Summer Medical Internships for High School Students: A Comprehensive Guide

For high school students with a passion for medicine, summer internships offer an invaluable opportunity to explore the field, gain practical experience, and strengthen their college applications. These programs provide hands-on exposure to various aspects of healthcare, from clinical settings to research laboratories, and can help students solidify their career aspirations. This article provides a comprehensive overview of summer medical internships for high school students, encompassing both in-person and online opportunities.

The Allure of Medical Internships

Medical internships offer a unique glimpse into the world of healthcare, allowing students to:

Explore Career Paths: Internships expose students to diverse medical specialties and healthcare settings, helping them identify their specific interests within the field.
Gain Practical Experience: Students can acquire hands-on skills through shadowing healthcare professionals, assisting with patient care, and participating in research projects.
Develop Critical Skills: Internships foster the development of essential skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Strengthen College Applications: Participation in a medical internship demonstrates a student's commitment to healthcare and enhances their competitiveness for college and medical school admissions.
Build a Professional Network: Internships provide opportunities to connect with healthcare professionals, mentors, and peers, expanding their professional network.

In-Person Internship Programs

Many prestigious institutions and organizations offer in-person summer medical internships for high school students. These programs typically involve a more immersive experience, with students working directly in healthcare facilities or research labs.

Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) High School Summer Internship Program

The Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), a leading institute focused on reproductive biology, women’s health, and infant health, offers a High School Summer Internship Program. This six-week, 240-hour program provides students with the opportunity to participate in basic, translational, or clinical scientific research.

Program Highlights:
- Work on a research project under the guidance of an investigator and their staff at MWRI or Magee-Womens Hospital.
- Attend informal Lunch & Learn sessions with investigators discussing biomedical science as a career.
- Present research findings via a PowerPoint presentation at the annual High School Internship Presentation Day.
Eligibility: High school students currently in their sophomore or junior year.
Stipend: Eligible students may receive a stipend of \$1,800 if their household qualifies for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program for Pennsylvania.
Dates: The program starts on June 15, 2026, and ends on July 24, 2026.
Note: Parking and housing are not provided.

Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP) at Fred Hutch

The Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP) at Fred Hutch is a competitive, eight-week, full-time paid internship for students between 11th and 12th grade. The program is designed for students who haven't had extensive research experience.

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Program Highlights:
- Two weeks of hands-on training in laboratory safety and techniques.
- Immersion in mentored activities in a Fred Hutch research group in Seattle for six weeks.
- Participation in research seminars and professional development workshops.
Application Requirements:
- Contact information for two recommenders.
- Resume (PDF).
- Transcripts (PDF).

Emory Pre-College Program

The Emory Pre-College Program is a summer academic program for high school students that gives current sophomores and juniors an exciting glimpse of academic and/or residential life at a top-ranked private university.

Neuroscience School at Georgia State University

The Neuroscience School at Georgia State University, sponsored by The Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, offers summer courses for high school students passionate about science.

Program Highlights:
- Courses taught by award-winning neuroscience and psychology professors.
- Deepen understanding of the nervous system.
- Explore neuroscience at a college level.
- Connect with others who share similar interests.

NextGen High School Internship Program at Emory University

The Department of Human Genetics at Emory University established the NextGen High School Internship Program in 2022 to inspire students from all backgrounds to pursue STEM fields.

Program Highlights:
- Paid summer internship.
- Hands-on lab and clinical experiences.
- Lectures and exposure to various programs and businesses near Emory.
- Ongoing activities throughout the school year.

Emory Pipeline Collaborative (EPiC)

The Emory Pipeline Collaborative (EPiC) is a three-year program designed to prepare high school students for health careers through learning, mentoring, college preparation, and health career exposure.

Program Highlights:
- Federally-funded program.
- After-school sessions and a summer program.
- Focus on academic achievement, college readiness, social support, and health career awareness.

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University offers a unique immersion experience that exposes high school seniors to real-world cancer research.

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VolunTEEN Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

The VolunTEEN Program is an eight-week summer opportunity for high school students ages 15-18 to volunteer at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Program Highlights:
- Support hospital staff.
- Engage with patients.
- Learn about healthcare.
Requirements:
- Must be 15 by the start of the program.
- Commit to volunteering one day a week for three hours.

