15 Medical Internships for High School Students in Raleigh, NC
If you are a high school student in Raleigh, North Carolina, and interested in medical science, then participating in an internship can offer valuable insight into potential career paths while strengthening your resume and college applications.
Medical internships can help you build practical skills, develop professional connections, and gain exposure to real-world environments that classroom learning alone can’t provide, and this experience can begin in high school. Raleigh, NC, is home to several top universities and medical institutions, such as North Carolina State University and WakeMed, that not only provide internships for high school students but also help reduce their travel and housing costs.
For those considering careers in healthcare or medicine, these medical internships for high school students in Raleigh, NC, can be especially impactful, offering a clearer understanding of the field and what it takes to succeed in it.
Below, we have listed 15 medical internships for high school students in Raleigh, NC. While not every opportunity here is a traditional internship, each one offers meaningful exposure to healthcare settings or medical research. They also include a few virtual medical internships that allow students in Raleigh, NC, to apply.
1. Novant Health Bridges to Healthcare High School Internship
Location: Raleigh-area medical centers
Cost/Stipend: None | Paid internship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx 10 participants per site
Dates: 16 weeks (exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students attending one of the partner schools in the Charlotte or Winston-Salem areas | Minimum 2.5 GPA | Household income $40,000 or less
If you’re a high school student considering a future in healthcare, the Bridges to Healthcare program at Novant Health provides a comprehensive paid internship experience. Over 6–8 weeks, you rotate through both clinical and non-clinical departments such as nursing, radiology, IT, and community engagement, giving you a broader view of the medical field. The program specifically selects students from schools in Winston-Salem and Charlotte that serve underserved communities, and includes workshops on resume writing and personal finance. Each intern is paired with a preceptor and contributes to team projects while observing real healthcare workflows. This internship helps you better understand the daily roles of various healthcare professionals.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Varies depending on program type (financial aid available) | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter; Fall cohort: September 14
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort; Fall cohort: August 24
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
Ladder Internship’s Medicine Track allows you to take part in an eight-week remote internship experience, where you’ll collaborate with startup teams working on biotech, health tech, or biomedical innovations. Unlike traditional clinical settings, this internship places you in fast-paced entrepreneurial environments where projects may involve research, strategy, or content development. Guided by both a Ladder Coach and a professional mentor, you'll learn how medicine intersects with business and technology in ways that shape the future of patient care. This internship also helps you build analytical and communication skills that are useful across healthcare sectors. Your work will contribute to active projects from actual startups. You can apply here.
3. WakeMed High School Junior Volunteer Program
Location: Cary Hospital and Raleigh campus
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spots, competitive
Dates: Summer: May/June - August | School year sessions: September - May
Application Deadline: Summer: Late May/early June | School year: Typically May
Eligibility: Open to high school students ages 16+
As a junior volunteer at WakeMed, you’ll gain early exposure to a hospital environment while supporting your community through service. This program allows high school students to observe clinical procedures and understand the daily operations within a healthcare setting, which is useful if you’re exploring future careers in medicine or allied health. Opportunities may include observational hours for career exploration or fulfilling requirements for future applications to programs like nursing or physician assistant school. The experience provides a close look at healthcare in action through firsthand observation. You’ll interact with hospital staff and gain a better sense of what it means to work in a clinical environment in this internship.
4. WakeMed High School Student Programs
Location: WakeMed Andrews Conference Center & hospital campus. Raleigh
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective | Limited students
Dates: Rehab: October 7 | Career Conference: May 1
Application Deadline: Registration opens ahead of each event
Eligibility: All interested high school students
WakeMed partners with local high schools to create educational experiences that give you a behind-the-scenes look at healthcare professions. Through these programs, you can attend career-focused sessions that highlight specific departments, such as Imaging Services and Rehabilitation. These sessions introduce you to how MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasounds assist in diagnostics, or how physical therapists and speech pathologists work together in patient recovery. These events are designed to help you better understand different roles within the healthcare system and how they collaborate to support patients. Sessions are held on-site and offer a practical, informative starting point for those thinking about medical fields.
