12 Medical Internships for High School Students in Massachusetts
Internships can significantly impact your college applications with their valuable practical experience, alongside an in-depth understanding of potential career paths. The hands-on approach gives you insight into the real-world settings associated with your field of interest and can be particularly valuable if you’re keen on pursuing medicine. Additionally, an internship on your resume tells college admission officers and future employers about your dedication, work ethic, and keen interest in the field.
If you are interested in medicine, healthcare, or biomedicine, an internship can help you explore your area of interest and allow you to make an informed decision about your future.
If you’re a high schooler in Massachusetts, this list of 12 medical internships is for you.
1. Ladder Internships—Healthcare and Medicine Track
Location: Virtual.
Eligibility: Open to all high school students, undergraduates, and gap-year students!
Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines throughout the year. The Winter Cohort deadline is November 24, 2024.
Dates: 8-week programs with multiple cohorts throughout the year. The Winter Cohort begins on December 16, 2024.
Cost: $2,490 (financial aid is available).
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for ambitious high school students. In the program, you will work with high-growth start-ups that offer internships across a range of industries from tech/deep tech, AI/ML to health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-up founders have included YCombinator alums, founders raising over 30 million dollars, or founders who previously worked at Microsoft, Google, and Facebook.
In the program, you will work closely with your manager and a Ladder Coach on a real-world project and present your work to the company. You will also be offered one-on-one training in communication, time management, and other valuable skills. Additionally, you will attend group training sessions with other interns in their cohort. The virtual internship is usually 8 weeks long.
2. Project Success by Harvard Medical School
Location: Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Eligibility: High school students who reside in Boston and Cambridge and
- have completed the junior or senior year of high school and be at least 16 years old before the start of the program.
- I have maintained a minimum GPA of 2.70 and have completed biology, algebra, and chemistry; I can apply. You can check out the other requirements here.
Application Deadline: Applications for 2024 are closed; they typically close around February.
Dates: 6 weeks across July-August.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a stipend will be provided.
Project Success is a paid summer research internship at Harvard Medical School for high school students in Boston and Cambridge who come from underrepresented communities in medicine and/or disadvantaged students to research and participate in biomedical areas. The program includes workshops and seminars by top faculty and scientists, career guidance, and field trips.
The internship's integral component is placements and mentorships at a research lab at Harvard Medical School or any affiliated institution. Other opportunities for interaction with researchers and physicians, visits to hospitals and biotechnology organizations, and computer training will also take place. In addition, you will get to develop your writing and speaking skills, engage in academic year seminars and special programs, and receive guidance on potential careers. As an intern, you will have assigned mentors and research advisors, and there will be the possibility to network with like-minded peers.
3. Massachusetts General Hospital Youth Neurology Education and Research Program
Location: MGH Main Campus, Charlestown Navy Yard, Assembly Row in Somerville, MA, or another lab location within Boston, Cambridge, or Somerville.
Eligibility: The applicant must be a rising high school senior or graduate residing in Massachusetts at the time of the program. You can read more about the eligibility criteria here.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in March.
Dates: 6-8 weeks across July-August.
Cost/Stipend: No cost. A stipend will be provided.
The Neurology Clinical and Research Internship at Mass General Brigham offers students a paid summer internship for students who are from communities underrepresented in the field of neurology. The program starts with a bootcamp that will aid you in understanding professional settings and expectations for the program. You'll complete required research and clinical training, participate in interactive sessions, network, and begin 1:1 mentoring.
As an intern, you'll be paired with another student and assigned to a lab under the mentorship of a faculty member. Each week, you'll engage in didactic sessions led by leading neurologists, neuroscientists, and other professionals. Additionally, there will be occasional field trips, social lunches, and other events designed to build community and provide networking opportunities. At the end of the program, you and your partner will present your summer research experiences to peers, mentors, family, and the MGH Neurology Department.
4. Massachusetts Life Sciences Center High School Apprenticeship Challenge
Location: Different organizations across Massachusetts.
Eligibility: High school students above the age of 16 are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: Rolling basis throughout the year.
Program Dates: The internship must take place between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025.
Cost/Stipend: $17 per hour for up to 6 weeks.
The High School Apprenticeship Challenge, offered by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC), provides you with a solid opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field of life sciences. This program connects you with employers across the life sciences industry, allowing you to work on real-world projects and develop your skills in a professional setting. During the program, you will be doing meaningful work, learning from industry professionals, and gaining insights into the day-to-day operations of life sciences companies.
