If medicine is the direction you are seriously considering, summer is one of the best times to find out what that path actually looks like up close. Medicine summer jobs for high school students can place you inside clinical and research environments that most students only encounter years into their undergraduate studies. You gain direct exposure to how healthcare systems function, how medical professionals make decisions under pressure, and how scientific knowledge connects with patient care in practice.

What you experience depends on the program. You might shadow physicians across different specialties, work in a research lab studying disease or treatment outcomes, attend clinical seminars, assist with patient-facing administrative work, or contribute to ongoing healthcare research. Across all of these, you are building skills in scientific observation, research methodology, clinical communication, and professional conduct that set a strong foundation for everything that follows.

Why should you consider a medicine summer job?

One of the biggest advantages of medical summer jobs is that they allow students to experience healthcare environments much earlier than most people expect. Instead of only learning science conceptually, you begin seeing how medical systems function practically through teamwork, communication, research, and patient interaction.

Many of these opportunities are specifically designed for high school students, which means students can gradually build experience without already having advanced medical training. Programs may involve research projects, shadowing opportunities, healthcare workshops, mentorship, or administrative support, depending on the organisation.

These experiences also help students develop stronger professional and academic skills. Time management, communication, responsibility, research, and analytical thinking all become more important once you start working in structured healthcare environments. At the same time, students gain much more clarity about whether medicine is truly the right path for them before making future academic decisions. 

To make your search easier, we’ve compiled a list of 15 medicine summer jobs for high school students!

For more opportunities, consider the online medicine program.

15 Medicine Summer Jobs for High School Students 

1. Fred Hutch Cancer Center Summer High School Internship Program

Location: Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
Stipend: Provided upon completion, students also receive a free ORCA card for commuting in the greater Seattle area
Dates: June 22nd – August 14th
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Rising 12th graders who will be at least 16 years old by the start of the internship, live in Greater Seattle or surrounding areas, and will be in Seattle during the eight weeks

This is an eight-week research internship, particularly targeting rising high school seniors who are looking for their first research experience. If selected for this highly competitive program, you will spend the first two weeks learning lab safety protocols and getting to understand the Fred Hutch Cancer Center better. In the weeks to follow, you will become part of a Fred Hutch research group and complete the activities assigned to you under the mentorship of the professionals there.

Additionally, you will also benefit from research seminars, college- and career-readiness workshops, weekly interactive presentations, and social activities as an intern in the program. At the end of the program, you will present the work you did during the internship to the Fred Hutch community, family, and friends. 

Why it stands out: The internship program is a good starting point for students interested in pursuing careers in cancer research and public health, exposing them to research ethics, health disparities research, “Big Data” visualization, and biostatistics. 

2. Immerse Education’s Medicine Summer School

Location: New York, London, Cambridge, Sydney, and Singapore
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts with rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students around the globe aged 15-18

Immerse Education’s Career Insights Program was started to give high school students the opportunity to explore the specific careers that interest them in major global industry hubs. If you are someone who aspires to work in the medical field, you have the Medicine Summer track that will give you direct exposure to real-world Medicine Summer workflows and professional environments.

During the two weeks, you will learn by working on projects for an established company. Simultaneously, you will also participate in interactive workshops and visit offices, factories, and headquarters. Other important elements of the program are the 1:1 career coaching sessions, plus the personalized feedback you get on your resume and overall profile. You’ll present your findings to industry experts at the end of the program. You can find more details about the application here. 

Why it stands out: You’ll gain direct industry exposure, build a professional network, and receive a certificate you can include in your college applications and work profile. 

3. Dartmouth Hitchcock High School Foundations Summer Internship Program

Location: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH; additional opportunities may be available at other Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinic locations
Stipend: Provided
Dates: June 22nd – August 7th
Application Deadline: December 15th – March 11th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders who are local or regional to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center & Clinics, at least 16 years old by the start of the internship, and can complete the pre-employment screening process (background/drug screen/vaccination review/etc)

The Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center welcomes high school students who dream of working in healthcare to take up paid work and explore the many career paths available in the field. If selected for the program, you will have the opportunity to work in different departments and learn how healthcare organizations operate.

