15 Medical Summer Programs for High School Students in Georgia

Sep 10

If you’re a high school student in Georgia interested in becoming a doctor, nurse, or medical researcher, summer is the perfect time to explore those interests. One way to do this is by exploring the field of medicine and healthcare under mentorship, and in a structured, local environment .

That’s where medical summer programs for high school students come in. These programs give you the opportunity to step into labs, clinics, and classrooms to experience healthcare careers firsthand. From hands-on research at top universities to shadowing physicians in real hospitals, these programs let you build valuable skills that go far beyond textbooks.

Many medical summer programs for high school students in Georgia also connect you with mentors – doctors and medical students – who can guide you about medical careers and prepare you for future applications and interviews.

Whether you’re interested in emergency medicine, public health, biomedical research, or clinical skills, there’s a program that matches your interests. Moreover, you’ll meet other motivated students who share your passion for healthcare. In this guide, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best medical summer programs for high school students in Georgia, with both in-person and online opportunities to choose from.

1. MSM S.T.E.A.M. Academy (9-12)

Location: Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Cost $600; No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Program Dates: June 2 - 20
Application Deadline: March 21
Eligibility: Rising 9th through rising 12th-grade student

This is a three-week medical summer program for high school students in Georgia to introduce you to biomedical research and health careers. You won’t merely attend lectures, but get hands-on with scientific instrumentation and laboratory techniques. Along the way, you will participate in mini-courses and workshops on topics such as health equity, careers in the sciences and critical thinking skills to help you plan your future. You will also dive into applied projects such as healthcare app development.

2. Ladder Internship Program

Location: Remote! You can work from anywhere in the world
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Program Dates: June 2 - 20
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November)
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks. Open to high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students!

Ladder Internships is a selective virtual eight-week internship program for ambitious high school students to intern with fast-growing startups. You could be assigned to any company, including tech, AI, health tech, marketing, journalism and consulting. You can explore all the options on their application form here.

As an intern, you'll work on real-world projects, guided by a company manager and a dedicated Ladder Coach. You'll gain hands-on experience and have the opportunity to present your work directly to the company. The startups you will work with are high-growth companies, many of which have already raised over a million dollars in funding. You can explore the full range of internship opportunities on their application form. Find the application form here.

3. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp

Location: CDC headquarters, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 27 slots per session
Program Dates: June 23 - 27 and July 21 - 25
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors with at least 16 years or old

The CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp is a demanding and fast-paced day camp that teaches you the fundamentals of public health and the science of epidemiology. You will not only learn from lectures and textbooks, but also dive into hands-on activities that mirror the work of CDC scientists – such as resolving recreated outbreak scenarios, conducting mock press conferences, exploring tab techniques and tracking chronic diseases. It is a highly interactive program where you will be collaborating with other students as part of a ‘disease detectives’ team. While the camp is not focused on clinical medicine, it is a good opportunity for those interested in public health, epidemiology and global health.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program

Location: Remote - you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer (June - August), Fall (September - December), Winter (December - February), and Spring (March - June)
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students with a GPA ≥ 3.3

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program gives you the opportunity to work 1:1 with PhD mentors from top universities to create an independent research paper. You can choose a field that excites you, whether it be psychology, physics, economics, engineering, computer science, or international relations. Depending on your goals, programs can range from 12 weeks to a full year. The best part – you don’t need prior research experience – Lumiere makes advanced research accessible across disciplines. . Because it is highly competitive, , acceptance into Lumiere is considered prestigious, and gives a major boost to your academic profile. Along the way, you will receive mentorship, structured research, and even a pathway to publish your work.

5. Emergency Medicine at Georgia Tech

Location: Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA.
Cost/Stipend: Residential Tuition: $5,698; Commuter Tuition: $3,198. Medicine course supplement: $250
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Program Dates: Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines
Eligibility: Pre-college high school students interested in medicine and healthcare

This program offers you a comprehensive view of the medical and healthcare fields through hands-on learning and simulations. In week one, you’ll learn practical skills such as suturing, performing CPR, and taking vital signs in a medical simulation lab, just like real doctors and nurses. In the second week, you’ll apply your knowledge in a mass casualty incident simulation, where you'll work under pressure to triage and stabilize patients. By teaming up with other students, you'll get to investigate patient history, diagnose conditions, and develop treatment plans for simulated cases.

6. Emory Pre-College Program

Location: Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Cost/Stipend: Varying costs depending on course; Financial aid available for demonstrated need
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Program Dates: Session A: June 15 - 28; Session B: June 29 - July 12; Session C: July 13 - 26
Application Deadline: Session A: May 9; Session B: May 23; Session C: June 6
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors

The Emory Pre-College Program is a summer academic experience designed to give you a glimpse of college life before you graduate from high school. You can choose from over 100 courses taught by Emory faculty, with options to take courses merely for experience (noncredit Pre-College) or earn college credit (Summer College). The program provides an opportunity for you to experience the academic and residential life of a top-ranked university, and get a head start on your transition from high school to college.

