Medicine is one of the few fields where curiosity can be tested against something before medical school or college even begins. A high school student interested in medicine who spends a summer in a lab, on a hospital floor or inside an independent research project quickly gains a clearer sense whether a career in public health, not just the idea of it, holds their interest.
That is also why the landscape of “medical internships for high school students” has become so crowded. Some options place students inside a working research lab for two months. Others offer a week of simulated procedures. A few provide genuine mentorship from a practicing physician-scientist; others provide supervision so light that the experience amounts to a structured tour. Sorting through them requires knowing what distinguishes a rigorous medical internship program from one that simply uses the word “medical” in its marketing.
Below is a researched guide to 26 of the strongest medical internships and research programs for high school students, along with a framework for evaluating any program in the medical field not covered here.
The highest quality high school medical internships for high school students fall into two categories:
The strongest programs in any category tend to share two qualities: a high degree of student agency in shaping the research direction, and meaningful institutional oversight that ensures academic rigor. University or non-profit-driven programs typically have these qualities, giving students the closest approximation to what college-level research actually looks like.
To read more about the different types of programs available, and how they differ from popular “independent mentor-matching” services, read our comprehensive guide on choosing the best research opportunities, which high school medical students can apply to the most competitive programs available.
The programs below were selected based on:
Pioneer Research Institute is the only fully accredited online research program for high school students, with tracks available for high school students interested in medical or biomedical research. Scholars design their own research question and spend a full term developing it into an original paper under one-on-one mentorship from a university professor across 30 available research areas, including medical research.
What sets Pioneer apart from many of the programs below is not access to a physical research lab; it is the depth of academic oversight. Admissions are professor-blind, mentors are full professors rather than graduate students, and every paper is independently reviewed against Oberlin’s academic standards. No prior experience in research is required for an application.
For a motivated high school student who wants sustained ownership of an original research question rather than a shorter lab placement, it is worth comparing directly against the programs that follow. You can learn more in our comprehensive guide to Pioneer’s offerings
The Broad Summer Scholars Program places a small cohort of Boston-area high school students inside active genomics and biomedical research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Students work closely with Broad scientists on live research questions rather than assigned classroom exercises, supported by an application requiring an essay, transcript, and recommendation letter.
Its geographic restriction to the greater Boston area and small cohort size make it one of the more locally limited programs here, but for eligible students it offers real world exposure to one of the country’s leading genomics research institutions.
Fred Hutch Cancer Center’s SHIP is deliberately designed for students with little to no prior lab experience, opening with two weeks of hands-on safety and technique training before six weeks embedded in a Fred Hutch research group. It is a paid, full-time introduction to cancer research rather than an independent project where students engage with real medical professionals within hospital departments.
Because it prioritizes newcomers to research over already-experienced applicants, it is one of the more accessible entry points to serious lab work on this list.
Cincinnati Children’s has historically placed high school seniors into pediatric research labs for an eight-week, hands-on introduction to biomedical research. Note: Cincinnati Children’s is redesigning this internship and will not run it in summer 2026; the organization has indicated a new application will open in November 2026 for a future summer.
Students planning around 2027 or later should watch cincinnatichildrens.org directly, since program structure, eligibility and cost may change once the redesigned version launches.
At City of Hope’s Roberts Summer Student Academy, admitted students are placed on a biomedical research team full-time for 10 weeks, working alongside physicians and scientists on active cancer and biomedical research questions. It is one of the longer and more immersive commitments on this list, closer to a full-time research job than a shorter internship.
The $4,500 completion stipend and full-time structure make it attractive, but the ten-week, in-person residency requirement is a meaningful commitment relative to shorter programs elsewhere on this list.
CHOP-RISES is a two-summer pathway that begins with foundational lab training in CHOP-RISES I and advances to an independent research project in CHOP-RISES II, alongside career seminars and clinical shadowing. Because the program works through partner schools rather than an open application, access depends on attending one of CHOP’s partner institutions. Students who complete both summers may return for a third year of continued research and mentor training.
