As a high school student, summer can be a time to rest, but it is also an ideal opportunity to explore academic interests beyond the classroom. Medical summer programs in Canada for high school students allow you to challenge yourself, build practical skills, and gain early exposure to advanced subjects in structured, university-led environments.

Medical programs can offer experience working in a university lab, practising clinical skills, learning how drugs are developed, or exploring how neuroscience, public health, and biomedical science shape real-world healthcare. These programmes often combine lectures, hands-on experiments, simulations, and group projects, giving a realistic preview of undergraduate study in medicine or health sciences.

What kinds of medical summer programs are available in Canada for high school students?

It’s true, some camps prioritize structure over substance or offer limited academic challenge. That’s why thoughtful research matters. The most effective medical summer camps combine rigorous content with supportive instruction and meaningful engagement.

Canada is home to a range of in-person medical and health-related programs hosted by universities, hospitals, and research institutes. These summer programs cover areas such as medicine, pharmacy, neuroscience, biomedical research, public health, and rural healthcare systems. 

These programs are valuable whether you are firmly set on a healthcare path or still exploring your options. You’ll interact with professors, medical students, and healthcare professionals, collaborate with motivated peers from across Canada and beyond, and experience what academic life on a university campus is really like.

To help you get started, this blog includes 15 medical summer programs in Canada for high school students. They’ve been selected for their academic focus, experiential learning opportunities, and university-level academic exposure. 

15 Medical Summer Programs in Canada for High School Students

1. University of Alberta’s High School Youth Researcher Summer Program (HYRS)

Cost: Free | Students will be paid $15/hour (CAD)
Dates: July 3rd – August 14th (tentative; based on previous years)
Application deadline: Applications typically open in February
Location:  Most placements are at the University of Alberta North Campus in Edmonton, Canada, with a few placements at other clinics or hospital-based research sites
Eligibility: High school students who are currently enrolled in Grade 11 and reside in or north of Red Deer (Applicants residing south of Red Deer should apply to the HYRS program at the University of Calgary or University of Lethbridge) | Must have completed, or be currently enrolled in Mathematics 20-1 or 20-2, Biology 20, and one other Grade 11 science course | Must be legally eligible to work in Canada | Must show demonstrable interest in health/medical sciences

The University of Alberta’s HYRS Program is one of the most research-intensive medical summer programs in Canada for high school students, offering Grade 11 students a six-week, paid, in-person experience focused on health and medical sciences. You will work full-time in a research placement based at the University of Alberta or affiliated hospital and clinical sites, contributing to projects that may involve medicine, public health, dentistry, laboratory medicine, or digital and data-driven health research.

Alongside your placement, you will participate in structured professional development and career exploration activities such as research facility tours, skill-building workshops, and guest talks. The program concludes with a research poster presentation at the HYRS Celebration of Research, giving you experience communicating scientific work in a professional setting. Through hands-on research, interaction with researchers and clinicians, and exposure to Alberta’s health innovation ecosystem, the program helps you better understand post-secondary academic and career pathways in health, medicine, and research.

Why it stands out: You will gain paid, full-time experience in health and medical research while exploring emerging areas such as digital health, commercialization, and health system transformation.

2. Immerse Education’s Medicine Summer School

Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through their bursary programme
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer 
Application deadline: Multiple summer cohorts; rolling admissions
Location: Toronto, Oxford, Sydney, Boston, Singapore, Tokyo, London, and Cambridge
Eligibility: Students worldwide aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school

The Academic Insights route focuses on undergraduate-level medical study, pairing you with academic tutors from universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, and Harvard in small classes of 4–10 students. You’ll attend university-style lectures and 1:1 weekly sessions with your tutor, developing scientific understanding, research skills, and academic confidence. The Career Insights route is industry-focused, connecting you with medical professionals to explore healthcare careers through applied projects and workplace exposure. 

Both pathways include practical medical experiences, with Academic Insights centred on theory, case-based learning, and academic projects, and Career Insights focused on real-world contexts, professional skills, and career exploration. By the programme’s end, you will complete a personal project and receive written feedback and a certificate of completion.  You can find more details about the application here.