Apart from the work component, the program will also focus on helping you enhance your skills in communication, teamwork, problem-solving, self-development, empathy, work ethic, and initiative. Some of the other advantages of participating in the program include the opportunity to network with professionals, receive mentorship, and attend workshops catered towards your personal and professional growth. 

Why it stands out: This summer internship program follows a rotational internship model, thus allowing you to gain first-hand experience in 2-3 departments with options like radiology, pharmacy, blood donor clinic, and more available. 

4. Brooklyn Queens Long Island Area Health Education Center (BQLI AHEC) Summer Health Internship Program (SHIP)

Location: Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island
Stipend: $16.50 per hour
Dates: 6 weeks in July – August
Application Deadline: January 9th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders plus current college students from ages 16 to 24, who live in Brooklyn or Queens, and are US citizens or permanent residents

Among medicine summer jobs for high school students, this health-focused internship gives you a practical way to explore healthcare careers while learning about issues affecting communities in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. The program will place you in a clinic, community-based, or hospital, where you will work three days per week.

Additionally, you will engage in other educational and enriching activities such as health-related lectures, job-readiness training, field trips, and other health professions-related activities. You will also be expected to work on a group project related to health and present it at the closing ceremony. 

Why it stands out: You will regularly meet and speak with healthcare experts and also have the opportunity to receive their mentorship. 

5. The Ohio State University Explorations in Neuroscience Research Internship Program

Location: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Stipend: Provided
Dates: June 15th – August 7th
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: Rising 11th and 12th graders who are U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents and have an interest in a biomedical research career

This is an 8-week paid opportunity that allows you to gain research experience in the biomedical field, specifically focusing on neuroscience, neurological injury, or neurodegeneration. You will get an outlook on what pursuing a degree and career in neuroscience entails while simultaneously learning from trained professionals. You will also have graduate students and lab technicians teaching you.

The ultimate goal of the program is to get more students passionate about neurological disease research and equip them with the skills and knowledge needed for it. The program will also equip you with the skills that you would generally need to succeed in research careers. Moreover, the program will schedule you with lab meetings and invite you to be part of group journal clubs. 

Why it stands out: You will network with industry experts who will mentor you and give you tips on succeeding in today’s neuroscience field. 

6. CYCE High School Summer Internship Program

Location: Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Stipend: $15 per hour
Dates: June 8th – July 28th
Application Deadline: January 5th – February 2nd
Eligibility: 9th to 12th graders who are at least 15 years old by June 1st; are U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or legal permanent residents; have a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; and live and attend school in one of the locations in Ohio listed in the overall application criteria

The Cleveland Clinic conducts this internship program to give high school students like you the experience of working in a hospital, enabling you to gain insight into what it is like to take up clinical, non-clinical, and advanced technology roles. Those students who get into clinical roles will take on roles that require them to interact with patients regularly. You might find yourself working in laboratory medicine, nursing, OB/GYN, pharmacy, radiology/imaging, respiratory care, and other departments.

The advanced technology track will expose you to roles that strongly link technology and healthcare, with some examples being clinical engineering and tech, data science/database development, and more. In this internship program, students are expected to work 30 hours per week.

Why it stands out: The internship allows you to work alongside healthcare staff and learn from them the skills needed to excel in the medical field.

7. Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) on Cancer

Location: The University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL
Stipend: $5,000 per year (taxable)
Dates: June 15th – August 7th; the program typically runs from the second full week of June through the first week of August
Application Deadline: December 1st
Eligibility: Open to 10th to 12th graders who will be at least 16 on the first day of the program; should be a resident of Cook, Lake, Will, or DuPage counties in Illinois or Lake County in Indiana

Hosted by The University of Chicago Medicine’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago Eyes on Cancer is a program that runs over two consecutive summers, allowing you to gain experience in cancer research. If selected for the program, you will spend the first summer learning some of the laboratory techniques you will need to know to complete research assignments.

