientation sessions.
13. Glendive Medical Center Junior Volunteer Program
Location: Glendive, Montana
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size varies
Dates: Year-round or Summer; scheduling is based on student availability
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Local students between the ages of 11 and 18
As a Junior Volunteer at Glendive Medical Center, you will get an introductory look at how a community hospital operates by donating your time to help staff and patients. The program covers basic healthcare support, elder care engagement, and hospital retail operations. During your shifts, you will assist with recreational activities at the Heritage facility, engage with residents in the Extended Care unit, and help organize inventory at The Attic resale shop. A unique feature of this opportunity is its very early entry age, allowing you to start participating and exploring the medical environment as young as 11 years old. By the end, you will learn essential workplace communication, teamwork, and compassion.
14. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $45 application fee + $2,400 tuition; 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: High school students entering grades 9–12, who are at least 14 years old by the start of the program and live in the U.S.
Through this two-week virtual Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship, you will explore how artificial intelligence applies to medicine and healthcare. You will attend technical lectures on AI fundamentals and clinical applications led by Stanford researchers, clinicians, and trainees. You will work in a small team on a focused health AI research project, guided by mentors and student leads. You will join hands-on project sessions that help you apply what you learn and develop teamwork and problem-solving skills. Guest speakers from academia, industry, and healthcare share real-world insights, and social activities help you connect with peers across the country.
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