Run through Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, HOPP places juniors into an MSK research lab for a biomedical or computational internship focused on cancer biology. Students conduct an independent project under direct laboratory mentorship rather than a shadowing or observational format.
Its geographic eligibility restriction to the NYC metro area narrows the applicant pool considerably, which likely contributes to the program’s selectivity even though MSK does not publish an official acceptance rate.
JAX’s Summer Student Program is a genetics- and genomics-focused research residency at one of the country’s leading mammalian genetics research institutions. High schoolers are eligible only for the Bar Harbor, Maine location, where they work as independent researchers within an active lab rather than assisting on someone else’s project.
The $7,500 stipend, plus covered housing and travel costs, make it one of the most well-resourced programs on this list, though its residential, Maine-based format requires students to relocate for the full 10 weeks.
The Jacobs Institute’s Next-Gen internship introduces students to medical technology and vascular medicine through health science lectures, live procedure observation and hands-on work with endovascular simulators and 3D-printed models. Twenty students complete the core two-week program; eight of those are then selected for an additional five weeks of lab skills training and placement.
Its tiered structure means most participants receive a two-week introduction rather than an extended research placement, which distinguishes it from the longer lab-based programs elsewhere on this list.
Run by Emory’s Department of Human Genetics, NextGen places a small cohort of Atlanta-area students in genetics and genomics labs and clinics, rotating through classroom sessions, lab shadowing, and clinical exposure alongside Emory researchers and genetic counselors. It’s built explicitly to widen the pipeline into biomedical careers for students who might not otherwise have access to a lab environment.
Because the program blends structured coursework with lab and clinical rotations rather than a single independent project, it functions more as guided exposure than a start-to-finish hands-on research experience.
MPFI’s internship gives local students hands-on placement in an active neuroscience lab, working alongside Max Planck researchers on brain structure, function and development using techniques like advanced imaging. Students complete a written scientific abstract and present their findings at the end of the program, closely mirroring the deliverables of a professional research internship.
With this clinical experience, students will get a head start on narrowing their specific interests.
MD Anderson’s CATALYST high school program places a very small cohort, up to six students, into full-time laboratory placements across the cancer center for 10 weeks, five days a week. It is one of the more selective programs on this list simply by virtue of its limited cohort size.
METEOR v3 places D.C.-area high schoolers with mentored neuroscience and clinical research at Children’s National Hospital, combining lab-based mentorship with field trips to NIH, the FDA and the National Library of Medicine. Students present their research findings to the Children’s National community at the close of the program.
NIH’s Summer Internship Program places students directly inside a federal research laboratory at the National Institutes of Health, working under an assigned NIH scientist across virtually any biomedical discipline. Because it draws applicants from across the country to a program with strict local-residency requirements for high schoolers, it is functionally one of the more geographically restrictive programs here.
The federal backing and open-ended research scope makes it an academically-demanding experience, though the 40-mile residency requirement around an NIH campus eliminates most applicants nationally.
Those interested in this NIH SIP program can check out our comprehensive program guide.
PIPS is designed specifically as an entry point for students with little to no prior research exposure, pairing them with Stanford pediatrics faculty, postdoctoral fellows and researchers on a guided project.
The 30-hour weekly commitment and need-based $3,000 stipend make it a substantial, accessible option for students newer to research who still want direct exposure to a Stanford medical faculty lab.
Rockefeller’s SSRP places 32 students into four research teams, each guided by scientific trainees from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering and Weill Cornell Medicine. Students work within a team structure rather than fully independently, which distinguishes it from single-mentor lab placements elsewhere on this list.
Rockefeller does not provide housing assistance, so it functions best for students with existing ties to the New York City area who can commute for the full seven weeks. For those interested in learning more, we have profiled Rockefeller SSRP in another blog, which we encourage you check out.
The Salk Institute’s Heithoff-Brody High School Summer Scholars Program is a paid, eight-week research internship that places students directly alongside Salk scientists on active biological and biomedical research projects. Participants gain hands-on experience with laboratory techniques, research methods and scientific communication while working in one of the world’s leading biomedical research environments.
