15 Medical Internships for High School Students in Canada

If you are a high school student, internships are a great way to explore your interests while gaining practical experience, enhancing your profile, and building connections with other like-minded peers. Internships can also help you build confidence, develop industry-relevant skills, and bridge the gap between academics and application.

If you're interested in pursuing a medical internship, Canada has many research-driven medical institutions, hospitals, and research labs that encourage students to get early exposure to medical and healthcare-related careers. These internships will provide practical learning, access to medical institutions, and mentorship from professionals.

 To make it easier for you, we've curated a list of 15 Medical Internships for High School Students in Canada. 

1. Medicine Youth Summer Program (Med YSP) 

Location: University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Cost: $1,668 for each module
Cohort size: 120 students per week
Dates: Multiple dates between July - August
Application Deadline: Applications are on a rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students from grades 10 - 12; Canadian and International students

The Youth Summer Program (YSP) helps high school students explore the field of medicine. The program includes modules such as Human Physiology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, and Microbiology. You will learn about the medical field through lab experiments, talking to researchers and experts, and attending interactive sessions. Projects range from how the body metabolizes drugs to learning about forensics by collecting evidence from a mock crime scene. The program takes place in Toronto's Medical Discovery District, offering access to researchers and exposure to medical innovation.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world.
Cost: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available)
Application deadline: Fall Cohort deadline is August 24; Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November). 
Program dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Eligibility: Students who can work 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!

Ladder Internships is a selective startup internship program for ambitious high school students! In the program, you work with a high-growth startup on an internship. Startups that offer internships range across various industries, from tech/deep tech and AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. In the program, interns work closely with their managers and a Ladder Coach on projects and present their work to the company. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.

3. Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program

Location: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON
Stipend: Paid
Cohort size: 25 students
Dates: Summer (July 2 is the tentative starting date)
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Enrolled high school student; eligible to work in Canada. Must be 16 years of age by July 1

Focused Ultrasound Labs offers a summer research program to high school students interested in medicine. As an intern, you'll contribute to the lab's progress in medical research and medical device development. Some projects you will participate in include CT-based 3D modeling of spinal vertebrae for ultrasound therapy, skull segmentation, and circuit board building. You'll get exposure to valuable projects and learn lab techniques and clinical workflows. Interns also participate in seminars and social events with top medical researchers. 

4. High School Youth Researcher Summer Program (HYRS)

Location: University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Stipend: Approx $15/hour for 30-35 hours/week
Cohort size: 25-30 students (Highly Selective)
Dates: July 3 – August 14 (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 14
Eligibility: Grade 11 students; Eligible to work in Canada; Reside in or north of Red Deer

The High School Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) Program is a 6-week internship for students interested in health and medical sciences at the University of Alberta. You'll work in research and innovation in emerging health technologies through engaging in lab work, clinical research, and data analysis. Projects you can expect to work on include preparing health data for machine learning tools, developing new digital health tools, and using computer simulations to help design new drugs. Interns will also get to engage in career exploration activities and skill development workshops. Selection is competitive and based on academic performance, selection of related subjects, and interest in medical sciences. 

5. Cumming School of Medicine Summer Studentship Program

Location: Centre for Health Informatics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate: Highly Selective
Dates: Summer (8 weeks) (Dates may vary)
Application Deadline: December 23
Eligibility: High school students

The Centre for Health Informatics' Summer Studentship Program provides health research experience for students interested in data science and health informatics. You'll gain exposure to health data while working alongside an academic researcher whose expertise aligns with your discipline. Some projects you can work on include health informatics, basic data science, health services, and data visualization. You'll be expected to maintain a 35-hour work week, follow lab protocols, and complete a final research report on your work. The program is competitive, with only a select few students getting in each year.

6. Student Advancement Research (StAR) Program

Location: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: 6 weeks (Dates to be announced)
Application Deadline: Applications start in the spring
Eligibility: High school students from Indigenous, black, and Filipino communities; 16 years of age at the start of the program; Grade 11 or 12; Canadian citizen or permanent resident 

The Student Advancement Research (StAR) Program is a six-week paid summer research program that allows high school students to work in a leading pediatric medical research lab. As an intern, you'll be paired with a SickKids lab and receive mentorship from research scientists to work on your research project. You will learn how to formulate research questions, design experiments, troubleshoot procedures, and interpret scientific results. Some areas you can work on include pediatric health and disease, neurosciences, stem cell biology, and translational research. You will present your findings in a research symposium at the end of the program. 

7. Secondary School Research Bursary

Location: Hamilton Health Science Labs, Hamilton, ON (Location varies)
Stipend: Bursary on successful completion of the program
Acceptance rate: Competitive program
Dates: June 30 - August 15 (7 weeks)
Application Deadline: March 23
Eligibility: Senior secondary school students (Grades 11 - 12)

The secondary school research bursary is a 7-week internship program for students interested in health or life sciences at Hamilton Health Sciences. You will be part of a research-led academic hospital network focusing on cancer research, ageing sciences, child studies, and geriatric research. You will gain insight into medical research, assist with data collection and lab work, and shadow health science researchers. By working on research projects and clinical trials, you will experience how scientific questions are tested and answered and explore the field of biomedical research, healthcare, and clinical science. Selection is competitive and requires an essay, resume, academic transcript, and a nomination letter from your science department head or science teacher.

8. SciHigh – Lunenfeld‑Tanenbaum Research Institute Internship

Location: Lunenfeld‑Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto, ON
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: March break and Summer (dates vary)
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Grade 11 - 12 students; Must be 16 by the start of the internship.

