15 Medicine Summer Schools for 13 Year Olds

TL;DR

On this page, you’ll find medicine summer schools that welcome 13-year-olds, from free university camps like Emory’s Data Detectives to in-person and online courses in anatomy, neuroscience, and regenerative medicine. Many are short day camps in a single US city, while online options from Rice and Dartmouth let you study on your own schedule. UCI Brain Camp, for example, runs from July 19th to 30th, 2027, and costs $2,995, including lunch and materials. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights pathway also offers Medicine in Cambridge and Oxford, with groups for students aged 13 to 15.

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If you’re 13 and curious about medicine, you might already wonder how the body works, why diseases develop, or how doctors decide what to do when a patient needs help. A medicine summer school lets you explore those questions beyond your textbooks and see what studying health science can involve. Depending on the program, you might practise CPR, study anatomy, compound medicines in a pharmacy lab, or design your own neuroscience experiment. 

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At 13, a structured program can be an accessible first step into subjects your school may not offer yet. On-campus programs give you a taste of university life, from learning in laboratories to meeting faculty, medical students, and researchers. Online options offer similar academic exposure with more flexibility, which helps if travelling isn’t practical.

How do you choose the right medicine summer schools for 13 year olds?

Finding the right program can feel overwhelming, since options range from one-week day camps to two-week residential courses and self-paced online classes. Some focus on clinical skills and simulations, while others centre on research, pharmacy, or animal health. Start by checking age and grade requirements, since many programs are built specifically for middle school students.

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Cost and location matter too. Some programs are free or offer financial aid, while others charge tuition or only accept local students. It also helps to think about what you want to leave with, whether that’s a certificate, a finished project, or a clearer sense of which area of medicine interests you most.

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To make your search easier, we’ve compiled a list of 15 medicine summer schools for 13 year olds. Each program offers an age-appropriate introduction to medicine and health science, along with experiences that can help you make the most of your summer.

15 Medicine Summer Schools for 13 Year Olds

1. Data Detectives Big Data Summer Academy

Location: Emory University and Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Program Dates: Summer; check the program page for current dates
Application Deadline: Not specified; check the program page for current timelines
Eligibility: Middle school students; international eligibility not specified

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At Data Detectives, you’ll attend lectures from Winship Cancer Institute faculty on cell biology, statistics, epidemiology, and community health. You’ll gain practical experience with big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, supported by undergraduate and graduate student mentors from Emory. 

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Past cohorts have toured Winship’s Clifton campus with the institute’s deputy director, seeing where cancer research happens. Along the way, you’ll learn about educational and career paths in STEM, data science, and biomedical research.

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Why it stands out: You’ll work with big data and AI tools to explore cancer research, connecting biomedical science with data analysis and public health.

2. Immerse Education's Medicine Summer School

Location: Cambridge, London, Oxford, Singapore, Sydney, and Toronto

Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class

Program Dates: 2 weeks during the summer

Application Deadline: Multiple cohorts with rolling admissions

Eligibility: Students worldwide aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school; open to international students

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Immerse Education's Academic Insights pathway in Medicine is a two-week, in-person programme that introduces you to university-level medical science through small-group teaching and case-based learning. You explore core topics such as anatomy, physiology, and clinical reasoning while learning how doctors apply scientific knowledge to diagnose and treat patients. 

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Classes emphasise discussion, critical thinking, and clear communication, mirroring the structure of undergraduate medical education. By the end of the programme, you will complete an academic project, receive detailed feedback, and gain a clearer understanding of what studying medicine at a top university involves.

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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. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies | Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Highly selective
Application deadline: Varies based on cohort
Program dates: Eight weeks | Timing varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8

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Lumiere’s Junior Explorers Program is a selective online research experience for middle school students, designed to build advanced academic writing and research skills. You begin by selecting a subject area, such as STEM, humanities, or social sciences, and are matched with a PhD-level mentor from a top university. 