Why it stands out: It connects you with medical academics and clinicians helping you understand how medicine is studied and practiced at leading universities.

3. University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine Summer Mentorship Program

Cost: Free | Participants will receive $1,600 (CAD) upon successfully completing the program
Dates: July 6-31
Application deadline: March 29th
Location: University of Toronto, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the St. George Campus in downtown Toronto, ON
Eligibility: Ontario high school students in grades 10 or 11 who self-identify as Indigenous or Black African, Black Caribbean, or Black North American, as well as multi-racial students who have and identify with their Black ancestry (preference given to Grade 11 students) | Must be at least 16 years old | Must have completed a Grade 10 Science, Academic or any Grade 11 university (U), university/college (M), or college (C) preparation course in the science curriculum 

The Temerty Faculty of Medicine Summer Mentorship Program is a four-week, in-person opportunity at the University of Toronto and one of the few medical summer programs in Canada for high school students designed specifically for Indigenous and Black students interested in health sciences. You will attend weekday sessions in July that combine hands-on activities, experiments, lectures, and special projects led by health science faculty, professionals, and students.

You are paired with a university student mentor in a health-related field and participate in a short observership, where you spend time shadowing a health professional in a hospital or clinical setting. The program exposes you to multiple health science pathways, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and social work, helping you better understand academic expectations and career options in these fields.

Why it stands out: You earn a Grade 12 SNC4M credit and gain mentored, in-person exposure to real health care settings while being paid to participate.

4. Xavier Pelletier High School Internship Program

Cost: Free | Participants receive a $3,000 (CAD) bursary toward post-secondary education
Dates: July 2nd – August 26th
Application deadline: March 3rd
Location: BC Cancer  Research Centre, Victoria, BC
Eligibility: Grade 11 students who are at least 16 years old and attend a secondary school on Vancouver Island | Must have a minimum 85% projected average in Biology 11 or 12, and any two of math, chemistry, or physics | Students must be nominated by the Science Department Head from their school and have the support of the school Principal | Must show demonstrable proof of interest in lab sciences and public speaking skills

The Xavier Pelletier High School Internship Program is an eight-week, in-person summer research internship at BC Cancer’s Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre in Victoria for Grade 11 students from Vancouver Island. Over the course of the program, you will work full-time in a cancer research laboratory, where you will plan, carry out, and analyze a series of experiments for a supervised research project alongside professional scientists.

The program introduces you to cancer immunology techniques, research ethics, and collaborative lab practices. It also includes a structured book club focused on molecular and cell biology and cancer fundamentals. You will be expected to communicate your work through regular presentations and a final 20-minute oral presentation of your research findings. 

Why it stands out: You will complete a supervised cancer research project in a professional research center and earn a post-secondary bursary at the end of the program.

5. Hamilton Health Sciences Secondary School Research Bursary

Cost: Free | Participants will be given a $1,500 bursary award
Dates: June 29th – August 14th
Application deadline: March 22nd
Location: Hamilton Health Sciences centers across Ontario, or at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario 
Eligibility: Students in grades 11 or 12 | Students must be nominated by their Science Department Head, Science teacher, or Principal | Grade 11 applicants must have intentions of pursuing science-related studies, and Grade 12 applicants must be accepted into a health or life sciences program with a recognized university or college, and provide a copy of the offer letter

The Hamilton Health Sciences Secondary School Research Bursary is a seven-week, in-person summer internship for Grade 11–12 students interested in pursuing post-secondary studies in health or life sciences. You will work full-time as part of a research team, contributing to basic or clinical research across areas such as cancer, immunology, population health, infectious disease, and geriatrics.

Your experience may include collecting and analyzing data, gaining hands-on experience in foundational laboratory techniques, completing mini-research projects, and job shadowing researchers and clinician-scientists. Through regular interaction with researchers, physicians, and clinical staff, you will gain firsthand exposure to how health research is conducted and applied in real-world hospital and clinical settings. Students who complete the program receive a $1,500 bursary and build valuable professional connections. 

