12 Medical Internships for High School Students in Sacramento, California
If you are a Sacramento high school student interested in medicine, participating in medical internships for high school students is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience in medicine. Medical internships will also offer you the chance to learn practical skills and get a glimpse into the field of healthcare.
Several top hospitals, universities, and organizations in Sacramento offer programs specifically designed for high school students. From research labs to clinical shadowing, these opportunities will help you connect with professionals, explore various medical roles, and lay a strong foundation for college and beyond.
Here are 12 medical internships for high school students in Sacramento, California.
1. FACES for the Future Sacramento Program
Location: Various healthcare and community-based agencies in Sacramento, CA; See the partners here
Stipend: May or may not be provided according to opportunity
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Program Dates: Multi-year program; Exact dates vary based on opportunity
Application Deadline: Accepted on a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students of Arthur A. Benjamin Health Professions High School and Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento, CA
Sacramento's FACES for the Future program facilitates high school students' entry into healthcare careers through healthcare internships and leadership development. As an intern, you’ll undertake clinical and non-clinical rotations with local healthcare and community-based organizations, fostering one-on-one relationships with supervisors who will offer support, guidance, and hands-on training. The program also features immersive interactive workshops, field trips, and tailored academic and career support. You’ll also get to participate in regular personal growth workshops and have opportunities to engage with health professionals.
Location: Remote
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: Several cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies, depending on cohort
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours per week
With Ladder Internships, high school students can gain experience working with high-growth startups via a virtual internship program. These companies belong to a variety of industries, from tech/deep tech and health tech to AI/ML, marketing, journalism, and more. During the program, you’ll work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects and present your work at the end. You will also attend one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other valuable skills. Apply here!
3. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) – Virtual Experience
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: July – August (5 weeks)
Application Deadline: December 1 – March 1
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors from across the country and Canada
High school juniors and seniors who are interested in neuroscience can participate in the Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) this summer. During the 5-week program, you’ll get to experience an academic research environment and a clinical environment. You’ll partake in numerous activities that aim to increase your interest in the brain sciences, including educational presentations and professional development training. You’ll also learn basic laboratory techniques and experiments, undergo mentorship training, and more. Once you complete the course, you'll receive a certificate, which you can add to your college applications.
4. UC Davis School of Medicine Health Equity Academy
Location: UC Davis Health, Sacramento, CA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Program Dates: June 16 – 28
Application Deadline: May 1 – 14
Eligibility: Current high school students who reside in California and have demonstrated a commitment to serve the underserved areas of CA, such as rural and central California
The UC Davis School of Medicine invites current high school students to explore the world of healthcare through an interactive, hands-on experience. The program offers insights into various healthcare career pathways while developing teamwork skills to create a research presentation. It also teaches you how to formulate a research question and equips you with the skills to investigate public health issues in your community. You’ll meet and interact with medical students, resident physicians, and health professionals, all while participating in enjoyable activities and enhancing your leadership skills.
5. NYU Medical Ethics Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Stipend: $640
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Program Dates: March 24 – May 16
Application Deadline: Last week of January
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors; Applications from underfunded or underrepresented schools are encouraged
The NYU Medical Ethics Internship Program introduces selected high school students to the concepts of bioethics. During the program, you will collaborate with faculty on ongoing projects and engage in activities related to research ethics and sports ethics. You’ll also learn about the allocation of medical resources, clinical ethics, and transplant ethics. You’ll also have the chance to interact and build lasting relationships with professionals in bioethics, public health, healthcare, biotech, and the pharmaceutical industries.
6. Summer Health Institute for Nursing Exploration and Success (SHINES)
Location: Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, UC Davis, Sacramento, CA
Stipend: Paid (Amount not specified)
Acceptance Rate: Moderately competitive
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: March 3 – April 7
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors who live or attend school within Sacramento city limits; Priority registration is available for students from selected schools
In SHINES, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in nursing for two weeks to determine if you are suited for the profession. The program features lectures, hands-on workshops, and simulation experiences that offer in-depth insight into the role of nurses. During the program, you’ll also learn how to prepare a professional portfolio and pick up on strategies for navigating academia. Activities include a service-learning project, a writing workshop, Barbershop Health talks, health professions simulations, and more.