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Over the course of the program, you receive a structured introduction to your chosen field, then design and carry out an independent research project focused on a real-world question. To strengthen your writing and analytical abilities, you conclude the program by producing a formal research paper that presents your findings.

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Why it stands out: You get 1-1 mentorship with a Ph.D. mentor and produce an independent research project by the end.

4. Johns Hopkins CTY Anatomy and Physiology

Location: CTY in-person course sites (locations vary by section)
Cost/Stipend: Tuition is listed by section when enrollment opens
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Typical class size of 18 to 20 students
Program Dates: No sections are currently open for enrollment; check back for 2027 sessions
Application Deadline: Not yet posted for 2027
Eligibility: Students who meet the Quantitative CTY-Level identification requirement and the course’s grade-level requirement; you must join CTY before enrolling; international eligibility not specified

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This course surveys the human body’s immune, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems, with special attention to cells and tissues. As you build an understanding of how the body works, you’ll learn techniques used in the health sciences. 

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One learning goal is modelling how three body systems work together to maintain homeostasis. As an Advanced Enrichment course, it presents above-grade-level material in a novel context, guided by a CTY educator. The course can help you assess your interest in later study in medicine, biology, or related health sciences.

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Why it stands out: You survey 12 body systems while learning techniques used in the health sciences, alongside other advanced learners.

5. MPP Academy Middle School Pre-Med Readiness Summer Intensive

Location: University campuses across several US regions, or online
Cost/Stipend: Varies by enrollment option; scholarships and financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; seats are limited
Program Dates: One- or two-week sessions during the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling until all seats are full
Eligibility: High-achieving students who will be in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade in the fall (current 5th and 8th graders may also apply); the online option is open to middle school students around the globe

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During the on-campus summer intensive, you’ll spend about eight hours a day at a university, taking pre-med foundation courses and college- and career-readiness workshops. Electives and specialty interest groups introduce areas such as emergency medicine, cardiology, sports medicine, dermatology, anesthesiology, and EMT and paramedic work. 

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The program usually opens with a Sunday welcome ceremony and ends with a culmination ceremony for families on the final Saturday. You can attend as a commuter, extended-day commuter, or residential student, and an online option is available if you can’t travel to campus. The program gives you an inside look at what attending a four-year university and medical school might involve.

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Why it stands out: You can explore medical careers and introductory clinical skills while experiencing academic life on a university campus.

6. Columbia University State Pre-College Enrichment Program (S-PREP)

Location: Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: Free
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Dates: Summer session Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in July; academic year session on Saturdays from October to May
Application Deadline: In 2025, summer applications closed April 15th; check the program site for current dates
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 12 who are New York State residents and meet New York State Education Department STEP eligibility criteria, such as income guidelines; not open to international students living outside New York

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S-PREP gives you access to courses such as Anatomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Brain and Cognitive Science, Psychology, and Physics, along with mathematics courses such as Algebra and Calculus. In the summer, you can also prepare for the PSAT. 

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Alongside classes, you can take part in career development workshops, college counseling, field trips, and college tours. The program is particularly useful if you want to begin exploring medicine while strengthening the science and mathematics foundations you will need in high school. Once admitted to S-PREP, you may also become eligible to apply separately for Columbia’s BRAINYAC neuroscience apprenticeship and YES in THE HEIGHTS cancer-research internship. Admission to S-PREP does not guarantee placement in either research program.

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Why it stands out: It offers academically challenging science coursework, helping you strengthen your background in biology and chemistry before college.

7. UCI Brain Camp

Location: UC Irvine Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Irvine, California (full-day camp)
Cost/Stipend: $2,995 for 2027, including the camp fee, a camp shirt, snacks, lunch, and all materials; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not disclosed
Program Dates: July 19th to 30th, 2027, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Application Deadline: Applications open November 23rd and close January 11th
Eligibility: Middle and high school students interested in neuroscience; international eligibility not specified

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During UCI Brain Camp, you explore brain and spinal cord anatomy, sensation and perception, learning and memory, brain-machine interfaces, neuropathology, and neuropharmacology. Laboratory activities introduce you to tools such as electrophysiology, brain imaging, animal models, optogenetics, and DREADDs. 

