15 Summer Medical Research Programs for High School Students

If you’re a high school student considering a future in medicine, healthcare, or a related field, you should participate in a summer program. One of the smartest ways to explore a field of interest is through summer research programs. These opportunities not only allow you to go beyond classroom learning and explore practical applications of medicine and healthcare, but also offer insight into potential career paths and could help you stand out in this competitive field. Not to mention, a research program can strengthen your college applications and help you decide if a future in medicine or research is the right fit.

Offered by top universities, leading hospitals, and research centers, these programs are often fully funded and may even offer a stipend. You’ll get the chance to work in labs, analyze data, and learn techniques like growing cells, testing samples, or using software to track disease patterns. You’ll also get to collaborate with experts and scientists on active research projects, receive mentorship from them, and start building a professional network.

To help you get started, we've put together this list of the 15 best summer medical research programs for high school students, including both in-person and virtual options. Whether you're hoping to work in a lab, join a clinical research team, or learn the foundations of medicine virtually, there's something here for you.

1. Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research (SIMR) Program

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective (3%); ~50 students
Location: Stanford University, Stanford, California
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students receive a stipend of $500-$1,500, based on financial need
Dates: June 9 - July 31 (8 weeks)
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old, and are U.S citizens or permanent residents 

Hosted by Stanford, SIMR allows you to spend eight weeks in medicine-oriented lab research under the mentorship of faculty, grad students, or postdocs in fields like genetics, neurobiology, immunology, or bioengineering. The first half of the program includes lectures and institute-specific seminars, followed by a full-time lab assignment where you conduct hypothesis-driven experiments and collect data. You’ll build skills in experimental design, data analysis, academic writing, and scientific presentation. At the end, you'll present your findings in a public poster session and give an oral presentation to the Stanford community. The program also hosts site visits, professional talks from notable researchers, and networking events, making SIMR a strong choice for high school students looking for ways to explore medical research. 

2. Ladder Internships

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective; ~15%
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies with program type
Dates: Multiple 8-week cohorts in a year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines that vary by cohort
Eligibility: High school students available for ~10–20 hours/week over the summer

Ladder Internships is a program for ambitious high school students where you can choose to intern in a field you’re interested in, from options like healthcare, health tech, business, mental health, business, and more. Based on your preferences, you’ll be matched with a high-growth startup to work on real projects as part of a virtual internship. Ladder’s partner startups are, on average, raising over $1 million and offering internships across a range of industries. You will be paired with a startup manager and a Ladder Coach who will provide one-on-one mentorship and training while you work on your project and present your research to the team and your company at the end of the internship. 

3. Harvard Medical School – Project Success

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Location: Harvard Medical School laboratories and partner institutes in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: No cost; stipend varies by placement
Dates: 6-7 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: Early winter
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from the Boston/Cambridge area

As part of Project Success, you’ll have the opportunity to work in Harvard Medical School and its affiliated labs, collaborating with scientists on biomedical research. You will be paired with a senior scientist or physician and engage in hands-on research work that is directly linked to their work. You’ll also take part in seminars, workshops, and site visits to biotech firms and clinics. The program includes career guidance and presentations on science careers. You’ll develop lab skills, research communication abilities, and a deeper understanding of ethical and clinical issues.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program (Medicine Track)

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies with program type; full financial aid available
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, fall, winter, and spring
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students; preferred GPA 3.3+

With the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, you’ll work one-on-one with a PhD-level mentor on an original research project in your chosen field. Over this 12-week program, you’ll learn research fundamentals like literature review, experimental design, data analysis, and academic writing. The final deliverable is a formal research paper, which you can submit to journals and use when applying to colleges. You’ll receive mentorship support, participate in peer feedback, and career guidance sessions. This is a strong choice for high school students who want to conduct independent research and want the flexibility of working remotely.