Why it stands out: You will gain hands-on research experience at a major teaching hospital or research university while receiving a post-secondary bursary award.

6. University of Alberta’s WISEST Summer Research Program

Cost: Free | Participants are paid $15/hour (financial assistance available to aid students with residential, travel, and food costs) 
Dates: July 2nd – August 13th
Application deadline: March 2nd – April 1st
Location: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
Eligibility: Young women and gender diverse students who will be entering grade 12 the following academic year | Students from anywhere in Alberta, as well as out-of-province students who meet the equivalent eligibility criteria, are welcome to apply | Black and Indigenous students have tailored pathways to participate in the program

The University of Alberta’s WISEST Summer Research Program places you in a full-time, six-week paid research internship where you work as part of a university research team in science, engineering, or technology fields. You’ll be based primarily in a research lab, office, or field setting on campus, contributing to a research project in biochemistry, biological sciences, nutrition, psychology, nursing, or biomedical engineering.

Alongside your research placement, you’ll take part in weekly Lunch n’ Learns, professional development sessions, and networking activities that introduce you to research skills, STEM careers, and university life. The program concludes with a Celebration of Research, where you present a formal research poster to researchers, peers, and community members.

Why it stands out: You will gain paid, full-time research experience at a research university while also receiving structured professional development and exposure to health and medicine-related STEM fields.

7. University of Calgary Centre for Health Informatics’ Summer Studentship Program

Cost: Free
Dates: 8 weeks in May – August
Application deadline: December 15th – January 5th
Location: Centre for Health Informatics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Eligibility: Open to high school students worldwide

The University of Calgary Centre for Health Informatics’ Summer Studentship Program offers an eight-week, in-person summer research placement for high school students interested in health data science and health informatics. You will work under the supervision of a faculty member at the Center for Health Informatics on a project aligned with your interests, focusing on health services, health informatics, data science, or data visualization.

The program accommodates students from a wide range of academic backgrounds and focuses on applied research within a university research environment. During the studentship, you will maintain regular work hours, collaborate closely with your supervisor, and follow formal research and ethics guidelines, particularly when projects involve health data. You will also be required to submit a final research report at the end of the program, giving you experience with academic research communication.

Why it stands out: It provides early, supervised exposure to health informatics and data-driven medical research at a university research center.

8. SickKids Student Advancement Research (StAR) Program

Cost: Free; this is a paid internship
Dates: July 6th – August 14th
Application deadline: January 12th
Location: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
Eligibility: Grade 11 or 12 students who are at least 16 years old | Must have previously taken Grade 10 Science (Grade 11/12 Biology and Chemistry might be an asset, but it is not a requirement) | Must be Black, Filipino, or Indigenous | Must be a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident with a valid Social Insurance Number card

The StAR Program is a six-week, paid, in-person research internship and one of the most selective medical summer programs in Canada for high school students, supporting Indigenous, Black, and Filipino students interested in health and life sciences. You will spend the summer working full-time in a SickKids Research Institute laboratory, where you’ll be paired with research staff to complete a supervised research project.

The program provides hands-on experience with lab-based skills, exposure to ongoing biomedical research, and opportunities to engage with scientists and medical researchers. You will also have the chance to present your research findings at a formal research symposium at the end of the program. 

Why it stands out: You will get to complete a paid research project at a world-class pediatric teaching hospital while working directly alongside professional research staff.

9. Sunnybrook Research Institute’s Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program

Cost: Free; this is a paid position
Dates: 8 weeks starting from July 6th (tentative)
Application deadline: February 13th
Location: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada
Eligibility: High school students in grades 10–12 who are at least 16 years old | Must be legally authorized to work in Canada | Must be able to demonstrate a strong interest and motivation in the sciences, along with strong academic standing in math and sciences

If you’re a high school student interested in medicine, engineering, and medical technology, Sunnybrook Research Institute’s Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program offers an eight-week, in-person hospital-based research experience. You will work full-time, contributing to supervised research projects in areas such as engineering and technology development, experimental research, and programming.

