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Top 10 Summer Medical Programs for High School Students
By
Savannah Dawson
Prior to coming to Scholarships360 for her first internship in 2022, Savannah utilized her campus publications by joining various fashion publications that are offered at Ohio University. One of those publications is Thread Magazine, where Savannah has had the opportunity to work on articles related to world-wide related fashion news and events, as well as articles closer to home, such as a fashion piece on Athens hometown-hero Joe Burrow. This year, Savannah also had the opportunity to be a content writing intern for Aiken House, as well as a section editor for Southeast Ohio Magazine. In 2023, Savannah served as the Chapter President of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta. These collective experiences, as well as her experience currently working for Ohio University’s Undergraduate Admissions, has led her to Scholarships360 and aided in her passion for helping students better understand the college admissions process and financial aid. In her free time, Savannah enjoys horseback riding, watching Formula One races, traveling, and spending time with her friends and family. Savannah will graduate from Ohio University in May 2024 with a degree in Journalism News and Information and a certificate in Italian Studies.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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If you are a student who is interested in going into the medical field, you might want to get your foot in the door early. Many schools provide summer programs for medical-minded students to immerse themselves in health studies. In this article, we share some medical internships for high school students that can help you get an early start on your chosen career!
What is a summer medical program?
A summer medical program offers high school students the opportunity to learn more about the medical fields that interest them. These programs typically take place on college campuses and last from a few days to a week long. The programs provide students with hands-on experience that they would not receive if studying the material on their own time.
Don’t miss: Top summer programs for high school students
Why we selected the following summer medical programs
We selected the following medical programs and internships (listed in no particular order) for high school students because they are some of the most innovative programs out there. In addition to some costlier programs, we also included some free and low cost options in order to accommodate the financial situations of all students.
Also see: Free summer programs for high school students
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Top 10 summer medical programs for high schoolers
1. Medical Immersion Summer Academy
The Medical Immersion Summer Academy is a health program designed to give pre-medical high school students the opportunity to get out into the field for hands-on experience. MISA is located in Oakland, California, and they utilize local institutions, such as Alameda Health Systems, Samuel Merritt University, and private clinicians in their area. The application for this program generally opens in January. The price for this academy includes program materials, name tags, shirts, daily snacks and lunches, and all Health Certifications.
- Program benefits: Networking events, certifications (including CPR, First Aid and AED, Stop the Bleed and Teen Mental Health Certifications), Shadowing at a level-1 trauma center
- Program dates:
- Cohort A:
- July 8-12, 2024
- Cohort B:
- July 15-19, 2024
- Cohort C:
- July 22-26, 2024
- Cohort D:
- July 29 – August 3, 2024
- Cohort A:
- Cost: Each session costs $1,400, in addition to the $50 non-refundable application fee
2. CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp
Attendees of the CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp learn about the field of public health and the science of epidemiology. This camp does not have a specific medical treatment focus, so if you want to be a doctor or something of that nature, the CDC Camp could still be beneficial. However, it will not give you hands-on experience. This camp is for high school juniors and seniors, and students must be over the age of 16 to comply with lab safety requirements. The CDC Museum is located in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Program benefits: Work with current CDC staff members, mock press conferences, in-laboratory work sessions, introduction to chronic disease surveillance, hands on work with public health law
- Program dates: June 24-28 and July 22-26, 2024
- Cost: The program itself is free, but students attending the camp are responsible for their own transportation, housing, personal protective equipment, and meals
3. The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program is a five-week online enrichment program that focuses on medicine. It is open to low-income and underrepresented high school juniors who live in California. This program is now being held on campus for the first time since the pandemic. The application closes every year in March for the next summer.
- Program benefits: Opportunity to participate in health disparity research groups, supportive peer community, leadership opportunities, opportunities to participate in lectures in medicine, public health, and health science
- Program dates: June 24 to July 26, 2024
- Cost: This program is free, and they do not provide housing because the program is only open to students who live in specific counties in California. They also offer a stipend to admitted students.
4. Rady Children’s Medical Academy
The Rady Children’s Medical Academy is based out of Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California. This program provides high school students with the opportunity to experience the healthcare world with hands-on activities. What makes this program different from others is that they have a larger program, but also offer weekend programs as well. Each of these programs have different topics and appeal to different medical careers. Some of these weekend programs include Working as a Physician’s Assistant, Becoming a Professional Nurse, and Mental Health Matters in Medicine. They also offer an Advanced Medical Program.
