Career path
Medical & Healthcare Opportunities for High School Students
Aspiring doctors and health professionals need exposure to the field early. These programs include hospital volunteering, clinical shadowing, and health research that show what a career in medicine really involves.
High School Volunteers Program
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Students assist the cancer center’s patient services, greeting families, delivering activity packs to pediatric units, and helping with data‑entry for research studies. Duties are performed on the main campus under the supervision of the Volunteer Services Coordinator.
Partnership for Scientific Inquiry (PSI) Program
Jefferson High School College & Career Center
A 16‑week intensive course followed by a summer internship where students design and execute a biomedical research project, learning PCR, gel electrophoresis, and bio‑informatics pipelines in university labs partnered with the program.
Volunteer Program at the Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
High school students participate in a volunteer program at the Philadelphia Zoo, assisting with animal care and education programs.
Summer High School Internship Program - Fred Hutch
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
High school students participate in an eight-week summer internship, working alongside researchers and scientists on projects related to cancer research and public health.
UChicago Summer Session Pre-College Program
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago's Pre-College Programs provide high school students with opportunities to delve deeper into subjects, discuss complex questions, and take intellectual risks in a supportive community. Programs include immersion, research, and language studies, with world-class faculty and instructors.
Oschner STAR Summer Scholars Program
Oschner Health
The Ochsner STAR Program gives high school students from low-income backgrounds a chance to explore the healthcare industry for free.
Three-Week Session Residential Precollege Studies Program
Cornell University
Students live on the Cornell campus while taking undergraduate courses and interacting with students from diverse backgrounds.
High School Program
Kaiser Permanente
At Kaiser Permanente's Oakland headquarters and Northern California medical offices, young adults can work on real projects in various roles, gaining experience in healthcare administration and support.
Pathways Internship Program
U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State's Pathways Internship Program offers paid internship opportunities to U.S. citizens in high school through graduate school, allowing them to explore Federal careers.
Vermont Adaptive’s Apprenticeship Program
Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports
Vermont Adaptive's Apprenticeship Program is for students aged 14-17 who want to volunteer and gain experience working with athletes with disabilities. Participants will learn about non-profit management, share their passions, and potentially earn school credit and build their resume.
PrepareRI High School Internship Program
Skills for Rhode Island’s Future
The PrepareRI High School Internship Program is a 7-week work-based learning experience for Rhode Island public high school juniors. Selected students receive job readiness coaching, paid internships with employer partners, and the opportunity to earn up to $4,200 during the summer.
Health Careers Summer Internship Program
Hawaii Pacific Health
Hawaii Pacific Health's Health Careers Summer Internship is a 6-week paid internship for high school juniors and seniors. Participants work in various health care professions, interact with professionals, and explore different health care careers.
Youth Employment Services (YES) Program
City of Santa Clarita
The Youth Employment Services Program provides job training for low-income or high-risk teens aged 16-18 in Santa Clarita, partnering with local businesses and agencies for on-the-job experience.
Pre-College Research Internship for Students from Minority Backgrounds [PRISM]
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
The PRISM program at UAB provides minority high school students with hands-on research experiences guided by surgeon mentors, exposing them to medical careers and enhancing college applications.
Volunteer Services
Marin Health
About 80 volunteers help raise funds and build connections between the community and the hospital through fundraising efforts.
Next Gen High School Internship Program
Emory University School of Medicine
Emory University's paid summer internship program aims to increase representation of underrepresented minorities in STEM fields. High school students from the metropolitan Atlanta area participate in the program to explore STEM career possibilities.
Einstein Montefiore Summer High School Research Program
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
High school students aged 16 and older can participate in a summer research program at the Einstein-Montefiore institution. During the program, students engage in leading-edge research projects. The experience aims to inspire students to consider science as a career path.
Laboratory Learning Program
Princeton University
High school students participate in a full-time research experience in sciences or engineering at Princeton University. They work closely with faculty and research staff on ongoing projects, with customized participation dates based on the schedules of the research personnel and project specifics.
Student Internship Job
Aztec Municipal School District
The Work-Based Learning Program offers internships that connect classroom learning to real-world experiences. These internships are available to Aztec Municipal Schools High School students and are linked to their career goals and Next Step Plan.
Young Scholars Program (YSP)
Northeastern University
The Young Scholars Program at Northeastern University offers Massachusetts high school seniors hands-on research experience in science and engineering, with topics ranging from active particles to cancer therapies. Participants also attend seminars, workshops, and corporate site visits. Applications open in January for the following summer.
