15 Medical Competitions for High School Students
Medical competitions are academic programs focused on topics like human biology, clinical reasoning, public health, and research-based problem-solving. They typically involve case analysis, quizzes, research presentations, and scenario-based challenges. These tasks require you to interpret data, evaluate symptoms, or respond to clinical situations using defined rules and scoring criteria. In some competitions, you will work in teams to discuss cases or prepare joint submissions based on a shared prompt. In others, you have to complete written responses or analyses independently within a set timeframe.
If you want to check out other competitions for high schoolers, check out art competitions here and for writing-based competitions, find a list here!
Why Should I Participate in a Medical Competition in High School?
Medical competitions include topics like clinical case analysis, epidemiology, and diagnostic reasoning that may not be covered in a standard high school syllabus. You will get to work through patient descriptions, identifying relevant symptoms, or interpreting datasets before concluding. Preparing for these competitions usually includes reviewing sample cases, organizing information clearly, and practicing how to present or structure your responses according to specific instructions. You can also refer to your experience when applying for internships, research programs, or college admissions, especially if you are planning to study medicine or related fields.
Here is a list of 15 medical competitions for high school students to help you get started.
Key takeaways
This list rounds up 15 medical competitions for high schoolers spanning biology olympiads, neuroscience research prizes, and healthcare-focused essay contests, with standout hosts including the Society for Science, the American Academy of Neurology, and Harvard's Global Health and Leadership Conference.
Entry is free for many of these, while a handful charge a modest registration fee, and prize money ranges from small cash awards up to a $250,000 scholarship for one of the most prestigious research competitions on the list.
This list spans a wide range of formats, from timed multiple-choice exams and live diagnostic challenges to essay contests and short-video submissions, giving students with different strengths several ways to get involved in medicine-focused competition.
Most of these are open nationally or internationally, though a couple of essay contests are limited to students in specific states or regions.
A few of the earliest deadlines fall in early March for two of the essay-based competitions, with several more clustering into April and May, so it's worth starting early if writing-based competitions are your focus.
1. US Medicine and Disease Olympiad
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $10 registration fee; medals awarded to winners
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: August 2
Application Deadline: July 26
Eligibility: Open to all U.S high school students
The US Medicine and Disease Olympiad is a national academic competition covering topics like cell biology, human physiology, and human disease. It consists of an online multiple-choice exam that covers areas like genetics, body systems, and common medical conditions. The questions are framed around applying biology concepts to disease-related or clinical situations. The competition is conducted within a limited testing window, with participants completing the exam individually. The responses will be evaluated based on overall accuracy across the paper. High-performing participants may move on to the International Medicine and Disease Olympiad, which serves as the next stage.
2. HOSA-Future Health Professionals
Location: Regional, state, and national levels
Cost/Stipend: Varies based on specific competition
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies based on specific competition
Application Deadline: Varies based on specific competition
Eligibility: Open to all high school students from HOSA-affiliated schools
HOSA–Future Health Professionals is an international student organization that includes a large set of health science competitions across topics such as medical terminology, human anatomy, clinical skills, and public health. You can participate by selecting an event within categories like health science, health professions, leadership, or teamwork, each focused on a different aspect of healthcare. Depending on the event, you may complete written tests, demonstrate clinical procedures, present research, or respond to scenario-based prompts. Competitions take place across multiple levels, beginning with regional or state conferences and continuing to an international stage for selected participants.
3. Medic Mentor Essay Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $50 application fee; winning work will be published in the national Mentor Magazine
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies based on specific competition
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Open to students ages 14 and above
The Medic Mentor National Medical Essay and Art Competitions are writing and creative contests centered on themes related to healthcare and medical topics. Your submission should be either an essay or an original artwork based on a given theme, which changes across different competition cycles. The essays should be connected to areas such as medical discoveries or developments in healthcare, often supported by references and structured arguments. The art competition invites visual interpretations of the theme through mediums such as drawing, painting, or digital work. Competitions will be held multiple times throughout the year, with each cycle introducing a new theme.
4. American Academy of Neurology – Neuroscience Research Prize
Location: AAN Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL
Cost/Stipend: Free; winners receive a $1,000 prize, a certificate of recognition, and the opportunity to present their work during a scientific poster session at the AAN Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies each year
Application Deadline: August 5 to October 21
Eligibility: Students enrolled in secondary school (grades 9-12) in the United States; family members of the judges, the AAN Science Committee, or AAN staff are not eligible to apply
The American Academy of Neurology Neuroscience Research Prize is a national research competition for high school students focused on original work related to the brain and nervous system. You can participate by submitting an individual research project along with a written report, abstract, and supporting references. Projects can explore areas such as neuroanatomy, physiology, neurological disorders, or behavior with a clear connection to neuroscience. The submissions will be reviewed in multiple stages, beginning with an evaluation of the research abstract and followed by a detailed review of the full project. Judges will assess entries based on factors such as relevance to neuroscience, clarity of writing, interpretation of data, and the organization of the research report. All work must be completed independently, though guidance from a teacher or mentor is permitted.