5. Governor’s School East at Meredith College
Location: Meredith College campus, Raleigh
Cost/Stipend: $500 | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 22 – July 19
Application deadline: Typically mid-November
Eligibility: North Carolina high school students currently enrolled in 11th grade in public or non-public schools in NC | Students are nominated by their schools based on GPA, test scores, essays, and auditions (for arts). Minimum GPA and test score criteria apply (e.g., unweighted GPA 3.25 or higher for academics)
Governor’s School East at Meredith College is a prestigious summer residential program for intellectually gifted high school students in North Carolina. Its curriculum is designed to deepen students' knowledge in various specialized topics such as science, mathematics, humanities, social sciences, and the arts. You will engage in activities like intensive seminars, creative projects, collaborative research, and artistic performances or exhibitions. You will develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, as well as creative expression and teamwork. Completing this selective program significantly enhances college applications by demonstrating your ability to thrive in advanced, immersive learning settings and by providing valuable letters of recommendation and recognition.
6. Rex Health VolunTEEN Program
Location: UNC Health Rex, Raleigh
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: Academic year session: September 29 - May 29 | Summer program: June - August
Application deadline: Academic year: July 1 |
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors ages 14-18 | Must be at least 14 years old and have completed their freshman year of high school
The Rex Health VolunTEEN Program is a volunteer opportunity designed for high school students aged 14-18 to gain hands-on experience in a healthcare environment. It covers topics related to patient care, hospital operations, and support roles within a medical setting. You will engage in activities such as assisting staff in patient care units, supporting recovery rooms, helping with office tasks, and greeting patients and visitors. Unique features of the program include personalized position assignments based on interviews and the exclusion of teens with parents working at UNC Health Rex from direct supervision conflicts. You will develop skills in communication, teamwork, responsibility, and healthcare familiarity.
7. Science and Research Summer Program at North Carolina Central University (NCCU)
Location: North Carolina Central University campus, Durham, NC (25 miles from Raleigh)
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Approx 15-20 participants
Dates: June 23 – July 18
Application deadline: June 1
Eligibility: NC high school students ages 13–17, especially juniors between junior-senior summer from North Carolina high schools
At North Carolina Central University, the Science and Research Summer Program (SRSP) provides high-performing high school students with direct access to academic labs and research environments across various STEM disciplines. You’ll work alongside NCCU professors on active projects in fields like biology, chemistry, or environmental science, gaining lab skills while contributing to real investigations. The experience is designed to broaden your interest in research and help you visualize your academic future–especially if you’re considering attending NCCU or another research-oriented college. While the exact projects vary each year, the program consistently prioritizes student learning and direct faculty mentorship. It’s particularly valuable for those eager to transition from classroom science to applied, investigative work.
8. Duke University Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program
Location: Duke University’s Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC (25 miles from Raleigh)
Cost: None | $2,600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: <3.5% | 20-25 students
Dates: June 23 - July 25
Application deadline: January 3
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors or seniors | U.S. citizens or permanent residents
This program pairs you with a Duke faculty mentor to design and execute your own research project. Over the first two weeks, you'll select a research question focused on a specific medication, conduct background research, and write a summary of your topic. During the in-person part of the program, you'll develop a full research paper that includes your question, methods, goals, results, and discussion. You'll receive support from a statistician for data analysis and lectures, a medical writer to help with your paper, and Duke faculty who will lead sessions on subjects like neonatology, pharmacoepidemiology, and antimicrobial therapy. The program concludes with a final presentation of your project.
9. NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Location: NIH facilities (Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, 25 miles from Raleigh)
Cost/Stipend: None | Stipend is based on educational level and adjusted annually
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: February 19
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents | 18+ years old by June 1 | Currently enrolled at least half-time as a senior in high school
The NIH Summer Internship Program allows you to spend several weeks working directly with research teams on biomedical, clinical, or behavioral science projects. As an intern, you’ll be placed in a lab under the guidance of a principal investigator and contribute to real studies happening at one of the NIH campuses. The internship opens doors to in-depth experiences in areas like bioinformatics, epidemiology, and neuroscience. Alongside lab work, the program includes workshops on scientific careers, wellness seminars, and opportunities to present your research at a summer poster day. For students aiming to understand the research side of healthcare and medicine, this program is both intensive and highly educational.