Throughout the program, you may also participate in seminars on clinical trials, peer review, and how research labs operate within a healthcare setting, alongside mentorship sessions with scientists and engineers. The program also includes workshops and group activities that support collaboration and professional skill development.

Why it stands out: You will gain early, in-person experience in a hospital research lab focused on medical device development while working closely with scientists and engineers.

10. seed2STEM Summer Research Program

Cost: Paid | Participants can earn $2,677+ (CAD) by working at minimum wage for 25 hours/week; wraparound supports (transit passes, loaner laptops, some meals, youth support workers) and travel bursaries are available for students
Dates: July 6th – August 14th
Application deadline: February 20th
Location: Metro Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia
Eligibility: Indigenous high school students in grades 9–12 from Metro Vancouver and Kelowna, BC

The seed2STEM Summer Research Program is a six-week, paid, in-person summer research internship for Indigenous high school students in Grades 9–12, with placements in Metro Vancouver or the Kelowna region. You will work 25 hours per week in a university research lab on STEM projects that may include fields such as medicine, neuroscience, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. In addition to your research placement, you will participate in weekly group activities, guest speaker sessions with STEM professionals and Indigenous community members, and field trips to scientific and cultural sites.

The program concludes with a research symposium where you’ll present your work to researchers, peers, and family members. Students will receive hourly pay, transit passes, and other participation support while gaining access to hands-on research experience and valuable networking opportunities.

Why it stands out: You will gain early, paid research experience in university labs with structured support and mentorship designed specifically for indigenous students exploring STEM and health-related careers.

11. Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University’s CampMed Program

Cost: $450 CAD (financial aid available)
Dates: Sudbury CampMed: July 7-11 | Thunder Bay CampMed: July 14-18 (tentative; based on previous years)
Application deadline: March 24th (tentative; based on previous years)
Location: NOSM University campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, Ontario
Eligibility: Ontario high school students (priority given to grades 10 and 11 students from Northern Ontario)

NOSM University’s CampMed is a week-long summer program that introduces high school students, particularly those from Northern Ontario and rural or remote communities, to healthcare careers through hands-on learning and mentorship. You’ll participate in practical clinical skills sessions, explore different health professions, and connect with mentors who are NOSM medical students and healthcare professionals.

The program also integrates leadership development and cultural learning focused on Indigenous and Francophone culture, health, and traditions.Through guided activities and career-focused discussions, you will gain exposure to what training and working in healthcare can involve. Overall, the experience is designed to help you better understand whether post-secondary pathways in medicine or other health professions align with your interests.

Why it stands out: It combines hands-on clinical skills, mentorship, and culturally-grounded learning in a healthcare-focused program designed for students from Northern Ontario and rural communities.

12. University of Toronto’s Medicine Youth Summer Program (Med YSP)

Cost: $1,668 CAD
Dates: Module 1: July 7-11 | Module 2: July 14-18 | Module 3: July 21-25 | Module 4: July 28th – August 1st (tentative; based on previous years)
Application deadline: No official deadline; admission is on a first-come, first-served basis
Location: University of Toronto, St. George Campus, Ontario
Eligibility: Students in grades 10-12 (Grade 9 students are eligible to sign up for Module 4)

Med YSP is an in-person summer program for high school students that takes place at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus. You can enroll in one-week standalone modules in areas such as human physiology, pharmacology and toxicology, molecular biology and genetics, or microbiology, combining hands-on laboratory work with lectures. Throughout the week, you will carry out supervised experiments, learn core biomedical techniques, and examine how scientific research connects to disease, treatment, and public health.

The program also includes structured interactions with physicians, clinician-scientists, biomedical researchers, and students from professional health programs. Through its academic format and lab-based experience, Med YSP helps you assess whether post-secondary study in medicine, biomedical sciences, or related health fields aligns with your interests.

Why it stands out: It is designed and delivered by faculty from the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, giving you exposure to university-level medical education and laboratory work.

