12 Medical Internships for High School Students in Michigan
If you’re a high school student based in Michigan and interested in the medical field, participating in summer medical internships for high school students is a great way to explore your interests. Medical internships, especially local ones, allow you to gain hands-on experience, develop a strong skillset, and build meaningful connections with professionals, all without having to spend a ton of money
Unlike costly pre-college programs, many internships below are free, and some even provide stipends, making them an accessible choice for many students. These programs not only enhance your college applications but also help you make informed decisions about your future career path.
In this piece, we've compiled a list of 12 medical internships for high school students in Michigan. Whether you're looking for in-person experiences or virtual programs, there's something here for everyone.
1. BioMed Focus By University of Michigan
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: Opens in October
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors planning to apply to college
Stipend: $4,000
In this eight-week internship, you’ll work alongside PhD students and postdocs on active biomedical research projects. You’ll gain hands-on experience in lab techniques, data analysis, and research methods while being mentored by experts. In addition to the research work, you’ll be expected to participate in a science communication course and a college preparatory course. The program includes a final presentation where you share your findings with faculty and peers. This experience is designed to develop your scientific skills and expose you to real-world biomedical research.
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Multiple 8-12-week cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies, based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Founded by Harvard Alumni, Ladder Internships offers remote opportunities where you work on real projects with startups, including many in the health and biotech sectors. Many of these startups are high-growth companies that, on average, raise over a million dollars. You’ll get to work with a startup manager and a Ladder Coach, meaning you’ll get to receive mentorship, develop professional skills, and gain exposure to the business side of medical technology. You’ll also engage in hands-on tasks, collaborate with professionals, and present your work at the program's conclusion.
3. National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) – Medicine & Health Care
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 16 – 24; June 29 – July 7; July 12 – 20; July 25 – August 2
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18
Cost: $4,095 (Residential)
The NSLC on Medicine & Health Care is a 9-day residential summer program for high school students interested in exploring careers in medicine. As a participant, you’ll engage in hands-on simulations, including surgical skills, clinical diagnostics, and emergency medicine scenarios. The program also includes anatomy workshops, public health campaigns, and site visits to medical facilities, such as the Kado Clinical Skills Center and Wayne State University School of Medicine. You’ll also attend guest lectures by medical professionals, debate real-world healthcare issues, and take part in leadership workshops that can help build skills like communication and empathy.
4. Michigan Health Sciences Pre-College Exposure Academy (SPEA)
Location: University of Michigan (Hybrid: Virtual + In-Person, Ann Arbor, MI)
Acceptance Rate: Not highly selective
Dates: July 8 – August 2
Application Deadline: February 8
Eligibility: High school students from underserved or underrepresented backgrounds; Rising juniors and seniors preferred
Cost: Free
The Michigan Health Sciences Pre-College Exposure Academy (SPEA) is a four-week summer enrichment program designed to introduce high school students to careers in medicine, biomedical research, and health equity. Hosted by the University of Michigan, the program runs in a hybrid format—virtual SAT prep and professional development sessions from Monday to Thursday—and in-person activities on Fridays at the Ann Arbor campus. You will participate in interactive workshops, writing coaching, and leadership training aligned with AAMC Core Competencies, gaining early exposure to the academic and personal skills needed in the healthcare field. SPEA also provides mentorship from Michigan Medicine faculty, staff, and students, helping participants build a network and prepare for college-level study in health sciences.
5. Henry Ford Health Department of Surgery High School Mentorship Program
Location: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Cohort size: 10 students
Dates: Runs during the academic year with an internship in the summer
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Detroit-area high school students
Stipend: $1,000
This year-round mentorship program offers medical internships for high school students in the Detroit area, giving you insight into medical and surgical careers through hands-on experiences and exposure to hospital environments. The program is structured in three phases: weekend simulation-based workshops during the academic year, hospital tours and professional shadowing, and a competitive paid summer internship for select students. During Saturday sessions, you will learn surgical skills such as suturing, knot tying, and minimally invasive techniques in the Surgical Simulation Suite. You’ll also interact with medical professionals and gain insight into various health career paths.
6. Discovery to Cure High School Internship – Wayne State University
Location: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: March 14 – March 31
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (at least 16 years of age)
Cost/Stipend: Unspecified
The Discovery to Cure High School Internship is an eight-week program that immerses high school juniors and seniors in biomedical research areas such as reproductive biology and immunology. You will work full-time in university labs, developing research projects under faculty mentorship. The program focuses on hands-on experience with lab techniques, experimental design, and data analysis. You’ll also collaborate closely with researchers and often present their findings at the program’s conclusion.