The SciHigh summer internship takes place at the Lunenfeld‑Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI), a part of Mount Sinai Hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. As an intern, you will get to work at a leading biomedical research facility, work on research full-time, shadow other researchers, and understand their work. To qualify, you must be enrolled in grade 11 biology and chemistry. If you're considering a career in biomedical research, this program offers firsthand insight into laboratory operations, science communication, and collaborative research approaches to solving health challenges.

9. Women's College Hospital Summer Student Research Program

Location: Women's College Hospital, Toronto, ON
Stipend: 17.2 CAD/hour
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July 8 - August 16
Application Deadline: Applications are processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized women, 2SLGBTQI+, trans, two-spirit, non-binary, and persons with a disability; Ontario residents and eligible to work in Ontario; Grade 11 OR 12; 16 years by the start of the program 

The Women's College Hospital Summer Student Research Program is a 6-week paid research program for students from underrepresented backgrounds in healthcare and health science. As an intern, you will be part of the research team and focus on women's health, health equity, and health system solutions. You will also participate in literature searches and data entry, and help researchers with presentation and publication. Additional activities include group activities, panels and webinars, networking events, and a research showcase. 

10. seed2STEM Summer Research Program for Indigenous Youth

Location: Metro, Vancouver, BC
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 7 - August 15
Application Deadline: Applications are processed on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Indigenous, high school students from grades 9 - 12

seed2STEM is a 6-week paid summer internship program for indigenous high school students. As an intern, you will work in research areas such as neuroscience, engineering, chemistry, biology, math, and more. You will get to present your research to the research community, friends, and family at a celebration symposium. The internship includes weekly group activities, guest speakers, and trips to scientific and cultural centers. Interns who pursue STEM-related post-secondary studies can return for a 4-month paid research assistantship.

11. Xavier Pelletier High School Internship Program

Location: BC Cancer Victoria Centre, BC
Stipend: $3,000 bursary toward post-secondary education on successful completion of the program
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: July - August (8 weeks) (exact dates to be announced)
Application Deadline: March 3
Eligibility: Grade 11 students; Students registered in Vancouver Island secondary schools; view the complete list here

The Deeley Research Centre offers high school students an 8-week summer internship opportunity. You'll contribute to cancer research while assisting researchers with ongoing projects and staying current with the latest field developments. You will work closely with a designated supervisor and research team to develop your research project, which you will present at the program's conclusion. This highly selective program requires a nomination from your school principal or science department head, a projected 85% average in required subjects, and successful completion of a selection committee interview.

12. London Health Sciences Centre High School Co-op Program

Location: London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON
Cost: $39 onboarding fee
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Will be determined by co-op teachers and site teachers
Application Deadline: August 24
Eligibility: High school students

London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) provides a co-op program for high school students to spark their interest in healthcare careers. As a part of the program, you'll engage in the workings of a major hospital network and explore diverse healthcare career paths in medicine, allied health, administration, technology, and healthcare management. You'll gain insight into the roles of medical professionals and administrative staff, as well as how they work together to support hospital operations. You will also learn across various departments, including critical care, neurology, paediatrics, surgery, diagnostic imaging, and cardiology, gaining an understanding of acute care delivery and patient care processes. 

13. Indigenous Health High School Internship Program

Location: Southern Health-Santé Sud, Southern Manitoba, MB
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Phase 1 - February - June | Phase 2 - July - August
Application Deadline: Applications are processed on a rolling basis; apply here
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10 - 12; students from Indigenous backgrounds (First Nation, Métis, Inuit and Non-Status); a minimum average of 65%

The Indigenous Health High School Internship Program is a 6-week internship program that introduces indigenous students to diverse healthcare careers through experience at Southern Health-Santé Sud. The program takes place in two phases. The first phase allows students to volunteer, observe daily operations, understand how healthcare institutions function, and gain insight into various medical roles and responsibilities. The second phase takes place over 6 weeks in the summer, where you'll gain insight into healthcare while building practical skills and professional networks within the medical field.

14. Unity Health High School Co-op Learners

Location: St. Joseph's Unity Health, Toronto, ON
Cost: Not disclosed
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Semester-wise (dates vary)
Application Deadline: September 1 | February 1
Eligibility: High school students in grades 11 or 12; at least 16 years of age

St Joseph Unity Health provides high school students the opportunity to gain experience in the healthcare process through a co-op program. You will be assigned to a core placement in hospital departments such as Pediatrics, Surgery, Oncology, or Laboratory. You'll also participate in workshops that teach practical healthcare skills, attend sessions on medical terminology and patient care basics, and tour different hospital departments to see various career options up close. The program lets you earn academic credit while building professional skills and exploring various career options in the medical field.

15. WISEST Summer Research Program

Location: Assiniboia Hall, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB,
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Competitive
Dates: July 3 - August 14 (6 weeks)
Application Deadline: April 2
Eligibility: Grade 11 students; applications open to women, gender-diverse, indigenous, and racialized students

Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science, and Technology (WISEST) is a six-week summer research program that encourages participation from underrepresented students and helps them explore a future in STEM. As part of the program, you will conduct lab-based research, receive mentorship, and explore diverse career pathways in STEM. Previous interns have worked on research projects spanning medical research, biomedical engineering, and life sciences. You will also tour research facilities, learn about career options, receive workplace training, and join weekly lunches with fellow interns. The program concludes with presentations where you will showcase your research and demonstrate what you've learned.