7. UT Southwestern Medical Center’s High School Internship
Location: Remote
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Program Dates: 2 weeks in June
Application Deadline: Early February
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors
UT Southwestern Medical Center offers a two-week virtual summer internship that provides insight into mental health careers. The program is led by experienced mental health clinician-scientists, including licensed clinical social workers, neuropsychologists, physician assistants, and psychiatrists who explore various specialties in the field. You’ll attend interactive online sessions and learn about the professionals’ daily work experiences and career journeys. You will learn about the extensive field of mental health, including psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing, neuroscience, interventional psychiatry, and community psychiatry.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $850 + $40 application fee; Financial aid is available
Cohort Size: 20 students
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: December 9 – February 21
Eligibility: U.S. high school students; 14+ at the start of the internship; Students with strong math and/or computer programming skills, as well as experience with a healthcare project, are preferred
If you are interested in exploring the technical and clinical aspects of AI in healthcare, you should consider applying for the Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging’s summer research internship. It is aimed at sparking interest and empowering the next generation of AI pioneers in medicine through a two-week virtual program. On a daily basis, you’ll participate in introductory and technical lectures on AI in healthcare fundamentals and mentoring activities with student leads and researchers. You’ll also attend hands-on group working sessions for research projects, social activities, and virtual Career Lunch and Learns with guest speakers. The program also offers an extended internship program for independent research.
9. SPARK at UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures
Location: UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures, Sacramento, CA
Stipend: $2,500
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8
Application Deadline: March 19
Eligibility: Students age 16 or older attending a public or private high school within 45 miles of the UC Davis Institute of Regenerative Cures
During the SPARK (or Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge) program, you will spend six weeks in the summer learning about stem cells and regenerative medicine. You will gain an understanding of human stem cell biology, emphasizing adult, embryonic, and induced pluripotent stem cells. You will also learn about stem cell culture techniques and applications for regenerative therapies, along with Good Manufacturing Practice, and product manufacturing within a GMP facility. The program ends with a certificate of completion and a presentation of your research at SPARK.
10. Stanford University’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X)
Location: Virtual
Cost: $1,595; Needs-based scholarship is available
Acceptance Rate: 12%
Program Dates: June 16 – 27
Application Deadline: March 1; Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors
Stanford University’s Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) is a two-week online summer program that introduces high school students to neuroscience, psychiatry, and psychology. You will engage in interactive seminars with Stanford faculty and researchers and learn about principles of neuroscience, clinical neuropsychiatry, neuroscience research, psychiatric epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, and more. Additionally, you will collaborate in small teams and develop innovative solutions to social issues in psychiatry, psychology, or neuroscience. The program will end with a final capstone session, during which you will get to present your work.
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Paid (Amount not specified)
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Program Dates: July 14 – 25
Application Deadline: April 14
Eligibility: High school students; At least 16 years of age; Residing in Massachusetts
Camp Zon, an initiative by Zon Lab in Boston Children’s Hospital, offers a paid virtual research experience that teaches high school students about cancer biology and blood development, focusing on using zebrafish as the model organism for anemia research. As an intern, you will form a hypothesis, design experiments, and analyze the data. The scientists in the lab will perform these experiments live for you to observe online, and you will be expected to present your data to the lab after the program. Additionally, you will attend lectures hosted by scientists on basic biology, the clinical translation of research, the basics of coding, reading, and understanding scientific literature, and more. You will also participate in a mentoring session and a career panel Q&A hosted by lab scientists, which will offer valuable career guidance.
12. Los Angeles Pediatric Society’s Eve And Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program
Location: Virtual
Stipend: Unpaid; but one $500 scholarship will be awarded
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: July 8 – 18 (Session 1); July 22 – August 1 (Session 2)
Application Deadline: February 14
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors
The Los Angeles Pediatric Society’s Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program hosts two virtual sessions that students can choose from. As a participant, you will be paired with mentors like general pediatricians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, ophthalmologists, radiologists, therapists, dietitians, and more. You will be allowed to discuss projects and make presentations at the end of the program. The program awards a certificate of completion and a $500 scholarship at the end.