5. USA Biolympiad
Location: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: $125 registration fee for schools; winners will be awarded cash prizes
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: May 2
Application Deadline: August 5 to October 21
Eligibility: High school students worldwide
The USA Biology Olympiad is a national biology competition for high school students that focuses on topics such as cell biology, genetics, ecology, and physiology. As part of the competition, you will complete a series of exams that begin with a multiple-choice test covering a broad range of biology concepts. Based on performance, selected participants move on to further rounds that include additional question types such as short responses and data-based problems. The questions require you to interpret biological information, apply concepts across topics, and work through unfamiliar scenarios. As the competition progresses, the level of detail and complexity increases across rounds. The highest-scoring participants are invited to a final stage that includes advanced assessments in both theoretical and laboratory-based biology.
6. Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Free; winners will be awarded cash prizes
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: January 12 to April 19
Application Deadline: April 19 or once the first 300 submissions have been received
Eligibility: Open to U.S high school students
The National Eye Institute Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest is a science-focused competition for high school students centered on communicating scientific ideas through video. To participate, you are required to create a short video that responds to a prompt connected to how science relates to health or medicine. Entries often focus on explaining eye conditions, describing research in vision science, or connecting everyday experiences to topics in human biology. In your video, you can explain a concept, demonstrate an experiment, or describe how science connects to everyday life or future developments in healthcare or other areas.
7. Vision Global Health
Location: Virtual or in-person at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on format
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: April 18
Application Deadline: Varies depending on format
Eligibility: All students currently enrolled in a secondary institution, including international students
The Global Health and Leadership Conference (GHLC) at Harvard offers two competitions for high school students working with global health topics: the Community Project Pitch Competition and the Case Study Competition. In the Pitch Competition, you will research, design, and propose a global health civic project connected to your home community, which you then present to an audience. In the Case Study Competition, you are placed in a team on the day of the conference and given a prompt to which you must write a policy proposal within a set time limit. Both competitions involve working with topics that span public health, socioeconomic policy, climate, law, and related fields. Outside of the competitions, you can attend keynote sessions and panels led by global health professionals, which run alongside the competition schedule.
8. International Brain Bee (IBB)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Fees vary by location and level; 1st place: $3,000, 2nd place: $2000 and 3rd place: $1000 (tentative)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: World championship from November 7 to 12
Application Deadline: Varies depending on format
Eligibility: High school students worldwide between the ages of 13 and 19
The International Brain Bee (IBB) is a neuroscience competition for high school students that follows a three-tiered format: a local Brain Bee, a national Brain Bee, and the IBB World Championship. You will begin at the local level, where the competition is typically based on introductory neuroscience texts such as Brain Facts or Neuroscience: The Science of the Brain. If you advance to the World Championship, you will complete four sections: a neuroanatomy and neurohistology exam, a written multiple-choice and short-answer test, a patient diagnosis section, and a live judging round. In the neuroanatomy section, you are required to identify brain structures, tissue types, and their functions using whole brains, sectioned specimens, or microscope slides. In the patient diagnosis section, you should watch video footage of a patient, review their medical history, select three diagnostic tests, and submit a neurological diagnosis. The live judging round will follow an elimination format where you will answer questions within a set time limit until one competitor remains.
9. American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) DNA Day Essay Contest
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; prizes vary each year
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies each year
Application Deadline: March 8
Eligibility: High school students in the U.S and internationally; an account should be created by a teacher, school staff, or parent
The ASHG DNA Day Essay Contest is an annual essay competition organized by the American Society of Human Genetics, open to high school students worldwide. The essay should be centered on a current topic in genetics, which may cover scientific concepts, ethical considerations, or societal implications, and should be no more than 750 words, supported by at least one cited reference using APA or MLA format. The prompt changes annually and is designed to address areas of genetics not typically covered in a standard biology curriculum. Your essay will be evaluated by ASHG member judges across three rounds of scoring, with attention to scientific reasoning, accuracy of core concepts, and how well you address the specific components of the prompt.
10. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)
Location: Finals in the National Building Museum, Washington, D.C
Cost/Stipend: Free; cash prizes up to $250,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: January 7 to March 10
Application Deadline: November 6
Eligibility: Students who are living in and attending their last year of secondary school in the US and its territories, regardless of citizenship; students who are US citizens living abroad; Students attending American schools abroad, but who are not US citizens, are not eligible
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) is an annual research competition organized by the Society for Science, open to high school seniors in the US and internationally. You can submit an original, independent research project along with a full application that includes a research report, short essay questions, an account of your activities, and three recommendations covering your educator, your project, and a high school report. The research can be conducted in any year of high school and spans fields across science, math, engineering, and medicine. Applications will be reviewed holistically, meaning your submission is evaluated beyond the research report alone. From the applicant pool, 300 scholars are selected, and from those, 40 finalists are chosen to attend Finals Week in Washington, D.C., where they will present their projects and are evaluated in person. The competition has been running since 1942 and draws around 2,500 applicants each year.