The program also includes professional development activities designed to introduce students to careers in science and research. It is restricted to San Diego County residents and requires prior coursework in biology and chemistry, reflecting the program’s focus on students who are prepared for a rigorous laboratory experience.
Scripps Research’s Student Research Internship immerses students in translational medical research, genomics, proteomics or mobile health monitoring, working full-time (roughly 40 hours a week) in a wet or dry lab under a dedicated scientist mentor. The program concludes with a formal presentation at a Translational Institute research meeting.
Note that Scripps also runs a separate REACH partnership track with restricted, school-specific eligibility; the general Student Research Internship described here is the broader public-facing track.
Seattle Children’s Research Training Program introduces 10th and 11th graders to laboratory research through scaffolded lectures and labs in immunology, microscopy and infectious disease.
Because it targets a younger cohort and runs only four weeks, it functions better as an introduction to lab research than as a substitute for a full independent research project.
St. Jude’s High School Research Immersion Program places juniors into full-time (40 hours per week) pediatric research at one of the country’s leading pediatric research hospitals. Students are paired with St. Jude scientists and research teams, gaining hands-on experience with laboratory techniques, data analysis and the day-to-day process of biomedical discovery. In addition to their research work, participants take part in scientific seminars, professional development activities and presentations that help them understand careers in biomedical research.
The program is designed as an immersive introduction to laboratory science rather than a short-term enrichment experience, giving students a close look at how research is conducted in a world-class medical institution.
SIMR is widely regarded as one of the most competitive high school research placements in the country, pairing roughly 50 admitted students each year with Stanford Medicine faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate mentors across biomedical research fields.
Students spend eight weeks embedded in a research lab, contributing to ongoing projects while developing laboratory skills, scientific reasoning and research communication abilities. The program culminates in a research presentation and provides a close-up view of what it is like to pursue biomedical research at a leading academic medical institution.
If you are interested in participating within SIMR, we encourage you to check out our comprehensive program rundown on SIMR.
Stanford’s STaRS internship, run through the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, is designed as an immersive introduction to laboratory research for high school students interested in biomedical science. Students spend eight weeks working Monday through Friday in a Stanford research lab, where they learn foundational research skills, participate in ongoing projects and gain experience with the methods and problem-solving approaches used in academic medicine. No prior laboratory experience is required, making it a strong entry point for students who are beginning to explore research.
The program combines hands-on lab work with exposure to the broader research environment, helping students understand how scientific questions are developed, investigated and communicated.
By the end of the internship, students gain practical experience with the research process and a clearer understanding of what pursuing biomedical science or medicine can look like at the university level.
SURE-CAN gives Western New York juniors a structured introduction to cancer research through a combination of classroom learning, scientific discussions and hands-on research experiences at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Students explore areas such as cancer biology, imaging, genomics and computational approaches, while gaining exposure to the tools and methods used in modern biomedical research. The program is designed to help students understand how laboratory discoveries translate into advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, while building foundational research and scientific communication skills. Participation is limited to students attending high schools in four Western New York counties.
TRIPxJ&J is the Johnson & Johnson-sponsored fall track of Fox Chase Cancer Center’s Teen Research Internship Program (TRIP), which guides students through project design, hands-on experimentation and scientific communication under the mentorship of Fox Chase faculty. The Initiative also runs a separate winter/spring track (TRIP Signature) and a summer track (TRIP Explore).
Its 14-and-up eligibility floor makes it one of the more accessible entry points here for younger high schoolers, though the experience is closer to a structured lab introduction than an extended independent project.
UCSF’s Summer Student Research Program, running for more than 40 years, places students into active biomedical, clinical or behavioral research at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, paired with one-on-one mentorship from a physician or researcher and a closing research symposium.
Its explicit focus on students underrepresented in the sciences shapes its admissions priorities; students should read UCSF’s eligibility language closely before applying.
Hillman Academy gives rising seniors a mentored research placement in one of six focus areas, including cancer biology, tumor immunology and computational biology, culminating in an oral presentation and poster session at the end of the program.
