15 Medical Summer Programs for High School Students in Michigan
If you are a high school student in Michigan and want to explore a career in medicine, summer is a great time to get started without having to explore non-local programs. Across the state, hospitals, colleges, and research centers offer medical summer programs for high school students in Michigan that allow you to participate in hands-on activities and experience what it is like to work in healthcare. These programs let you learn real skills like checking vital signs, doing lab work, following doctors and nurses, and understanding how public health and patient care work.
In this blog, we put together 15 of the best medical summer programs for high school students in Michigan. Each program is different. Some focus on clinical work, others on research, mental health, or health policy. Some are free, while others give a small stipend or ask for a fee.
15 Medical Summer Programs for High School Students in Michigan
1. Summer Youth Program at Henry Ford Jackson Hospital
Location: Henry Ford Jackson Hospital, Jackson, MI
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: June 9 – August 8
Application Deadline: April 30
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores to seniors
During this 8-week volunteer program, you will learn about how a hospital works, improve how you talk and listen to others, and gain work experience. It’s a selective, invitation-only program where, if chosen, you will work one 4-hour shift each week and attend a required orientation. You’ll need to do an interview and a health check before starting. You will then be placed in hospital departments where you will help with non-medical tasks and watch how healthcare staff do their jobs. When you finish, you will get a certificate and a reference letter to help with your studies or career.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies (financial aid available)
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder Internships is a selective program during which you will get to virtually intern at a start-up from a wide variety of industries, including health tech, AI, machine learning, and more. Many of Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies that raise over a million dollars on average. As an intern, you will spend around eight weeks working on hands-on projects relevant to the company. You will also be mentored by a manager from the start-up as well as a Ladder coach. By the end of the internship, you will get to present your work to the company. Here is the application form.
3. NSLC: Medicine & Health Care
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Cost: $4,095 (residential); Scholarships available
Dates: Varies; Multiple sessions
Application Deadline: Opens in October; Rolling till full
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18
The NSLC Medicine and Health Care program is a 9-day summer program where you will explore what it is like to work in medicine. You will practice skills like surgery, diagnosing patients, and handling emergencies through hands-on activities. You will also join workshops to learn about the human body and create public health projects. In addition, you will go on field trips to places like the Kado Clinical Skills Center and Wayne State University School of Medicine. During the program, you’ll hear from doctors, talk about real health problems, and join leadership sessions to build communication and leadership skills.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies (financial aid available)
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort
Eligibility: High school students with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.3 out of 4
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is an intensive research program for high school students. During the program, you will get to work 1:1 with a Ph.D. mentor who will offer guidance and support as you work on your research project. You can choose research topics from a wide variety of fields, including healthcare, physical sciences, data science, psychology, engineering, and more. At the end of the program, you will also get to present your research paper at the Lumiere Research Symposium. You can find the application form here.
5. BioMed Focus
Location: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Stipend: $4,000
Dates: June 15 – August 7
Application Deadline: Opens on October 15
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors in Michigan; More details here
BioMed Focus is an 8-week summer research program for high school juniors and seniors. During the program, you will work with scientists at the University of Michigan and do your own research based on a question you choose. You will also learn how to use lab tools, write about science, and explain your work to others—a PhD student or researcher will guide you through the whole process. In addition to hands-on work, you will have the opportunity to learn how to prepare for college applications and what admissions officers might be looking for. By the end of the program, you will share your research in a presentation for other students and teachers.
6. Corewell Health Student Opportunities
Location: Various Corewell Health locations in Michigan
Cost: Paid and unpaid opportunities available
Dates: Varies
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Corewell Health gives high school students in Michigan the chance to explore healthcare careers through job shadowing and internships. As a participant, you’ll watch doctors, nurses, and other medical staff as they work and learn what their day-to-day jobs are like. Each location offers a different experience, so you may see a variety of roles in the hospital or clinic. You can shadow for up to 40 hours in a year. Some paid internships are also available; they're posted on their job board at certain times of the year.
7. Discovery to Cure Program
Location: C.S. Mott Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Cost: Free
Dates: June 23 – August 15 (tentative)
Application Deadline: March 31 (tentative)
Eligibility: Rising seniors who are at least 16 years old
In this 8-week research program, you will work in a medical lab and learn about topics like the immune system, cancer, and how the body grows and changes. You’ll also work on your own lab project while getting guidance from a research mentor. They’ll support you as you plan and carry out experiments and go over your results. Each week, you will also join research talks to learn more about fields like reproductive biology, immunology, toxicology, oncology, and more. At the end of the program, you will share what you learned in a presentation for university staff and other students.
8. RYSE MED Program
Location: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipends may be available
Dates: June 29 – August 8
Application Deadline: Open in February
Eligibility: 10th and 11th graders in Metro Detroit with at least a 2.5 GPA ( 2.75 for seniors)
This 6-week summer program at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit will help you learn about healthcare jobs and why fair access to health is important. You will follow and observe doctors, nurses, and researchers, participate in hands-on medical activities, use virtual reality to explore patient care, and join workshops. As part of the program, you and your group will make an infographic and give a short talk about a health issue that affects you, your family, or your community, which you will share at the end of the summer. Once the summer is over, you will stay involved in RYSE MED through activities that help you grow in school, work, and life.