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You also interact with UC Irvine neuroscience professors, PhD students, and undergraduates, gaining insight into college life and neuroscience careers. Workshops cover experimental design, data analysis, neuroethics, scientific communication, and public speaking. During the second week, you design experiments, analyse the data, and present your work to your family and members of the UC Irvine neuroscience community.

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Why it stands out: You study neuroscience through dissections, laboratory techniques, and a student-designed experiment instead of limiting your experience to classroom lectures.

8. Boston Leadership Institute Mini Med School

Location: Gann Academy/Bentley University area in Waltham, Massachusetts, or the Greater Wellesley area, Massachusetts
Cost/Stipend: $699 tuition for the one-week program, plus a $699 residential fee for the overnight option
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; the program sold out the previous summer
Program Dates: June 22nd to 26th (Waltham), July 13th to 17th, or July 20th to 24th (Greater Wellesley) in 2026; 2027 dates not yet posted
Application Deadline: Not specified; register to save your seat
Eligibility: Pre-high school students; international eligibility not specified

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Mini Med School starts with routine check-ups, covering how to test a patient’s reflexes, what to listen for in their breathing, and how pediatric physicals differ from adult ones. From there, you move through the body, starting with the nervous system, spinal cord, and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. 

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You’ll then explore the heart, including what leads to a heart attack and what happens when a patient needs a bypass. Later sessions cover orthopaedics, oncology, and genetic diseases. In 2026, the program was taught by a medical student at UMass Chan Medical School.

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Why it stands out: You examine several medical specialties in one week, giving you an early opportunity to compare areas such as neuroscience, cardiology, orthopaedics, genetics, and oncology.

9. University of Arizona R. Ken Coit PharmCamp

Location: R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Cost/Stipend: Not listed on the program page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; the 2026 camp filled with a large waitlist
Program Dates: May 26th to 29th, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; 2027 dates not yet posted
Application Deadline: 2026 registration has closed
Eligibility: Middle school students; international eligibility not specified

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Run by Arizona MESA with the College of Pharmacy since 1997, PharmCamp introduces you to the discovery, preparation, and safe use of medicines. Practical activities include compounding products such as lip balm and lotion and performing calculations that pharmacists use every day. 

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You also learn how medicines work, the history of pharmacology, poison prevention, and even sunscreen. Projects take place in research laboratories at the College of Pharmacy and the Arizona Health Sciences Center. Visits to the College of Nursing and other health-related centres broaden your view of careers beyond pharmacy. On the final day, you present your findings to family and friends at a graduation and reception.

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Why it stands out: You complete pharmaceutical compounding and research-laboratory activities inside a university pharmacy school while learning directly from pharmacy students and alumni.

10. University of Arizona Toxic Detectives

Location: Roy P. Drachman Hall, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Cost/Stipend: $275 per student; financial assistance available, with free or reduced-cost places for eligible families
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 1st to 5th, 2026, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; you must attend each day
Application Deadline: Registration for 2026 has closed; registration typically opens in spring
Eligibility: Students entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grade; international eligibility not specified

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Toxic Detectives is a week-long introduction to environmental health and toxicology. You complete science experiments, tour university research laboratories, and hear from STEM professionals who visit as guest speakers. 

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Time on the University of Arizona campus and off-campus field trips add exposure to scientific workplaces and university life. You also research a toxin of your choice and prepare a short oral presentation. The final showcase on the last day lets you present your findings to families, instructors, and other participants.

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Why it stands out: You investigate how toxins affect human and environmental health through laboratory activities and an independent presentation.