Summer Science Academy Day Program

The Summer Science Academy Day Program is a hands-on, in-person experience for rising 9th and 10th grade students interested in science, healthcare, medicine, or related STEM fields.

Program Highlights:
- Explore topics such as natural science, biotechnology, engineering, math, medical research, and health science careers.

Medicine High School Specials

Medicine High School Specials focus mainly on clinical experience, with opportunities to work in various departments depending on the destination.

Program Highlights:
- Focus on preventative care through outreach and education.
- Pre-med internship ideal for young people interested in becoming doctors and nurses.
- Medical projects in Argentina with Spanish immersion.
- Public Health High School Specials with time spent out in the field assisting with education and spreading awareness.

Doctor for A Day (DFAD)

Doctor for A Day (DFAD) is a monthly academy that exposes K-12 youth to health careers through hands-on activities.

Program Highlights:
- Partnerships with clinical departments, school districts, and non-profits.
- Workshops led by medical students as near-peer mentors.

BESt Summer Pharmacy Institute

The BESt Summer Pharmacy Institute is a four-week program that consists of math, science, and ACT/SAT preparation classes held at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy, combined with on-site visits to Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s inpatient and outpatient pharmacies.

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Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience (CSMB) Mentorship Program

Medical students from the School of Medicine act as mentors to students interested in medicine and healthcare specialties, assisting with homework and high school guidance, as well as providing helpful tips regarding the college preparation and admission application process.

YSP Summer Focus Program

The YSP Summer Focus Program provides outstanding high school students with funded research internships at WashU Medical Center.

Eligibility: Students must attend a public school within the City of St. Louis and have successfully completed their junior year of high school.

OER Summer Internship Program

The OER Summer Internship program offers Philadelphia area high school students a six-week research position hosted by Penn faculty.

Program Highlights:
- Hands-on experience in conducting basic research at the bench.
- Weekly college readiness, professional development, and career exposure activities.
- Preparatory training in basic laboratory skills, reading scientific literature, maintaining a laboratory notebook, and performing experiments.
- Exploring clinical experiences during the seventh week.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital Summer Internship

This eight-week internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital is for those interested in pursuing a career in biomedical research. Each intern works directly with a postdoc, graduate student, or research technician under the direction of a Principal Investigator (PI) to complete a research project.

Mt. Sinai Hospital Summer Programs

The school of medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital allows students to apply for admission into one of four summer programs: Hospital Placement, & courses including Fruit Fly Exploration, Nanotechnology and Zebrafish Toxicology. This program intends to serve students of African American, Latino, Native American, Alaskan descent or students that are eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch.

Ladders for Leaders

Ladders for Leaders connects students with paid summer internships at several community-based organizations and city agencies.

Program Highlights:
- Pre-employment training designed to teach workplace readiness.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Internship

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides students with the opportunity to support many of their departments including but not limited to design, conservation, digital media, and photography. Students will receive \$1200 for their participation.

NYU-Poly Summer Research Program

Grade 10 and 11 students with 90+ GPAs and an 80+ on the Algebra 1 Regents are encouraged to apply for this exciting summer program in which students are trained to support laboratory research around exciting engineering problems.

PENCIL Fellowships

PENCIL Fellowships provides qualified students with the opportunity to engage in paid internships over the summer.

The NY Times Student Journalism Institute

This 10-day competitive program is for Juniors eligible for free or reduced lunch with a 90+ GPA. All expenses including travel are covered through this program with classes taught by reporters and editors from The NY Times, Washington Post, CNN and other major news organization.

Online Internship Programs

Online medical internships offer a flexible and accessible alternative for students who may not be able to participate in in-person programs. These programs utilize virtual shadowing, online lab simulations, and mentorship from healthcare professionals to provide valuable insights into medical careers.

Ladder Internships - Healthcare and Medicine Track

Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students, undergraduates, and gap year students.

Program Highlights:
- Work with a high-growth start-up on an internship in the health tech, AI/ML, marketing, journalism, or consulting industries.
- Work closely with managers and a Ladder Coach on real-world projects.
- One-on-one training in communication, time management, and other valuable skills.
- Group training sessions with other interns in their cohort.
Eligibility: Students who can work for 10-20 hours/week for 8-12 weeks.
Location: Remote.
Financial Aid: Available.