13. University of Toronto’s Pharmacy Summer Camp

Cost: $799/week for Weeks 1, 2, and 3 & $649 for Week 4 (tentative; subject to change) | Scholarships of around $500 available
Dates: Week 1: July 7-11 | Week 2: July 14-18 | Week 3: July 21-25 | Week 4: July 28-31 (tentative; based on previous years) 
Application deadline: Rolling admissions
Location: Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Ontario
Eligibility: High school students around the world in grades 9-12

The University of Toronto’s Pharmacy Summer Camp is a multi-week, in-person program focusing on pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Across four standalone week-long sessions, you may explore human physiology, pharmacology, pharmaceutical science, and healthcare communication. You will learn through lectures, group work, case studies, and hands-on lab activities such as compounding and simulated health assessments.

You may learn how drugs are developed, how medications act in the body, and how pharmacists work across settings, including community practice, hospitals, primary care, and the pharmaceutical industry. Through lab exposure, facility tours, and collaborative activities, the camp provides practical experience and context that can help you evaluate if future studies in pharmacy, medicine, biomedical sciences, or related health fields are a right fit for you.

Why it stands out: It is hosted by one of Canada’s leading faculties of pharmacy, offering early, hands-on exposure to pharmacy education and career pathways.

14. University of Ottawa Summer Enrichment Programs for Teens – Medical Tracks

Cost: $375 (CAD)/week
Dates: Pre-Medicine: July 6-10 and July 27-31 | Neuro-discovery: July 20-24
Application deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
Location: University of Ottawa, Canada
Eligibility: Students all over the world currently in grades 9-12

The University of Ottawa Summer Enrichment Programs for Teens offer week-long, in-person academic experiences that let you explore university-level STEM fields in a structured campus setting. You can choose from specialized tracks, where you engage in hands-on activities such as suturing, casting, and mini research projects related to brain science.

Learning takes place through guided projects, interactive labs, and small-group activities led by professors, graduate students, and industry mentors. Throughout the week, you will work in university classrooms and labs while gaining exposure to how health, biomedical, and neuroscience studies are taught at the post-secondary level.

Why it stands out: You will gain early, hands-on exposure to medical and neuroscience topics in a university lab environment, with direct mentorship from academic and professional staff.

15. Schulich Medicine & Dentistry Discovery Healthcare Camp

Cost: $325.99 (plus tax)
Dates: Week 1: July 6-10 | Week 2: July 13-17 and July 20-24 (varies depending on the location)
Application deadline: March 1st
Location: Multiple locations across Southwestern Ontario, including Goderich, Woodstock, St. Thomas, Chatham, Stratford, Hanover, Sarnia, and Windsor
Eligibility: Ontario students entering grades 9-13

Schulich Medicine & Dentistry Discovery Healthcare Camp offers a one-week, in-person introduction to medical science and healthcare careers for high school students across Southwestern Ontario. You will attend full-day sessions led by medical students from Western University and take part in hands-on clinical skills activities such as suturing, casting, stethoscope use, and basic diagnostic exercises.

The program combines clinical skill workshops with talks from healthcare professionals and guided discussions on education pathways into medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and related fields. You are also introduced to case-based learning and community health concepts, including the social determinants of health, alongside team-based recreational activities.

Why it stands out: It is led by medical students and offers introductory sessions on various aspects of healthcare and medical professions.

From Early Exposure to Informed Ambition

Early exposure to medicine helps you move from curiosity to clarity, giving you insight into academic expectations, clinical realities, and the wide range of health science careers available.

The medical summer programs in Canada for high school students listed in this article show how structured summer learning can extend far beyond the classroom, combining research, lab work, and mentorship in real university settings.

Through these experiences, you test your interests, build confidence, and develop skills that classrooms alone cannot offer, supporting stronger decision-making and readiness for undergraduate health science pathways.

To continue building informed ambition, explore our Medicine Top Books Guide, a carefully curated reading list to deepen your understanding and support confident next steps.