11. ASU Health Care Discovery Camp

Location: Arizona State University Polytechnic campus, Mesa, Arizona
Cost/Stipend: Not listed on the program page
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 15th to 19th or June 22nd to 26th, 2026, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (both sessions run the same activities)
Application Deadline: Registration for 2026 has closed; 2027 dates not yet posted
Eligibility: Rising 8th and 9th graders; international eligibility not specified

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ASU’s Health Care Discovery Camp introduces you to health and wellness degrees and professions through lab exploration, interactive workshops, and panel discussions with healthcare professionals. Faculty, staff, and students from ASU’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts lead the programme. 

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You explore fields including veterinary medicine, dentistry, counselling and psychology, nutrition, and biological sciences. The schedule also includes virtual-reality lessons in ASU’s Dreamscape Learn Lab. Alongside healthcare content, activities develop communication, leadership, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

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Why it stands out: You can compare several healthcare pathways, including dentistry, veterinary medicine, psychology, nutrition, and biological science, before choosing an area to explore more deeply.

12. Rice University Physiology: The Foundations of Medicine

Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,795; need-based scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not available
Program Dates: Multi-length courses offered throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Rolling; apply for the next available course (no transcripts or recommendation letters needed)
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and up; international eligibility not specified on the course page

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This online course examines how the nervous, muscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems work individually and together. You study concepts such as flow and resistance, active and passive transport, neuron communication, muscle contraction, cardiac conduction, and respiratory mechanics. 

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Practising physicians describe the pathological complications they encounter in clinical work. The flexible course includes 20 to 30 hours of video lectures, simulations, assignments, and independent study. A mentor supports your assignments and helps you brainstorm your capstone project. After completing the course, you earn a Certificate of Completion from Rice University.

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Why it stands out: You build models of healthy and pathological organ systems for a final capstone project while studying material designed by Rice bioengineering faculty.

13. Dartmouth Regenerative Medicine: Healing with Science

Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: $1,895 per course
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not available
Program Dates: Multi-length courses offered throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Not specified; courses run year-round
Eligibility: Students aged 13 and up; Dartmouth’s online courses are designed to be accessible to students anywhere in the world

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This online course explores how cells form tissues and how they can be used to repair damage in the body. You examine the science of tissue engineering, including scaffold design, biomaterials, and bioactive molecules that enable regeneration and healing. The curriculum also considers regenerative medicine’s impact on biotechnology, personalised medicine, space medicine, cosmetic applications, and animal care. Your instructor, Katherine Hixon, leads research on therapies for complex tissue repair caused by trauma or disease. With video lessons and mentor support, you work at your own pace before earning a Dartmouth Certificate of Completion.

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Why it stands out: You explore one of medicine’s fastest-moving fields in a course led by a Dartmouth regenerative medicine researcher.

14. Arizona Humane Society Pet Vets

Location: Arizona Humane Society, Phoenix, Arizona
Cost/Stipend: $435 per session; scholarships available (letters of reference required)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified; two of the three 2026 sessions filled
Program Dates: June 15th to 19th, June 22nd to 26th, or July 6th to 10th, 2026; 2027 dates not yet posted
Application Deadline: Not specified; sessions close as they fill
Eligibility: Ages 13 to 15; international eligibility not specified

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Pet Vets gives you a science-based introduction to veterinary medicine and the realities of a career in animal health. You study animal anatomy and physiology through experiments and daily specimen dissections. You’ll also have the option to watch live surgeries in the Arizona Humane Society’s veterinary clinic. The curriculum covers pet first aid and CPR, along with daily interaction with animals. Once you’ve registered for Pet Vets, you also become eligible to register for the organisation’s Advanced Vet Camp.

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Why it stands out: You study animal anatomy through daily specimen dissections while gaining exposure to live veterinary procedures, pet first aid, and CPR.