10. UNC’s Internship in Science, Health Training, and Research (ISHTaR)
Location: Department of Emergency Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill (28 miles from Raleigh)
Cost/Stipend: None | Stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Extremely selective
Dates: Flexible start and end dates
Application deadline: February 24
Eligibility: Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in NC high schools | Ages 16+ by June 1 | U.S. employment eligibility
The ISHTaR internship, hosted by UNC’s Department of Emergency Medicine, introduces you to research and clinical settings. It includes paid work where you’ll spend time shadowing clinicians, working on health communication materials, reviewing medical literature, and even riding along with EMS paramedics. Each year’s experience is customized to the students’ interests and the available projects, making it a flexible option if you’re curious about both hands-on healthcare and behind-the-scenes medical research. Additional enrichment comes through team discussions and book clubs that explore healthcare issues from a critical perspective. Interns usually commit to at least 20 hours per week, with flexible dates that align with their school calendar.
11. UNC’s Nutrition Research Institute - Virtual Internship Program
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 3–26
Application deadline: Typically mid-March
Eligibility: Rising 9th graders to college freshmen
In this program, you will learn how diet, genetics, and health intersect while gaining experience in scientific communication and analysis. Designed for high school students interested in biology or nutrition science, this fully online program includes lectures, lab tours, independent projects, and group mentoring with researchers. You'll engage with cutting-edge topics such as personalized nutrition and metabolic health while building your skills in interpreting scientific data. Since the program is virtual, you can participate from anywhere, making it a flexible opportunity if you want to learn from university-level scientists. It also helps you develop presentation and writing skills, as students often create reports or deliverables based on their research topic.
12. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: $840 + $40 application fee (Financial aid available) | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: NA
Dates: June 16 – 27
Application deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school student | 14 years old by the program’s start| Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or provide documentation of valid visa status
For those curious about the intersection of AI and medicine, this two-week virtual internship from Stanford’s Center for AI in Medicine and Imaging could be a good fit. You’ll take part in lectures and collaborative projects that introduce foundational AI concepts as they relate to healthcare. Activities include career panels, team-based coding assignments, and extended mentorship opportunities for students who want to continue research after the main program ends. The internship is fast-paced and project-focused, asking you to help solve a real-world healthcare problem using AI tools with minimal guidance. Participants who complete the program receive a certificate and may have the chance to pursue further research with Stanford mentors.
13. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS)
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None | Hourly wage paid, rate unspecified
Acceptance rate/cohort size:
Dates: June - August (8 weeks in person) | July - August (5 weeks online)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (in the U.S. for the virtual program and in Baltimore City, MD, for the in-person program).
JHIBS is a five-week virtual research program for high school juniors and seniors interested in neurology and neuroscience. You’ll be part of educational seminars, professional development training, and lab-based research experiences that are led by scientists and clinicians. It gives you the chance to learn basic lab techniques, contribute to ongoing research, and understand the daily responsibilities of professionals in the neurological sciences. The internship aims to reach students early in their academic journeys to support long-term career success through mentorship and exposure. You'll also work on collaborative research presentations and receive a certificate upon successful completion.
14. WFIRM Virtual Regenerative Medicine Academy
Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive
Dates: July 14 – 18
Application deadline: March 15
Eligibility: High school students aged 14–18
The Virtual Regenerative Medicine Academy by WFIRM introduces you to cutting-edge developments in regenerative science through a week of online lessons, live sessions, and optional in-person workshops. You’ll learn about technologies used to engineer tissues and organs, while also engaging in career exploration sessions with researchers and medical professionals. If you’re local, you can attend an optional on-site session to interact with lab staff and experience hands-on demonstrations. The academy is ideal if you want a structured yet accessible introduction to a rapidly growing field. The program covers both the technical and human aspects of regenerative medicine, helping you consider a range of future educational and career paths.
15. Wake Forest Online Immersion Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Up to $1,595; need-based scholarships are available | None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: Multiple 1-, 2- and 4-week sessions with flexible start times
Application deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: High school students ages 13+
Through Wake Forest’s Online Immersion Program, you can explore health and medicine topics at your own pace via self-guided modules and live faculty-led discussions. Whether you’re curious about becoming a doctor, interested in women’s health, or exploring the science behind sports injuries, the program offers multiple tracks tailored to different areas of interest. Programs include the inner workings of modern hospitals, common injuries treated in elite athletics, and gender-specific approaches to care. This program gives you a foundation in current healthcare issues and may help you decide what to pursue next in your academic path.
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