5. Scripps Research Summer High School Internship Program

Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Location: Scripps Research Institute Campus, La Jolla, California (20 minutes from San Diego)
Cost/Stipend: No cost; stipend varies (approx. $4,830)
Dates: Late-June to early-August, 7 weeks
Application Deadline: April
Eligibility: High school students from partner schools in San Diego; 16+ by program start; minimum grade point average of 3.0

This internship program combines lab tours, hands-on demonstrations, and presentations to give high school students an insight into the field of biomedical science. You will be placed in a lab and paired with a mentor for a research project. You will learn about current topics in translational science, precision medicine, focusing on digital health, clinical genomics, and community engagement. During the internship, your mentor will guide you through lab work and the college application process. You will also study design and analysis procedures relevant to translational research, including genomic/genetic association studies, and observe the steps of proposing, designing, undertaking, and analyzing clinical trials. At the end of the program, you will present a scientific concept to your peers and mentors.

6. CURE Program at Dana‑Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

Acceptance Rate: Selective
Location: Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard-affiliated hospitals, Boston, Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will be paid (amount varies with funding)
Dates: 7-11 weeks, June - August
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, or seniors who are at least 16 years old at the start of the program, and reside in or attend school in Massachusetts

The CURE program gives you the opportunity to engage in mentored cancer research projects, build scientific and technical skills, and be exposed to the process of scientific discovery. Your research will be supported by Dana‑Farber and Harvard faculty. You’ll work on lab, clinical, or population science projects under mentorship, while attending professional development seminars and social/networking events. You'll learn data analysis, lab techniques, and scientific writing, and present your findings at the end of the program. This program is a good choice if you're interested in oncology.

7. Magee‑Women’s Research Institute High School Summer Internship

Acceptance Rate: Selective
Location: Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Cost/Stipend: No cost; eligible students receive a stipend of $1,800
Dates: 6 weeks, typically mid-June to late-July
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: High school juniors and sophomores, 16+, residents of the southwest Pennsylvania region

At this program hosted by Magee-Womens, you’ll engage in biomedical research focused on women’s and infant health through a lab project under mentorship from faculty. You will gain hands-on experience in basic, translational, or clinical scientific research, working on your own research project while under the mentorship of an investigator or staff member from MWRI or the Magee-Womens Hospital. The program includes informal Lunch & Learn sessions, where you will engage in discussions on personal perspectives from researchers from the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, as well as from other departments at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Swanson School of Engineering on biomedical research as a career. The program ends with you presenting your findings at the annual High School Internship Presentation Day.

8. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective; ~8 students for the in-person program
Location: In-person (Baltimore, Maryland) | Virtual
Cost/Stipend: No cost; in-person interns are paid at $15/hour, and virtual interns recieve a $500 stipend
Dates: 8 weeks, June - August (in-person) | 5 weeks, July - August (virtual)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors residing in Baltimore City (for the in-person program), and across the U.S. (for the virtual program)

This program introduces high school students to research in the field of neurological sciences. During the program, you will conduct research under the guidance and mentorship of leading researchers in the field and will take part in hands-on projects, discussions, scientific seminars, weekly personal and professional development sessions, and interactions with leading neuroscientists at JHU. The program is also offered virtually, for students who cannot attend the program on campus. At the end of the program, you will present your research via an oral or poster presentation. To get an idea of past projects, visit this page.

9. MD Anderson Cancer Center’s High School Summer Program

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective; ~10 students
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a $6,800 stipend is provided
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school seniors in Texas

This 10-week internship offers an in-depth research experience in biomedical science at one of the top cancer centers in the world. You’ll work full-time, conducting research on cancer-related topics such as molecular diagnostics, immunology, or therapeutics under the guidance of MD Anderson faculty. The program includes lectures, career panels, and collaborative learning opportunities, all designed to prepare you for a future in healthcare or research. It concludes with a formal research presentation to faculty and peers.

