12 Medical Internships for High School Students in Illinois
If you're a high school student in Illinois with an interest in medicine or healthcare, exploring internships can be a great way to gain experience and insight into the field. With its nationally recognized hospitals, diverse patient populations, and renowned research institutions like the University of Chicago and Northwestern Medicine, Illinois offers excellent opportunities for medical internships.
Such internships offer practical skills, exposure to medical environments, and opportunities to connect with professionals - all without the hefty price tag of some programs. Many organizations and institutions offer programs that even provide stipends, making them accessible options to consider.
Below is a list of 12 medical internships for high school students in Illinois, each offering unique experiences to help you explore and prepare for a potential career in healthcare.
1. MedSTEM Explorers – Rush University Medical Center
Location: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 20 - August 1
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores and juniors from Chicago (weighted GPA 2.5)
Stipend: Paid
This six-week paid summer program gives high school students in Chicago the chance to explore healthcare and STEM careers through workshops and research projects. You'll work on researching health issues in your community while developing workplace skills and earning basic certifications. The program also includes college readiness training, helping you strengthen academic skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and time management. You will participate in group discussions, community service, and career exploration activities led by professionals across the healthcare field. Successful participants may also be considered for the MedSTEM Pathways internship program.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 8 weeks, dates vary
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students, undergrads
Cost: Starts at $2,490, financial aid available
Ladder offers remote research internships for high school students, connecting them with mentors from top universities. Founded and run by Harvard entrepreneurs, the program is designed for ambitious students looking to gain real-world experience. Over the course of 8 weeks, you’ll work on research projects in fields like medicine, build skills in data analysis, critical thinking, and academic writing, and meet weekly with a dedicated mentor. The program culminates in a final presentation that can strengthen your college applications and future opportunities.
3. SIH High School Summer Internship Program
Location: Southern Illinois Healthcare facilities
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 10 to July 17
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: High school students
Stipend: Unpaid
This summer medical internship program is designed to introduce high school students to a wide range of healthcare careers through structured shadowing opportunities. Over the course of several weeks, you'll rotate through departments like nursing, radiology, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, laboratory services, and rehabilitation. You will observe healthcare professionals in real clinical settings. The program also includes exposure to tasks like administering treatments, monitoring medications, and interpreting imaging for diagnoses.
4. NM GCM Grosvenor Discovery Program
Location: Various Northwestern Medicine hospitals across Illinois
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective
Dates: November 15 onwards
Application Deadline: September 29
Eligibility: Sophomore or junior year of high school
Stipend: Unpaid
The Discovery Program introduces high school students to careers in healthcare through monthly sessions held during the school year. You will participate in hospital tours, hear from guest speakers, and take part in group discussions and activities. The program also includes professional development workshops, community service opportunities, and leadership-building sessions. Networking with healthcare professionals is also a key component.
5. UIC Rockford Biomedical Sciences Summer Programs
Location: UIC College of Medicine Rockford, Rockford, Illinois
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Five students are selected each year
Dates: June 9 - August 1
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students aged 16 and above
Cost/Stipend: Stipend not specified, funded by Thermo Fisher Scientific.
This eight-week summer research internship at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford gives high school students a chance to work alongside scientists in biomedical research labs. You will gain lab experience in areas like cancer research, vaccine development, and drug discovery. Each intern becomes part of a research team, learning laboratory techniques, contributing to projects, and receiving one-on-one mentorship from university scientists. You will conclude the internship by presenting your work at the Summer Science Forum.
6. CHESS – Cancer Health Equity Summer Scholars
Location: University of Illinois, Chicago
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 16 - August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: High school students completing sophomore, junior, or senior years from underrepresented backgrounds
Cost/Stipend: $3,000 stipend
If you're a high school student from an underrepresented background in science or healthcare, the CHESS program offers you an opportunity to explore cancer research firsthand. Over eight weeks, you’ll be matched with a UIC faculty lab and work on your own research project. You’ll gain lab experience, attend workshops and lectures, and at the end of the program, you’ll present your project at the Cancer Center’s student research symposium.
7. Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program – University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 5% acceptance rate
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Rising 10th–12th graders
Cost/Stipend: Free; monetary award upon completion
The Young Scholars Summer STEMM Research Program is a six-week, in-person research opportunity for high school students. Hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, this program places students in one of its three research groups based on the students’ interests. You will gain research experience while working alongside scientists and engineers in fields like neuroscience, cancer immunology, and bioengineering. You'll spend 30–35 hours each week on lab work and professional development, attend seminars on topics such as college admissions and scientific communication, and present your work at a final research symposium.
8. Chicago EYES on Cancer – University of Chicago
Location: University of Chicago
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Two 8-week summer sessions (the second full week of June through the first week of August)
Application Deadline: Varies (released each fall)
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors OR college freshmen/sophomores; must be at least 16
Stipend: $5,000 per year
Chicago EYES on Cancer is a two-year program for high school and college students that combines full-time summer research with year-round enrichment. You will work for two consecutive summers in cancer research labs, gaining experience in basic, translational, clinical, or population science. The program includes a summer lecture series, monthly academic-year workshops, and culminates in a research symposium. You will receive mentorship from faculty, professionals, and peers throughout.
9. SHE in Oncology – University of Chicago
Location: Virtual
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 20 trainees
Dates: not specified; typically second half of July
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Cost/Stipend: $500
SHE in Oncology is a virtual, two-week summer program for high school students interested in science and medicine, with a focus on cancer. Trainees engage in research using home lab kits, work on a genetics-based project and a patient case study, and attend daily faculty lectures and workshops. You will collaborate with peers from institutions like the Universities of Chicago, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas at Austin, and Kentucky. The program offers a stipend and access to mentorship and career development.
10. ResearcHStart – University of Chicago and Partners
Location: University of Chicago, Illinois
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
Stipend: $3000
ResearcHStart is an eight-week summer research program for high school juniors and seniors, hosted by the University of Chicago in collaboration with other institutions. You will engage in cancer research, learning biophysics, biochemistry, immunology, and pharmacology in a guided environment. You’ll work full-time in laboratories, gaining experience and developing scientific writing and presentation skills. The program culminates in a research symposium where you will present your findings.
11. Stanford AIMI - AI in Medicine Summer Health AI Bootcamp
Location: Virtual
Dates: June 16 - 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (grades 9–12)
Cost: $850; $40 application fee (financial aid available)
This two-week virtual bootcamp offers high school students an introduction to the basics of machine learning in healthcare. You’ll learn key concepts like evaluation metrics, take part in team challenges applying AI to medical problems, and explore emerging trends such as generative AI. The program includes interactive lessons, group projects, and guest sessions with experts from academia, government, and industry. You’ll collaborate with peers and gain insight into how AI is transforming healthcare.
12. MedSTEM Pathways – Rush University Medical Center
Location: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Summer session: June 16 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; paid internship
MedSTEM Pathways is a paid internship program for rising high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates. Over a seven-week summer session, you will intern in departments at Rush University Medical Center or partner organizations aligned with your career interests. You will develop workplace and healthcare skills, earn industry-recognized certifications (like ECG Tech and CNA), and build college readiness skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and time management. The program also offers career guidance, networking with healthcare professionals, and opportunities to strengthen life skills. Fall and spring sessions provide continued internship experiences for summer alumni.