11. High School Health Research Challenge (HSHRC)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; winners may receive cash prizes, scholarships and other awards
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: March 20 to early June
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Full-time high school students (grades 9-12) attending a public school, private school, or homeschool at the time of application
The High School Health Research Challenge (HSHRC) is an annual competition organized by the High School Health Research Forum, open to high school students worldwide. You will respond to a prompt that presents a current societal health issue and requires you to identify a specific problem and propose a creative, feasible solution that teenagers could realistically develop or implement. The prompts typically focus on the built environment, which includes infrastructure, housing, transportation, and access to green space, and its connection to health challenges linked to environmental conditions or climate change. You can submit a written proposal that is evaluated on creativity, feasibility, and practical impact. Submissions will be reviewed by a judging panel that includes PhD and MD professionals, scientific journal editors, and university and medical institution affiliates.
12. Minds Underground Medicine Essay Competition
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; winners may receive cash prizes and other awards
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies each year
Application Deadline: April 3
Eligibility: Year 12 students worldwide or gap-year students reapplying to medical school; younger students with a keen interest in medicine are also encouraged to apply
The Minds Underground Medicine Essay Competition is an annual essay competition open to high school students worldwide, with a focus on students in Year 12 and those considering medicine at the university level. As a participant, you can select one question from a set of prompts covering topics in medical science, ethics, and healthcare innovation, and submit an independently researched written essay. The prompts include questions on pharmacological versus non-pharmacological approaches to disease management, whether aging should be classified and treated as a disease, and what you consider the most pressing challenge facing medicine today. You will conduct your own research and construct a written argument in response to your chosen question. Submissions will be reviewed and evaluated on the quality of research, critical analysis, and argument.
13. National Rural Health Day Essay Contest
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; 1st place: $500, 2nd place: $250, 3rd place: $100
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Winners to be notified on November 20
Application Deadline: October 30
Eligibility: High school seniors who reside and attend school in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, are college/university bound the following fall semester, and intend to pursue a healthcare career in human medicine
The National Rural Health Day Essay Contest is an annual essay competition organized by the Northern Michigan University Center for Rural Health, open to high school seniors who reside and attend school in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and intend to pursue a healthcare career in human medicine. Essays should be centered on a specific rural health topic, which changes each year and has previously covered areas such as preventative healthcare, health literacy, and access to healthcare services in rural communities. You are required to identify challenges related to the prompt topic and propose concrete solutions, writing between 500 and 1,000 words. Essays will be reviewed and scored by Northern Michigan University English faculty and upper-level students enrolled in composition courses. Submissions will be evaluated on organization, content, and mechanics, and the use of generative AI is prohibited.
14. PSBR Essay Contest
Location: Annual Awards Dinner in Hershey, PA
Cost/Stipend: Free; up to $1,200 in prizes, 1st place: $500, 2nd place: $400, 3rd place: $300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: Varies each year
Application Deadline: March 8
Eligibility: All 6th-12th grade students in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia, including (but not limited to) public and private schools, home and cyber schools, and youth organizations
The Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research High School Essay Contest is a biomedical writing competition that focuses on the development and impact of medical advancements. The submission can be on a past or present treatment, medical device, or surgical procedure that has had a personal or indirect impact, and write an essay that explores how that advancement was developed. The essay will involve researching the scientific history behind the advancement, including the role of animal research and human clinical trials in its development. A single written entry is submitted and evaluated based on content, organization, and use of research sources.
15. Young Medical Innovators Challenge
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free; 1st place $150, 2nd place $100, 3rd place $50
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly disclosed
Dates: August 1 to September 30
Application Deadline: Registration opens on August 1
Eligibility: Open to all high school and gap year students worldwide between the ages of 14 and 19
The Young Medical Innovators Challenge is an online medical competition for high school students focused on topics such as human biology, medical ethics, healthcare innovation, and clinical problem solving. Participation will involve multiple rounds that include quizzes, case-based analysis, and essay writing, each centered on different aspects of medicine and healthcare. The quiz round will test knowledge across areas such as anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology. In the case study round, you should analyze patient or healthcare scenarios and respond with evidence-based reasoning. The final round involves writing an essay on an innovative medical topic supported by research and citations.
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Questions students often ask about these competitions
1. Do I need advanced science coursework to enter these medical competitions?
Not for all of them. A few of the biology and neuroscience-focused exams do reward strong science coursework, but many of the essay and video-based contests are open to students at any level with a genuine interest in healthcare topics.
2. Some of these are essay contests while others are timed exams. Which format is better for a college application?
Both can be valuable, so it comes down to your strengths and what you want to showcase. Essay contests highlight research and writing skills, while exam-based competitions demonstrate strong content knowledge under pressure.
3. Are any of these competitions open to students outside the U.S.?
Yes, several are open internationally, so location isn't a barrier for those. A couple of essay contests are limited to students in specific U.S. states or regions, so check eligibility before assuming a listing applies to you.