Stanford University - Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) Summer Research Internship

The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) offers a two-week virtual program to explore AI in healthcare.

Program Highlights:
- Foundational lectures on AI applications in medicine.
- Mentorship sessions with Stanford researchers and student leads.
- Collaborative research projects.
- Interactive social events.
- Virtual Career Lunch and Learns with experts from academia, industry, and government.
Eligibility: High school students who are over 14 by the start of the program and have strong math and/or computer programming skills and/or experience with a healthcare project.
Financial Aid: Available.

Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS)

The Johns Hopkins Internship in Brain Sciences (JHIBS) is a five-week virtual research internship for high school juniors and seniors interested in exploring careers in neurological sciences.

Program Highlights:
- Educational sessions, professional development training, mentorship, and hands-on learning of fundamental laboratory techniques and experiments.
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors interested in future research and clinical careers in behavioral sciences (psychiatry or psychology) or brain health-related sciences (neurology, neurosurgery, or neuroscience).
Cost: Free.

Stanford University - Clinical Summer Internship

The Stanford Clinical Summer Internship (CSI) offers a two-week virtual program for high school students, providing an in-depth exploration of clinical medicine.

Program Highlights:
- Interactive lectures, hands-on virtual training, and expert-led sessions covering a range of medical specialties.
- Small group case discussions, development of diagnostic and treatment skills, and insights from Stanford faculty and medical professionals.
- Simulated patient interactions, clinical technique workshops, and career-focused sessions.
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors who are aged 16 years or older.

Los Angeles Pediatric Society - Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program

The Los Angeles Pediatric Society's Eve and Gene Black Summer Medical Career Program aims to inspire high school students to pursue careers in healthcare.

Program Highlights:
- Daily virtual sessions featuring interactive presentations from healthcare professionals across various specialties.
Eligibility: Current 11th and 12th-grade high school students from Los Angeles and its adjacent counties.
Cost: No cost; interns receive a stipend of \$500.

UT Southwestern Medical Center - High School Student Internship

UT Southwestern Medical Center offers a two-week online summer internship for high school students, providing insight into careers in mental health.

Program Highlights:
- Interactive online sessions led by experienced mental health clinician-scientists.
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade high school students.
Cost: Free.

Stanford University - AIMI Summer Health AI Bootcamp

This virtual bootcamp is designed for high school students, providing a structured introduction to machine learning in healthcare.

Program Highlights:
- Interactive online modules, group discussions, breakout activities, and social events.
- Virtual Career Lunch and Learn sessions with experts from academia, industry, government, and non-profit sectors.
Eligibility: High school students who are over the age of 14 by the start of the program.
Financial Aid: Available.

Zon Lab - Camp Zon

In this paid two-week virtual research experience, you will join the Zon Lab as a scientist, exploring research using zebrafish.

Program Highlights:
- Design a study on anemia, formulate hypotheses, plan experiments, and analyze data.
- Attend lectures from leading scientists on topics ranging from fundamental biology to clinical research applications.
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years of age, residing in Massachusetts, and attending a Massachusetts high school.
Cost: No cost; interns receive a stipend.

Stanford University - Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X)

The Clinical Neuroscience Immersion Experience (CNI-X) at Stanford University is a two-week online summer program for high school students interested in neuroscience, psychiatry, and psychology.

Program Highlights:
- Interactive seminars with Stanford faculty, exploring topics such as clinical neuropsychiatry, psychiatric epidemiology, and behavioral sciences.
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Financial Aid: Available.

Parkview Health - High School Student Internships

Parkview offers high school students a range of internships to explore careers in healthcare.

Program Highlights:
- Firsthand experience in both clinical and non-clinical roles.
Eligibility: High school students are eligible to apply.
Cost: Free.

Additional Opportunities

Lumiere Research Scholar Program

The Lumiere Research Scholar Program offers selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford.

Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation

The Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation is a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students, providing full need-based financial aid.

Maximizing the Internship Experience

To make the most of a summer medical internship, students should:

Be Proactive: Take initiative in seeking out learning opportunities and asking questions.
Be Engaged: Actively participate in all program activities and discussions.
Be Professional: Maintain a professional demeanor and demonstrate respect for healthcare professionals and patients.
Network: Build relationships with mentors, peers, and other professionals in the field.
Reflect: Take time to reflect on their experiences and identify areas for growth.

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