- Program benefits: Opportunities to participate in skills clinics, lectures, group projects, career panels and interactive discussions.
- Program dates:
- Session 1:
- Session 1: June 17-28, 2024
- Session 2:
- July 8-19, 2024
- Session 1:
- Cost: $3,000
5. The National Institute of Health High School Summer Internship Program
The National Institute of Health (NIH) offers a high school summer medical internship for all high schoolers above the age of 17 that are juniors or seniors at the time of the application. Applicants must also live within 40 miles of the NIH campus in which they choose to intern at. Within the NIH, there are two separate programs that high school students can apply for– HiSTEP and HiSTEP 2.0.
- Program benefits: Exploration of STEM-M careers, leadership training, wellness programming, and preparation for future scholarships and internships
- Program dates: Interns must start their positions by start their positions on July 8, 2024
- Cost: This program is free, and students also earn a monetary stipend for participating in the internship
6. Georgetown University Summer Medical Academy
Georgetown’s One-Week Medical Academy is a great option if you are looking for medical internships for high school students. The program offers high school students hands-on experience in the medical field. Students have access to top rated professors who provide them with knowledge that will give them a leg-up when they are applying to colleges. During this one-week academy, students have the opportunity to learn about human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and infectious diseases, just to name a few.
- Program benefits: Work with patient simulator, learn about dissections from college professors, explore latest medical advancements, gain hands on experience in taking vitals, and work with Georgetown students and professors
- Program dates:
- Medical Academy I: June 9-15, 2024
- Medical Academy II: June 23-29, 2024
- Medical Academy III: July 7-13, 2024
- Cost: $3,549, including tuition, housing, and meals
Don’t miss: Guide to attend medical school for free
7. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital High School Senior Summer Internship Program
The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center holds an eight-week internship for graduating high school seniors every summer that is a paid internship rather than a college preparation program. This is a part time position, so students can expect to be working for about 20 hours a week while participating in this program. You must live in the Cincinnati area and be a graduating high school senior to apply.
- Program benefits: Experience with a paid internship
- Program dates: Orientation Day is June 4th, 2024 and attendance is required. The program runs for 8-weeks after this date
- Cost: This is a paid internship
Also see: Guide to making a resume as a high school student
8. Wake Forest University’s Summer Medical Immersion Program
At Wake Forest University’s Summer Medical Immersion Program, students have the opportunity to dive into their careers early on with on-site visits to healthcare facilities. Students also go on tours of the Wake Forest School of Medicine, participate in labs, and network with faculty and students. Wake Forest is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and works with local facilities to team up for this program.
- Program benefits: Opportunity to learn about internal medicine, cardiovascular physiology and pathology, neurology, ultrasound, cancer care, medical research, and COVID-19 in a hands-on environment
- Program dates: June 9 – 14 or July 14 – 19
- Cost: $3,000
Don’t miss: How to get an internship guide
9. National Student Leadership Conference: Medical and Healthcare Program
The National Student Leadership Conference’s Medical and Healthcare Programs are different from others because they offer so many locations and a variety of options. This is great for students who want to experience different cities. Another unique attribute of this program is that they offer college credit if the student qualifies. Exclusive guest speakers are featured throughout the program’s duration.
- Program benefits: Gain surgical experience, participate in clinical diagnostic simulations, tour medical facilities, and work on a public health project
- Program dates: There are a number of dates across each of the 8 locations, but all of the program dates are in the summer
- Cost: The tuition varies depending on which program location you choose, but usually somewhere between $3,795-$3,995. There are scholarship opportunities for this program
10. University of Pennsylvania Biomedical Research Academy
The UPenn Biomedical Research Academy is for high school students with an interest in biology. In this program, students learn about biology on a cellular, molecular, and genetic level with a focus on diseases. All high school grades are eligible to apply, and international students are welcome. If you are a student within a School District of Philadelphia public or charter high school, you have an opportunity to attend this academy free of cost with a scholarship.
- Program benefits: Opportunity to partake in daily lectures, faculty research talks, lab experiments, and small group discussions about research
- Program dates: July 6 – 27, 2024
- Cost: Tuition is $5,700 and includes program fees and residential costs.
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