10. Max Planck Florida Institute (MPFI) for Neuroscience Summer Research Internship

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Location: Jupiter, Florida
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will be paid $13/hour
Dates: June 16 – July 25
Application Deadline: March 4
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors aged 16+ residing in Palm Beach or Martin County with U.S. work authorization

The MPFI Summer Research Internship gives students hands-on experience in neuroscience, scientific programming, or mechanical engineering through full-time lab work. You’ll dive into the intricacies of brain structure, function, and development, work with expert mentors on experimental design, data collection, and advanced imaging techniques, while participating in lab meetings and collaborative projects. The program concludes with a formal presentation, allowing you to communicate your research to the MPFI community. 

11. Monell Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP) at the Monell Center

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Location: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will be paid
Dates: June 18 - August 16
Application Deadline: Applications usually close in January. 
Eligibility: All high school students who reside in the greater Philadelphia area, including Camden, New Jersey

The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program gives you the chance to explore biomedicine and medical research while working full-time and earning a stipend. You’ll join a Monell scientist’s lab and contribute to real research projects, gaining hands-on training in lab techniques and practical experience in the field. The program is collaborative and multidisciplinary, allowing you to work closely with researchers whose work matches your interests. Alongside your lab work, you’ll attend workshops and seminars on scientific topics, public speaking, writing, and the ethics of human and animal research. The program concludes with a public conference where you’ll present your findings to Monell scientists, family, and friends.

12. Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive 
Location: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students receive a stipend after completing the program
Dates: June-end to August-end 
Application Deadline: February
Eligibility: Students must be in their sophomore year or higher, and must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. The program also encourages students from disadvantaged and underprivileged backgrounds to apply.

This is a highly competitive, 8-week-long summer program for high school students. As a participant, you will work on independent research projects under the direct mentorship of a postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or research technician. At the end of the program, you will be expected to present your research in a poster presentation session. You will also attend tours and training sessions held by experts in the field. In order to apply, you must submit your resumé, a copy of your school transcript, and 2 letters of recommendation.

Note: You can check out HOPP alumni talk about the program and their takeaways and learnings from it here.

13. Fred Hutch Cancer Center – Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Location: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will be paid
Dates: June - August; 8 weeks
Application Deadline: March
Eligibility: High school students entering senior year, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds

SHIP gives you exposure to cancer-related biomedical research in a lab setting. After two weeks of lab training in techniques like pipetting and safety, you’ll spend six weeks working on a faculty-guided research project in areas like epidemiology, immunology, biostatistics, or stem cell biology. You’ll attend weekly seminars and workshops, build technical lab skills, and learn how to communicate your findings. During the last week of the program, you will present your research conclusions in a final seminar or poster session. The program also includes networking with scientists and visits to affiliated clinical institutions.

14. Cincinnati Children's Hospital High School Summer Internship Program

Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Location: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Ohio
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students will be paid $13/hour 
Dates: 8 weeks starting in June
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors, Cincinnati area residents only

In this paid, part-time internship, you’ll work alongside clinicians or researchers in pediatric specialties, go on shadowing rounds, and assist with clinical or lab-based projects. You’ll get familiar with clinical data, engage with healthcare professionals, and participate in a simulated training center (SIM) session. Weekly lunch seminars and networking events help you develop essential soft skills and gain insight into healthcare career paths. In the final week, you'll present what you learned during a capstone session with peers. It’s a strong option for high school students that blends clinical exposure and research in a real hospital setting.

15. Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy

Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Location: Los Angeles, California
Cost/Stipend: No cost; students receive a stipend of $4,500
Dates: 10 weeks, June 2 - August 8 
Application Deadline: March 12 
Eligibility: High school or undergraduate students, 16+, completed high school courses in chemistry and biology

With this program, you’ll spend ten weeks involved in inquiry-based research and attend seminars about neural stem cells, plant signaling pathways, and DNA repair. You’ll get to pick your own project, which guides the skills you’ll build, such as experimental design, data collection, and research ethics. Weekly seminars on ethics and scientific communication will prepare you for your poster or oral presentation at the end. 

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