Running across six distinct research tracks under one umbrella gives students meaningfully more subject flexibility within a single application than most single-lab programs on this list.
The right program depends less on prestige than on fit. A student new to research benefits more from a structured, mentor-heavy introduction, like the Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford or Fred Hutch’s SHIP, than from a highly independent placement that assumes prior lab experience. A student who has already spent a summer in a lab and wants to own an entire research project is better served by a program built around sustained, individual work.
Geography is the other major filter. More than half of the programs above restrict eligibility to a specific city, county or region, which is worth checking before investing any time in an application. Fully online, globally accessible programs remove that constraint entirely, which matters most for students without a nearby research hospital or university.
Cost and compensation vary just as widely, from unpaid commitments to five-figure stipends. A free, unpaid program at a top research institution can be more demanding than a paid one; the deciding factor is the quality of mentorship and how much ownership a student has over the actual work, not the number attached to the program.
If you’re interested in conducting the highest level of research for high school students, consider joining a Pioneer information session to learn more about the Pioneer Research Institute.
Based on a recent survey, 71 percent of Pioneer Research scholars’ acceptances were to the top 20 US colleges and universities. Additionally, our alumni report acceptances to highly-selective institutions at a rate five times higher than the school’s published acceptance rate.
If you are a 9th or 10th grader, we encourage you to also check out the Global Problem-Solving Institute. You’ll have the rare opportunity to take an interdisciplinary approach to complex world programs, while earning college credits from UNC-Chapel Hill.
Programs explicitly designed for first-time researchers, such as the Pediatrics Internship Program at Stanford (PIPS) or Fred Hutch’s Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP), are built around structured training rather than assuming existing lab skills. Both open with dedicated technique training before placing students in a mentored research setting, which makes them stronger starting points than programs that favor applicants with prior research experience.
The Pioneer Research Institute is also designed for high school students without prior research experience. Most high school-facing internships are assumed to be introductions to healthcare careers or being a future medical professional, so let your individual passion drive an application to a particular program.
Most of the programs in this guide are free to attend, and many, including Fred Hutch SHIP, the Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program, and St. Jude’s High School Research Immersion Program, pay students a stipend. Some may charge tuition, but most reputable programs that do, like the Pioneer Research Institute, will offer financial aid to cover 100% of demonstrated financial need.
All high quality medical internships for high school students should be easily accessible introductions to a future career path in health professions, especially for those who may lack access otherwise.
Selectivity varies widely. Programs based at nationally recognized research hospitals or universities, such as SIMR at Stanford or Rockefeller’s SSRP, are highly competitive, though most decline to publish an official acceptance rate. Programs with strict geographic eligibility, by contrast, are often less competitive simply because their applicant pool is smaller.
No. Most programs on this list ask for a demonstrated interest in science or medicine, and some set a minimum GPA or completed coursework in biology or chemistry, but none require a declared pre-med intent. Pre-med summer programs for high school students are commonly used to test that interest in the first place, not to confirm a decision already made.
The terms are used loosely and often overlap, but in general, an internship (such as TRIPxJ&J) emphasizes structured exposure to a healthcare setting or a short applied project, while a research program (such as SIMR, the Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program, or Pioneer Research Institute) centers on producing an original research question, project or paper under sustained mentorship.
Most in-person, hospital- or university-based programs open applications between November and February for the following summer, with several of the most selective options, including SIMR and the Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program, closing by late January or February. Fully online programs, including Pioneer Research Institute, tend to run on a longer admissions calendar with multiple terms across the year, which gives students more flexibility if they miss a single-cycle summer deadline.
None of these programs will substitute for genuine interest, and none can promise a particular outcome. What they can offer is a real test: whether a student’s curiosity about medicine survives contact with the actual, slower, more exacting work of research or clinical observation. The programs that hold up best under that test tend to be the ones with the most oversight and the most room for a student to think for themselves.
For a broader framework that applies beyond medicine, Pioneer’s guide to choosing the best summer research opportunities for high school students walks through the same evaluation questions in more depth.
Doing research is commonplace. How do you choose the research opportunity that makes a difference?
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