This year, you will also get to collaborate on some cancer research projects. The following summer, you will be working on an independent research project with close mentorship. The program will also host regular activities via Zoom on the weekends and after-school hours during the academic year. 

Why it stands out: By the end of the program, you will feel confident with your understanding of different laboratory methods and your ability to present your research using posters and presentations. 

8. The M.I.N.D.S. Program (Medical Internship Navigating and Discovering Science)

Location: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ
Stipend: Provided
Dates: July 13th – August 14th
Application Deadline: May 15th
Eligibility: Rising local 11th graders

The M.I.N.D.S. program is one of the more career-focused medicine summer jobs for high school students, helping you get an early start through structured work experience. The main goal of the program is to prepare students like you who dream of stepping into the medical field for a relevant college education while simultaneously encouraging more people to choose healthcare careers due to the workforce shortage in the field.

You will engage in a series of hands-on exercises, such as clinical simulations, and benefit from SAT coaching, mentorship, and shadowing experiences. The program will also give you a clear picture of the medical field in New Jersey, in particular by taking you on-site visits to healthcare organizations, local hospitals, and more. 

Why it stands out: You can also receive CPR/BLS certification by participating in the program.

9. Samuels Family LA-HIP High School Internship Program

Location: The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, CA
Stipend: Provided, interns also receive a Metro card and meals at the hospital cafeteria
Dates: In-lab internships taking place June 16th – August 1st
Application Deadline: November 3rd – February 1st
Eligibility: 11th graders who attend a public high school in Los Angeles County and have the legal documentation to work in California

In this program hosted by the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, you will be able to immerse yourself in lab research activities with scientists there to supervise you. By working at the Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital during your internship, you get to begin your first steps towards a career in medical research.  You will mostly be completing research work focused on pediatric health and disease.

The experience will teach and give you practice in lab notebook maintenance, scientific communication, and active participation in lab meetings. CHLA gives preference to applicants who come from communities that generally lack the resources for scientific training so that they can learn what a career in science looks like. 

Why it stands out: You will be able to participate in SAT preparatory and college-level biology classes and college readiness workshops that help with your applications.

10. Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy

Location: City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Stipend: $4,500
Dates: June 1st – August 7th
Application Deadline: March 11th
Eligibility: High school and undergraduate students who are at least 16 years old by the first day of the program and are US citizens or permanent residents

For students interested in research-based medicine summer jobs for high school students, this program allows you to work in one of the City of Hope Medical Center laboratories, where you will conduct advanced chemical and biomedical research. As a participant, you will find yourself completing various scientific activities, with one example being synthesizing compounds and analyzing complex data.

The program will expose you to medicinal chemistry, drug development, DNA repair, chemical biology, and other advanced topics. At the end of the program, you will share your research outcomes on a poster. Overall, the program aims to equip you with technical lab skills and enhance your scientific writing and public speaking skills. 

Why it stands out: One of the added advantages of participating in this program is that City of Hope physicians and scientists will mentor you.

11. Sunnybrook Research Institute Focused Ultrasound High School Summer Research Program

Location: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON
Stipend: Provided
Dates: July – August
Application Deadline: February 20th
Eligibility: High school student who will be 16 years old by July 1st and has the legal authorization to work in Canada

If you are a high school student who is interested in medicine, engineering, or technology, then this internship, where you get to work on the Focused Ultrasound Lab’s ongoing projects, can be a very suitable opportunity for you. Some of the projects that past participants got to work on include image-guided ultrasound potentiated therapies, simultaneous ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, opening of the blood-brain barrier for molecular imaging, and others.

By working on similar ones when you join the program, you gain an in-depth understanding of ultrasounds and also gain hands-on research experience. You will also learn some new topics across biology, physics, engineering, and other subjects.

Why it stands out: This experience equips you with the skills and knowledge that will enable you to step into a career in medical research and device development with confidence. 