7. SGMC Health Volunteen Summer Program

Location: South Georgia Medical Center, Valdosta, GA
Cost/Stipend: No stipend provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Program Dates: June 9 - July 25
Application Deadline: May 2
Eligibility: Rising 9th - 12th graders with a B or higher GPA

The SGMC Health Volunteen Summer Program provides high school students with an opportunity to observe and interact with healthcare professionals and gain exposure to the inner workings of a health system.You will be placed in various departments – getting to witness both patient care and behind-the-scenes work that keeps a hospital running, and interact with doctors, nurses and other staff. You will also earn volunteer hours that will help with college and future career goals. The ultimate goal of the program is to introduce you to patient-centered care, which is the cornerstone of the SGMC Health system.

8. Authentic Research Experience

Location: Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
Cost/Stipend: Cost $1,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Program Dates: June 3 - July 11
Application Deadline: March 21
Eligibility: Rising 10th through rising 12th-grade students

This medical summer program for high school students in Georgia offers you an opportunity to spend six weeks with a research mentor at Morehouse School of Medicine. You will dive deep into a research project, undertaking scientific investigations from analysing data to preparing reports and working in the lab. By the end of the program, you will learn what a career in biomedical research looks like and whether you would want to venture into the field.

9. Suwanee Summer STEM Program

Location: PCOM Georgia, Suwanee, GA
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not publicly available
Program Dates: Annually in June
Application Deadline: April of each year
Eligibility: High school students from Gwinnett County

The Suwanee Summer STEM Program is a STEM camp that allows you to explore careers in healthcare while connecting with faculty and student mentors at PCOM Georgia. You’ll jump into activities including clinical skills simulations, learning CPR and even visiting the anatomy lab. The program also helps you learn about the college application process and build a network of supportive physicians, physician assistants and pharmacists.

10. Mercer Medical Camp

Location: Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA; Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 100 Participants
Program Dates: July 7 - 11
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines
Eligibility: Rural Georgia middle and high school students

This free week-long virtual camp is designed for middle and high school students in rural Georgia. Taught by Mercer University School of Medicine doctors, scientists and medical students, the camp blends health topics with hands-on activity, with all necessary supplies mailed to your doorstep. Capped at 100 participants, you will get ample time to interact with and learn with the medical professionals..

11. Stanford AIMI Summer Research Internship

Location: Virtual; Stanford AIMI Center
Cost/Stipend: $890 (Incl. application fee); Financial aid available for eligible students
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25 Students
Program Dates: June 16 - 27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students of age 14+

The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) offers a two-week virtual Summer Research Internship that allows high school students to dive into the world of AI in healthcare. The program includes lectures on AI in medicine fundamentals, hands-on group projects, mentoring by Stanford student leads and researchers, career talks and social activities. You’ll learn the fundamentals of AI in medicine through lectures and actual projects. You can also connect with your mentors and other research researchers to explore how AI is shaping the future of human health. At the end of the program, you’ll earn a Certificate of Completion. Some students may also get the chance to continue with an extended independent internship.

12. University of Georgia (UGA) Mini-Medical School 2

Location: UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel, Athens, GA
Cost/Stipend: $530
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited capacity
Program Dates: Various start dates between June and July
Application Deadline: No open application deadline
Eligibility: Students of age 14 - 17

The Mini-Medical School 2 is an intensive week-long camp for high school students who are serious about becoming a physician. Instead of just covering the basics, you will dig deeper into how various body systems work and connect it with the clinical symptoms of diseases. You’ll engage in hands-on activities including dissections, short lectures and discussions about the various paths to medical school. You will also get special access to UGA's labs, technology, and teaching resources, while learning directly from current medical students and faculty of the Augusta University/UGA Medical Partnership.

13. Stanford Clinical Summer Internship

Location: Virtual available; Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA
Cost/Stipend: $4,475 including application fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 24 students
Program Dates: July 28 - August 8
Application Deadline: February 24
Eligibility: Open to rising high school juniors and seniors

This virtual Summer Internship gives you an opportunity to explore medicine from anywhere, through online digital media. You’ll participate in interactive sessions with Stanford faculty and doctors,where you will learn clinical skills such as suturing and knot-tying. You will also develop skills in diagnosis and treatment, through patient simulations and case studies. Because the class size is small, you will enjoy a highly individualized learning experience. This virtual program is a unique occasion to learn directly from leading medical professionals and explore the world of medicine, no matter where you live.

14. Making the Rounds - Summer Immersion Program

Location: Entirely Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,595; Need based financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Program Dates: May 17 - June 14
Application Deadline: May 10
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older

This online program gives high school students a comprehensive look at the world of medicine. It follows a patient's journey through a heart attack – from the emergency call to treatment and recovery. Taught by Wake Forest School of Medicine professors, the course covers topics such as the anatomy of the heart and social factors contributing to heart disease. The course is flexible and culminates in a Capstone project that lets you apply what you have learnt.

15. Bioscience - Online Immersion Program

In this online program, you will dive into the fascinating world of infectious diseases and how they work on a molecular level. You will explore how epidemiologists identify and trace the spread of diseases, the differences between viral and bacterial pathogens and how the immune system responds to them. The course also explores the history of vaccines and the latest detection technologies used today. Taught by a professor with a background in molecular genetics, the course culminates in a Capstone project where you’ll research and make a presentation on an infectious disease of your choice.

Image Source - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Logo

Dhruva Bhat

Dhruva Bhat is one of the co-founders of Ladder, and a Harvard College graduate. Dhruva founded Ladder Internships as a DPhil candidate and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, with a vision to bridge the gap between ambitious students and real-world startup experiences.