7. BCAP (Biomedical Career Advancement Program) – Wayne State University
Location: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective; Approx. 45 students yearly
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: February 1 – April 7
Eligibility: 10th to 12th grade students (2.75 GPA or above)
Stipend: $2,500
BCAP offers a six-week summer research experience focused on health science careers for 10th to 12th graders. You’ll engage with mentors to develop independent research projects. The program includes mentorship, hands-on activities, and opportunities to learn about medical career pathways. You’ll also attend workshops and seminars to deepen your understanding of healthcare fields. Throughout the week, you will work closely with research or clinical faculty to explore real scientific investigations. Fridays are reserved for immersive lab training, CPR and phlebotomy practice, career panels, and professional development sessions. This all culminates in a research symposium presentation.
8. Corewell Health Student Opportunities
Location: Various Corewell Health locations in Michigan
Acceptance Rate: Low to medium selectivity
Dates: Varies
Application Deadline: Not mentioned
Eligibility: High school students
Stipend: Paid and unpaid opportunities available
Corewell Health offers job shadowing and internship opportunities at various locations across Michigan for high school students interested in healthcare careers. You can observe healthcare professionals in different departments and gain insight into the daily routines and responsibilities involved in the medical field. The program varies by site, with experiences tailored to provide exposure to multiple healthcare roles. Their paid roles are posted seasonally on their job board, and their job shadowing program lets you observe healthcare professionals up to 40 hours annually.
9. Stanford AIMI – AI in Medicine Summer Health AI Bootcamp
Location: Virtual
Cohort Size: 50 students
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: December 9 – February 28
Eligibility: U.S. high school students (grades 912); Age 14+
Cost: $850 program fee; $40 application fee (financial aid available)
This two-week virtual bootcamp introduces high school students to the fundamentals of machine learning in healthcare. You will explore core concepts such as evaluation metrics, team-based challenges in applying AI to medical contexts, and current trends like generative AI. The program includes interactive modules, group activities, and guest sessions with professionals from academia, government, and industry. You will also collaborate with peers and gain early exposure to how AI is shaping healthcare.
10. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) – Virtual Experience
Location: Virtual
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: 5 weeks (Usually in July/August)
Application Deadline: December 1 – March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors in the U.S. and Canada
Stipend: Unpaid
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences offers a 5-week virtual summer research program for high school juniors and seniors across the U.S. During the program, you will get to explore different aspects of neurological sciences, behavioral sciences, biomedical research, and more. You’ll participate in educational presentations, professional development, and mentorship while learning basic laboratory techniques and neuroscience experiments remotely. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate. The program offers guided exposure to research and clinical pathways, helping academically motivated students explore potential careers as researchers or clinician-scientists.
11. MYHealth Michigan Program – University of Michigan
Location: Virtual
Cohort Size: 50 students
Dates: July 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: High school students in Southeast Michigan (14+ years of age)
Cost/Stipend: Free to attend; $10/hour of the program completed, $20/survey completion, $25 for the post-program interview
The MYHealth program is a fully virtual, research training initiative for high school students in Southeast Michigan. Over the course of the program, you will engage in interactive activities that introduce you to health research methodologies. You will collaborate in teams to design and complete real-life research projects, enhancing your understanding of health disparities and public health issues. You’ll start with the Summer Launch and may continue into the academic-year Impact Projects, where you will work weekly in teams and, later, have the chance to return as peer mentors. Upon successful completion, you will receive a certificate that recognizes your commitment to health research and equity. Guided by University of Michigan faculty, staff, and undergraduates, the program also includes engaging discussions with health professionals and team-building activities that foster both scientific curiosity and community connection.
12. RYSE MED Program By Henry Ford Health
Location: Henry Ford Health, Detroit, MI
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: June 29 – August 8
Application Deadline: April 7
Eligibility: Current 10th and 11th graders attending metro Detroit high schools
Cost/Stipend: Free; stipends may be available, but are not guaranteed
RYSE MED (Readying Youth Scientists for Excellence in Medicine, Health Equity, and Discovery) begins with a 6-week summer immersion where students shadow healthcare professionals, engage in hands-on simulations, and conduct research projects focused on health equity. The program continues with academic year activities, including mentorship and professional development. Students also participate in leadership workshops, build college readiness skills, and form long-term mentoring relationships with healthcare and research professionals. Throughout the program, there's a strong focus on community connection, culminating in a final presentation where students share their health equity projects with clinicians, families, and local leaders.