9. University of Florida’s “COVID-19: A Clinical Update” on Coursera
Location: Online
Cost: Free (with certification, the course costs $29)
Program Dates: 1 week; Self-paced
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Dr. Frederick S. Southwick from the University of Florida teaches a course on COVID-19. As a participant, you will learn how the virus started, how it spreads, what symptoms it causes, and how it can be treated. You’ll also study public health methods used to control the disease and participate in video lessons, practice questions, and peer-reviewed exercises. These activities will help you understand epidemiology and learn how to apply public health strategies in real situations.
10. Henry Ford Health Department of Surgery High School Mentorship Program
Location: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI
Stipend: $1,000
Dates: Runs during the academic year with an internship in the summer (June – August)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Detroit-area high school students
This year-round program gives high school students in Detroit the chance to explore medical and surgical careers. The program has three parts: weekend workshops during the school year, hospital tours and shadowing, and a paid summer internship for a few selected students. On Saturdays, you will practice skills like suturing, tying surgical knots, and using tools for simple surgeries in the Surgical Simulation Suite. You will also meet doctors and other healthcare professionals to learn about various careers in medicine.
11. Biomedical Career Advancement Program (BCAP)
Location: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
Cost/Stipend: Free; Stipends may be offered (subject to funding)
Dates: June 23 – August 15
Application Deadline: February 1 – April 7
Eligibility: 10th-12th graders with at least a 2.75 GPA; Priority given to Detroit-area and Wayne County residents and students from disadvantaged backgrounds
BCAP is a 6-week program where you will learn and practice medical research skills in a real university setting. You'll get to work with research teachers at Wayne State University School of Medicine and learn about lab safety as well as tools like gel electrophoresis, microscopes, and pipettes. You’ll even learn how to draw blood. You'll also get support from teachers and lab staff who will help you out as you work on your research project. At the end of the program, you'll have a final event to share your work with other students, mentors, and university staff.
12. Michigan Health Sciences Pre-College Exposure Academy (SPEA)
Location: University of Michigan (Hybrid: Virtual + In-Person, Ann Arbor, MI)
Cost: Free
Dates: July 8 – August 2 (tentative)
Application Deadline: February 8 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school students in the 10th or 11th grade
The Michigan Health Sciences Pre-College Exposure Academy (SPEA) is a four-week summer program that helps you explore careers in medicine, research, and health fairness. From Monday to Thursday, you will join online sessions for SAT prep and career skills; whereas, on Fridays, you will take part in in-person activities on the Ann Arbor campus. You will also join workshops where you’ll develop your writing, communication, and leadership skills. These sessions are designed to help you develop the skills you need in healthcare. You will also get guidance from doctors, teachers, and students at Michigan Medicine who will support you and help you prepare for college.
13. MYHealth Michigan Program – University of Michigan
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free to attend; $10/hour of the program completed, $20/survey completion, $25 for the post-program interview
Program Dates: July 28 – August 8
Application Deadline: May 16
Eligibility: High school students (14+) in Southeast Michigan
The MYHealth program is a fully online research training program for high school students in Southeast Michigan. The program starts with a Summer Launch; as a participant, you will take part in fun, hands-on activities that teach you how to study health problems and do real research. You will also work in teams to create and complete a project about public health and health gaps in different communities. After that, you will get to keep participating in the program during the school year by attending weekly team projects. Later, you might even get the chance to return as a peer mentor to help new students. You will be guided by teachers and students from the University of Michigan and hear from health experts. When you finish, you will get a certificate for your hard work and interest in health research.
14. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Science Program (JHIBS) – Virtual Experience
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Dates: 5 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: December 1 – March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors from the U.S. and Canada
The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) allows high school students to explore neuroscience research with guidance from experts in neurology and neurosurgery. The program offers a five-week online option, where you will learn fundamental laboratory and research skills from home. Both in-person and online formats include workshops focused on college preparation, professional development, and building connections in the field. You’ll participate in activities like educational presentations, professional development sessions, and benefit from training in basic laboratory techniques and mentorship opportunities. Once you complete the virtual program, you will receive a certificate of completion.
15. UT Southwestern Medical Center – High School Student Virtual Internship (Mental Health)
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free
Program Dates: 2 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: September – February
Eligibility: Rising 10th-12th graders
This 14-day online program provides an overview of careers in mental health. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to learn from professionals in psychiatry, psychology, and social work. They will provide an overview of how mental health is understood and addressed, as well as the various roles professionals undertake within this field. You will also learn about things like therapy, brain science, mental health testing, and care in the community. To prepare for the program, you'll need to read some reports and articles from scientific journals and other news sources.
Image Source - Henry Ford Jackson Hospital Logo