15. University of Michigan’s Anatomy Specialization

Location: Online (via Coursera)
Cost/Stipend: Pay for Coursera subscription; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: No specific limit
Dates: 2 months
Application Deadline: Open all year round
Eligibility: Open to high school students from all over the world

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Having a thorough understanding of human anatomy is quite essential for a medical student. The two-month flexible online specialization series will help you acquire that knowledge. The Anatomy Specialization is a four-part course consisting of courses on the musculoskeletal and integumentary systems, the cardiovascular, respiratory, and urinary systems, human neuroanatomy, and gastrointestinal, reproductive, and endocrine systems. You will learn about the different major organs in the human body. The syllabus will also cover how each organ functions and how they are interlinked. 

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Why it stands out: Taught by University of Michigan professors, you can earn a career certificate from the university by completing the Anatomy Specialization.

Frequently asked questions: Medicine Summer Schools for 13 Year Olds

Can a 13-year-old attend a medical summer camp?

Yes, and many medical programs are designed specifically for middle school students. Toxic Detectives accepts students entering grades 6 to 8, Pet Vets is built for ages 13 to 15, and ASU’s Health Care Discovery Camp is for rising 8th and 9th graders. Online courses from Rice and Dartmouth accept students aged 13 and up. Immerse Education’s Academic Insights pathway also runs Medicine in Cambridge and Oxford, with groups for students aged 13 to 15.

Is there a medical school for kids?

There isn’t a real medical school for kids, but several programs give you a taste of medical training. Boston Leadership Institute’s Mini Med School walks you through routine check-ups before moving into neuroscience, cardiology, orthopaedics, and oncology. MPP Academy’s middle school program adds pre-med foundation courses and electives in areas such as emergency medicine and dermatology. These programs focus on exploration, so you don’t need any prior medical knowledge to join.

Are there free medicine summer programs for 13-year-olds?

Yes, though free programs often have location or eligibility limits. Emory’s Data Detectives is free, and Columbia’s S-PREP is free for eligible New York State students in grades 7 to 12. Toxic Detectives costs $275 but offers free or reduced-cost places to eligible families, and UCI Brain Camp and Pet Vets both offer scholarships. For more options beyond medicine, browse these summer programs for 13 year olds.

Are there online medicine courses for 13-year-olds?

Yes, and they’re a good fit if you can’t travel or want to study on your own schedule. Rice’s Physiology: The Foundations of Medicine costs $1,795 and includes 20 to 30 hours of instruction and coursework, while Dartmouth’s Regenerative Medicine course costs $1,895. Both run year-round for students aged 13 and up and end with a certificate of completion. You can compare more options in this guide to online medicine courses for high school students.

What do you actually do at a medicine summer camp?

Activities vary widely, but most programs mix short lessons with practical tasks. At PharmCamp, you compound products like lip balm and lotion, while Pet Vets includes daily specimen dissections and pet first aid. UCI Brain Camp ends with you designing an experiment and presenting your results. In a sample Immerse Education Medicine fortnight in Cambridge, you take a patient history, read an ECG, and practise surgical suturing. If animals are your main interest, these veterinary medicine summer programs for high school students are worth a look.

Will a medicine summer camp help you get into medical school later?

A summer program at 13 won’t affect medical school admissions directly, but it can help you decide whether medicine is right for you. Early exposure gives you time to build on your interest through science classes, clubs, and later research or volunteering. Programs that end with a project or presentation, such as Toxic Detectives or Rice’s capstone, also help you practise skills you’ll use for years. Treat these programs as a chance to explore, not a credential to collect.

Find your place in the world of medicine

Trying a pharmacy lab, a brain camp, or a mini med school at 13 shows you which corner of healthcare sparks your curiosity the most.

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The best medicine summer schools for 13 year olds let you practise real skills, from CPR to compounding medicines, without needing any prior medical experience.

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Check dates, costs, and eligibility early in the school year, since popular camps like PharmCamp and Pet Vets saw their 2026 places fill completely.

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To see where your interest in medicine could lead, explore our Career Exploration blogs on healthcare roles, training pathways, and the skills each one needs.