12. Alberta Innovates High School Youth Researcher Summer Program (HYRS)

Location: University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Stipend: Minimum CA$15/hour
Dates: July 2nd – August 13th
Application Deadline: March 13th
Eligibility: 11th graders who are enrolled in or have completed Mathematics 20-1 or 20-2, Biology 20, and one other Grade 11 science course; live in or north of Red Deer; and are legally authorized to work in Canada

The University of Alberta welcomes high school students, particularly those in grade 1,1 to participate in this program that introduces them to medical research. In it, you will primarily focus on digital and data-driven medical research, and most of the research projects assigned to you will strongly link health with upcoming technologies.

As a result, this six-week experience can significantly boost your chances of acquiring jobs related to research and innovation. You will network and form long-term connections with medical research and innovation professionals from Alberta. 

Why it stands out: Apart from the work component, students also benefit from participating in skill development and career exploration workshops. 

13. Wertheim UF Scripps Kenan Fellows High School Summer Internships

Location: The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute campus in Jupiter, FL
Stipend: $4,480
Dates: June 5th – July 31st
Application Deadline: Early March
Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who will begin their junior or senior year in a Palm Beach or Martin County high school, have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and are at least 14 years old

This is one of the more research-intensive biomedical internships available to high school students in Florida. During the summer, you work full-time inside an active research lab at the Wertheim UF Scripps Institute while being matched directly with a scientist mentor.

Your daily work may involve pipetting, maintaining lab records, preparing samples, recording experimental results, and assisting with ongoing biomedical studies connected to neuroscience, immunology, or cancer biology. The internship also introduces you to how professional research labs operate, including reading scientific papers and maintaining formal laboratory notebooks. 

Why it stands out: It allows you to learn standard biomedical research techniques, read scientific literature, and maintain a lab notebook directly in a state-of-the-art commercial laboratory.

14. Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Training Program (RTP)

Location: Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
Stipend: A $2,000 stipend to offset costs for transportation and meals
Dates: July 13th – August 7th
Application Deadline: March 8th
Eligibility: High school students currently in 10th grade (rising juniors) who live locally and can commute to downtown Seattle

Seattle Children’s RTP stands out among medicine summer jobs for high school students because it introduces you to laboratory research through hands-on biomedical training inside one of the country’s leading pediatric research centers. During the program, you study topics like biochemistry, gene editing, immunotherapy, and infectious diseases while learning how research laboratories function day to day.

Much of the experience revolves around practical lab work, where you develop technical skills connected to biomedical experiments and scientific investigation. Toward the end of the program, you complete an independent research project using the methods and tools introduced during training. 

Why it stands out: You gain hands-on training using cutting-edge technologies in a premier pediatric research center, giving you a major advantage for college science programs.

15. Brigham and Women’s Hospital Student Success Jobs Program (SSJP)

Location: Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA
Stipend: $2,500 – $4,000
Dates: Year-round; works part-time during the school year and full-time in the summer
Application Deadline: April 1st
Eligibility: Boston public high school students from partner schools with an interest in healthcare or medical careers

This long-term hospital internship gives Boston high school students direct exposure to healthcare and medical work through both summer and school-year placements at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. During the program, you work on real hospital tasks connected to clinical operations, healthcare administration, data management, and patient-care environments rather than only shadowing professionals.

The internship begins part-time during the school year and expands into full-time work during the summer, which gives you much deeper exposure to hospital systems than shorter programs usually provide. Since you work inside active departments, you also learn how large healthcare institutions coordinate workflows, patient services, and medical operations behind the scenes. Mentorship from healthcare professionals continues throughout the experience as well.

Why it stands out: The program provides deep, ongoing mentorship from healthcare experts, offering incredible insights into diverse careers in medicine, research, and patient care.

Build Your Medical Thinking Beyond Summer

Medicine becomes clearer when you see its human, scientific, and practical sides together through labs, hospitals, mentorship, and patient-focused professional settings early.

These medicine summer jobs for high school students can help you test your interests before choosing courses, universities, or future healthcare pathways confidently.

After the experience, reflection matters. Notice which tasks energised you, which environments challenged you, and what questions you still want answered about medicine.

To keep building your knowledge, explore our Medicine Top Books Guide for inspiring reads that strengthen curiosity, medical understanding, and academic confidence beyond summer.