The Summer Bridge Programs
University of Illinois Chicago's Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs and Academic Programs
The University of Illinois Chicago's Summer Bridge Programs offer high school students and admitted first-year students hands-on experience, workshops, field trips, and mentorship support in fields like health care, computer science, and engineering. Programs are designed to prepare students for college and career success.
American Red Cross Teen Volunteer
American Red Cross
Red Cross youth volunteers learn leadership skills, work with diverse groups, and make a positive impact in their communities through hands-on volunteer work.
Research Mentorship Program (RMP)
The University of California Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara offers a 6-week research program for high school students. Participants are paired with a mentor and work on a research project. They also attend lectures and network with peers and university researchers.
AIMI Summer Research Internship
Stanford University
The Summer Research Internship is a fully virtual program where students work in teams to develop an AI model using clinical data. They'll learn core concepts in AI and machine learning, explore real-world applications, and receive mentorship from Stanford researchers and students.
Summer Student Research Program
UCSF Department of Pediatrics
This summer program pairs under-represented students with healthcare professionals and researchers for one-on-one mentorship and access to workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities. The program culminates in a research symposium where students present their project findings. The goal is to stimulate interest in health sciences and provide students with professional skills and confidence.
Youth Summer Program
Brigham and Women's Hospital
The Brigham and Women's Hospital internship program is a 7-week paid experience for students. They work in various departments, focusing on professional development, healthcare career exposure, and community health.
Summer Program
BESt Healthcare Institute
BESt summer programs are four-week programs that focus on STEM subjects. The goal is to inspire students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, and to create opportunities for diverse healthcare providers in the St. Louis area.
Center for Imaging Science Summer High School Intern Program
Rochester Institute of Technology
High school juniors can participate in a research internship program at a top scientific institution, working alongside world-class scientists on imaging-related projects and gaining valuable hands-on experience in a laboratory setting.
New York Bioforce
Columbia Engineering
New York Bioforce provides NYC high school students with 100 hours of lab training to meet the needs of biomedical research labs, biotech start-ups, and biopharmaceutical companies. Students learn hands-on biomedical research skills and science communication and networking skills.
Environmentor Program
Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity
High school students from the Rockaway Peninsula can participate in the Environmentor Program, conducting research on local environmental projects with scientist mentors.
Summer Science Research Program
The Rockefeller University
The RockEDU team introduces a research program where students design and conduct their own projects within a themed research track.
Office of Workforce Development Student Training Program
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
The Office of Workforce Development Student Training Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute provides paid internships in hospital departments, focusing on professional development, mentorship, and community relationships.
Observers/Job Shadows
Children's Wisconsin
The Children's Hospital of Wisconsin offers job shadowing opportunities and educational seminars for high school students interested in healthcare careers.
Academy/DPHA Summer Internship
Delaware Academy of Medicine
Students analyze public health data, identify gaps, and create a program logic model to address health issues through qualitative and quantitative research.
Summer Challenge
Boston University
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors can participate in a 2-week residential program on a college campus, taking on new academic challenges and experiencing campus life.
High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)
National Institutes of Health
The Summer Internship Program lets young people work alongside top scientists in biomedical research, conducting full-time research and contributing to ongoing projects.
High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP)
UMass Chan Medical School
The High School Health Careers Program is a four-week residential program that offers sophomore and junior high school students opportunities to explore careers in Biomedical Research, Biotechnology, and the health professions. The program aims to improve participants' academic and communication skills.
Health Sciences Enrichment Institute
Kansas University Medical Center
The Health Science Enrichment Institute is a five-week summer program on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus, designed for incoming college freshmen and sophomores. The program includes courses in biology, anatomy, and microbiology, as well as sessions on time management and study skills.
Job Trainings & Internships
Partners in Education
The Job Readiness Training program in Santa Barbara County provides 8-week workshops, both online and in-person, which prepare students for potential paid internships aligned with their field of interest.
KU Medical Center Educational Experience (KEE)
Kansas University Medical Center
The research experience at the University of Kansas Medical Center offers students a choice between observing research activity and participating in hands-on research. The clinical observation experience allows students to observe healthcare professionals in a clinical setting.
Summer Neuroscience Program
The Rockefeller University
For two weeks, NYC public high schoolers participate in a neuroscience course led by Rockefeller graduate students. Students explore ongoing research and learn how the brain functions in everyday life. They also discover how to investigate brain mysteries in their own unique ways.
