15 Summer Medical Programs for High School Students in Oklahoma

Summer programs give you the chance to explore career interests, gain hands-on experience, and develop practical skills outside of the regular school year. Participating locally can be especially convenient, letting you access hospitals, research labs, and healthcare centers without the challenges of travel or housing. You can also start building connections with professionals in your own community, which can lead to mentorship and future opportunities.

If you’re a high school student in Oklahoma interested in medicine, local summer programs provide a great way to get started. You might shadow healthcare professionals, take part in clinical volunteering, or gain laboratory experience, depending on your interests. These programs give you practical exposure, help you build relevant skills, and offer insight into different career paths in medicine, nursing, or biomedical research.

To help you find the right opportunity, we’ve compiled a list of the top 15 summer medical programs for high school students in Oklahoma, including options that are local, virtual, or provide financial aid to make participation easier.

15 Summer Medical Programs for High School Students in Oklahoma

1. OKStars Summer Research Program

Location: OSU Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Six-week program; June 2 – July 11
Application Deadline: January 6 - April 30
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are able to cover their own transport

This six‑week research experience pairs each high‑school student with a mentor in a biomedical laboratory. You’ll assist with ongoing projects in areas like forensic science, biomedical sciences, and data mining. You will also complete lab safety training and attend weekly lunch‑and‑learn seminars on topics such as resume writing and applying to medical schools. Once the program is concluded, you will present your research findings at a final symposium.

2. Ladder Internships

Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies with program type
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective; ~15%
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 who are available for approximately 10–20 hours/week over the summer

Ladder Internships is a specialized program where you choose a specialized domain, such as healthcare, health tech, business, or mental health. Once you choose your area of interest, you’ll be matched with a startup that fits your goals. Most of these startups are high-growth and currently raising over $1 million. During the internship, you’ll work on projects for the startup and get guidance from a manager and a Ladder Coach. You’ll also present your project and research to the team and company at the end.

3. Fleming Scholars Program 

Location: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF), Oklahoma City, OK
Stipend: $5,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Eight-week program (Early June  – July 25)
Application Deadline: November 1 - February 1
Eligibility: High‑school seniors, Oklahoma residents,16+, can commit full‑time for 8 weeks

The Fleming Scholars Program provides selected students with the opportunity to conduct bench research alongside OMRF scientists. You will spend eight weeks immersed in a laboratory, learning techniques such as PCR, protein analysis, and cell culture. The experience also includes seminars and workshops on scientific writing and career planning. You will present your findings at the end of the summer. Housing is provided for those living outside Oklahoma City.

4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program 

Location: Remote
Cost: Varies with program type
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
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+

In the Lumiere Research Scholar Program, you work one-on-one with a PhD mentor on a research project in a field of your choice. The program lasts 12 weeks, and during that time, you go through steps like reviewing existing work, planning your study, analyzing data, and writing your paper. Ultimately, you will complete a research paper that can be used for college applications or submitted to journals. You also get guidance from your mentor, feedback from peers, and some career advice. 

5. VOLUME Summer Program – Bethany Children’s Health Center

Location: Bethany Children’s Health Center, Bethany, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 2 – June 19, 3 weeks
Application Deadline: October 9 - March 26
Eligibility: High school students studying in 11th and 12th grade with vaccination records that are up-to-date

VOLUME is a service‑based program at Bethany Children’s Health Center. Over three weeks, you’ll interact directly with pediatric patients at bedside and hospital events, assist with crafts and playroom activities, and shadow professionals across allied health fields such as nursing, therapy, and pharmacy. The mornings include skill-building workshops and educational sessions led by hospital staff, followed by hands-on volunteer work. The program aims to help you develop communication and empathy skills while exploring careers in pediatrics. 

6. Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: 5 weeks during the summer; July-August (tentative, exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: December 1 - March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors 

In this program, you’ll participate in talks that introduce core concepts in neuroscience and behavioral science, as well as training sessions that focus on career and skill development. You are also paired with online mentors, providing you with an opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance as you work. The curriculum includes lessons on simple lab methods and how to design experiments, presented in a virtual format that is meant to resemble practical research. 

7. CHAMPS – Careers in Health and Medical Professions (Summer Academy)

Location: Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Moderately selective
Dates: June 9 – June 12
Application Deadline: Varies by year
Eligibility: High school students in grades 8–12

CHAMPS is part of OCCC’s Summer Academy, designed to introduce you to careers in health and medicine. During the four‑day camp, you’ll learn about nursing, paramedicine, respiratory care, and other allied health fields. Activities include learning about vital signs, practicing basic clinical skills, touring the college’s simulation labs, and engaging in team‑building exercises. Breakfast and lunch are provided each day, and the free program makes it one of the more accessible summer medical programs for high school students in Oklahoma. 

8. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship

Location: Virtual
Cost: $40 application fee; $850 participation fee; need-based financial aid available for both
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: June 16 - 27
Application Deadline: December 9 - February 28 (fee waiver deadline: February 21)
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12), 14+, U.S. citizens or permanent residents

This two-week online program covers both the technical and medical sides of AI in healthcare. You’ll attend daily lectures where experts explain how AI is used in medicine. There are also group research sessions led by Stanford students and researchers to help you gain insights into this niche. At lunchtime, guest speakers from universities, companies, and the government will also share their experiences. 

9. SPARK Summer Program – University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

Location: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 14 – July 18 (five‑day program)
Application Deadline: Spring; exact dates vary yearly
Eligibility: High‑school students

SPARK is a week-long health‑care experience on OU’s Health Sciences Center campus. As a participant, you will rotate through various departments, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, and pharmacy, where you will have the chance to meet faculty and practice basic clinical skills in simulation labs. The program also includes panel discussions on career growth prospects and small‑group workshops. 

10. BRIDGE Program – Stephenson Cancer Center

Location: Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 2 – July 25 (eight‑week program)
Application Deadline: January 6 - February 14
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors in the Oklahoma City metro area, United States citizens or permanent residents

BRIDGE is an intensive eight-week internship where high school students complete safety training and then perform more than 200 hours of cancer research under the supervision of a mentor. As a participant, you will also have the opportunity to attend professional development workshops, gain insight into careers in oncology and public health, and present your research at the end of the program.

11. UH Sequencing Core Virtual Summer Internship

Location: Virtual
Stipend: Undisclosed stipend from the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program partnership
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: Summer (exact dates vary)
Application Deadline: Varies
Eligibility: High school students with an interest in biomedical research, especially in immunology or precision oncology

In this program, you’ll take up a research project that integrates immunology and oncology. Mentors with Ph.D.-level training will guide you as you learn sequencing methods, bioinformatics, and techniques for data analysis. At the end, you’ll also have the opportunity to present your project findings in an online session, offering you a sneak peek into graduate-style research. Applications are handled through the U.S. Army’s Educational Outreach Program.

12. Medicine Encompassed (ME) Student Internships

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: Year-round, rolling
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12)

Medicine Encompassed is a student-run nonprofit that offers online internships in medical education and outreach. In this program, you’ll work with other high school students from around the world to create study guides, blog posts, and learning resources. You can take on roles such as writer, editor, or content creator. By the end of the program, you will have practiced skills in scientific writing, content development, and teamwork, while also contributing to resources that support wider access to medical knowledge. 

13. CURE Jr. Program – Stephenson Cancer Center

Location: Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 13
Application Deadline: TBD; varies by year
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors

CURE Jr. is a one‑day program that provides an introduction to careers in oncology and biomedical research. As a participant, you will learn about lab research, clinical research, biomedical engineering, and surgical careers during interactive sessions and demonstrations. Topics include colon cancer, public health, and nursing. Because the program is only for a day, it’s a great way to evaluate your interest in cancer research. 

14. MASH – Saint Francis Health System

Location: Saint Francis Hospital, Tulsa, OK
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: July 14 - 25 (2 weeks)
Application Deadline: Spring (tentative); varies yearly
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors; completed one biology class

The MASH (Medical Academy for Students in Healthcare) program is a two-week summer camp where you spend your days rotating through hospital departments and shadowing doctors, nurses, and therapists. The schedule includes hands-on activities and training in medical terminology. You’ll also have the opportunity to practice in the hospital’s simulation center, which uses robotic patients to model real scenarios. 

15. OU Health Summer Health Science Camp Volunteens

Location: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Cost: $90
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: June 8-25 and July 6-23
Application Deadline: January 26 - March 13
Eligibility: High school students, 14-18; proof of COVID‑19 vaccination

OU Health’s Volunteen Program offers both school‑year and summer sessions. The summer Health Science Camp involves you in hospital operations through volunteering, skills labs, and shadowing opportunities. You will be assisting with patient care tasks and supporting patient experience teams. In addition to volunteering duties, the program schedules labs and educational activities across the OU Health Sciences campuses. 

Image Source - Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation Logo