Inspiring Careers in Mentail Health
University of Texas Southwestern
This two-week summer internship introduces students to various careers in mental health, led by experienced clinicians, and covers topics such as psychotherapy, neuropsychological testing, and community psychiatry.
State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP)
Columbia University
The State Pre-College Enrichment Program is a free program for 7th-12th grade students interested in medicine or related STEM fields. It aims to increase historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students' college readiness and participation in math, science, and health-related fields.
Summer Research Scholar Program
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
The Center for Discovery and Innovation's Summer Research Scholar Program offers hands-on research experience to nearly 40 students each year. Participants receive comprehensive training and work alongside laboratory staff to execute research techniques, collect data, and compile study documents.
High School Explainer Program
The Exploratorium
At the Exploratorium, high school and early college students work as Explainers, interacting with visitors, exploring exhibits, and performing demonstrations on the museum floor.
8-Week Summer Internship for Rising Seniors
ISB Baliga Lab
Current 11th graders can apply for an 8-week, paid summer internship at ISB, working on projects like computational biology, microbial interactions, and bioengineering with algae. Students learn about systems biology and apply their knowledge to a research project, guided by a mentor. The internship aligns with ISB's current projects and provides around 300 hours of experience.
Executive and General Positions
The Reconceive Project
This project focuses on health advocacy and education, involving partnerships, research, and community building. Students can expand this project to their school or campus, participating in initiatives and events with other youth and organizations.
High School Internships
Northern Michigan University's Career and Technical Education Department
The Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency offers high school seniors a non-paid internship program with local businesses, allowing students to gain work experience, network, and earn high school credit.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Volunteer Program
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital
Volunteers commit to a 4-hour shift per week for a minimum of 200 hours over one year or more. They can work in various departments, such as Patient Support and Emergency Department. Many volunteers continue to serve for years and explore opportunities to assist patients and staff.
Chicago EYES on Cancer Program
UChicago Medicine
Chicago EYES on Cancer is a research training program for high school and college students interested in biomedicine. Participants work in laboratories, attend lectures, and receive career development training for two consecutive summers.
Pre-Med Summer Scholar Program
UCLA Health
The Pre-Med Summer Scholar Program at UCLA Health is a program for US high school students to explore medical careers through guest speakers and hands-on activities, with a $1200 fee and scholarship options available.
High School Summer Internship Program
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic's Louis Stokes Internship Program is a competitive summer internship for high school students that offers hands-on research experience in the biomedical field.
Pre-Baccalaureate Program
Barnard College
Join Barnard College for a summer program on its campus in New York City, where rising seniors and gap year students can take college courses alongside faculty and students.
Wayne State Discovery to Cure High School Internship Program
C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development at the Wayne State University School of Medicine
The Wayne State Discovery to Cure High School Internship is an 8-week research program at Wayne State University for rising seniors aged 16+, where they work on individual projects under mentorship and present their findings.
Research Intern
Teens in Health
We're a network of high schoolers leading science education and health advocacy. We partner with other students to share knowledge about healthcare careers and improve healthcare initiatives through publishing, events, and global connections.
Los Angeles Medical Center Volunteer Program
Kaiser Permanente
The Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center offers various volunteer programs, including general and specialty roles. Volunteers work in over 40 departments and must commit at least 200 hours over a year. Requirements include proof of COVID vaccination, a background check, and good English communication skills.
Learning at the Bench (LAB) Jumpstart
The Rockefeller University
During March to June, students participate in small-group lab experiments to develop research skills and content knowledge in preparation for their summer mentored research experience.
Roswell Park’s Summer Cancer Research Experience Program
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
High school juniors can participate in a hands-on research experience at Roswell Park, where they'll work with experts on their own research project and gain valuable insights into a potential college science major and career.
High School Student Research Apprentice Program
UConn Health
Eleventh and twelfth graders can participate in a five-week summer program at UConn's school of medicine to explore medicine, dental medicine, or biomedical research.
StandOut Connect High School Internship Program
StandOut Search
StandOut Connect connects high school students with companies founded by top university alumni for internships in fields that interest them.
Frequently asked questions
How do high schoolers get medical experience?
Through hospital volunteering, clinical shadowing, pre-med summer programs, and health research. This page lists opportunities open to students exploring medicine.
Can high schoolers volunteer at hospitals?
Yes—many hospitals have junior volunteer programs, though minimum ages and requirements vary. Check each listing and the hospital’s official page.
Do I need to be pre-med to apply?
No. These programs are for exploring whether medicine is right for you—genuine interest matters more than a decided career path.