Besides the practical work, you have the opportunity to meet other apprentices, attend workshops, and participate in career-building initiatives. For certain groups of interns, there will also be pre-lab training and a professional skill development program. If you are interested in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or medical devices, the program can provide you with insight into what a career in these fields will look like.
5. NIH High School Summer Internship Program (HS-SIP)
Note: Part of the HS-SIP are two programs, the High School Scientific Training and Enrichment Program (HiSTEP) and HiSTEP 2.0.
Location: NIH campuses across the country, including one in Framingham, MA.
Eligibility: Students who are high school juniors or seniors and are 17 years or older before the start of the program. You can check out all the eligibility requirements here.
Application Deadline: February 1, 2025.
Dates: Minimum 8 weeks in summer; information on exact dates is not available.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a stipend of $2,300-2,530 is provided.
The NIH offers a variety of summer internship programs for high school students interested in science. The HS-SIP program provides you with hands-on biomedical research experience, working alongside leading scientists and mentors on ongoing projects, analyzing data, and gaining essential lab skills.
HiSTEP aims to inspire future scientists and promote diversity in STEM. Although it is not a full-time research program, HiSTEP introduces you to scientific, professional, and personal skills through leadership training, wellness programming, and STEM-M career exploration while also preparing you for future scholarships and internships.
HiSTEP 2.0 is an advanced program for those who have completed HiSTEP or similar research experiences. It allows you to design and conduct independent research projects under the mentorship of biomedical scientists and includes weekly workshops and seminars to further develop your skills. The program is a holistic opportunity for those interested in medical research.
6. Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) at Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
Location: Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston, MA.
Eligibility: Massachusetts high school sophomore, junior, or senior at least 16 years old and from an underrepresented/financially disadvantaged background. You can check out the eligibility criteria here.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in February. Applications for 2025 will open in the fall of 2024.
Dates: 8-12 weeks starting in June tentatively.
Cost/Stipend: A stipend will be provided.
The CURE program is suitable for students' interest in cancer research as the program encourages high school students to conduct research by placing them in the practical research settings of a local cancer center, which includes the Dana-Farber and Harvard Cancer Centers. You will get the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the DF/HCC research mission by working on research projects while receiving guidance from experts in preventing, curing, and treating cancer.
The internship is a full-time, paid experience that will have a comprehensive orientation program to orient you and train you for working in research. As an intern, you will also attend scientific and professional development seminars and journal clubs with researchers. The program requires you to prepare and present an abstract, a poster, or a PowerPoint presentation on your research project towards the conclusion of the program.
7. UMass Chan Medical School High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP)
Location: UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA.
Eligibility: High school sophomores and juniors who reside in Massachusetts.
Application Deadline: March 2025 (based on previous years).
Dates: Four weeks in June-July.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; a stipend will be provided.
The High School Health Careers Program (HSHCP) at UMass Medical School offers high school sophomores and juniors the opportunity to explore various careers in healthcare. The program aims to educate students about fields like biomedical research, biotechnology, and the health professions (BBHP). Throughout the program, you'll engage in hands-on activities, attend lectures, and participate in interactive workshops, all aimed at providing you with a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare field.
In addition to the educational components, the HSHCP offers you a chance to connect with healthcare professionals, mentors, and peers who share your passion for health and medicine. You'll gain valuable insights into the academic and professional requirements of different health careers while developing communication and writing skills. It is important to note that the program aims to cater to groups underrepresented in BBHP and/or from disadvantaged backgrounds.
8. Broad Institute Summer Scholars Program
Location: Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA.
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors in Massachusetts are eligible to apply. You can find more on eligibility criteria here.
Application Deadline: Application for will open in November and close in January. Program Dates: 6 weeks in June-August.
Cost/Stipend: No cost; there is a $3,600 stipend along with partial reimbursement for transportation costs.
The Broad Summer Scholars Program (BSSP) is designed for high school students with a passion for science to get a chance to explore and research in areas like cancer biology, psychiatric disease, chemical biology, computational biology, infectious disease, and more. You will be paired with Broad scientists working in key research areas pertinent to your interest, which will allow you to firsthand contribute to original research and gain valuable insights into the scientific process.
Other than making strides in your research, you will learn about numerous scientific careers. You will attend scientific talks, present your research in a scientific poster session open to the broad community, and join a college fair. Social events will further place you in connection with other students and researchers in a dynamic and inspiring environment.
9. MIT’s Research Science Institute (RSI)
Location: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA.
Eligibility: Only high school juniors are eligible to apply. Both U.S. and international students can apply.
Application deadline: January 2025 (tentatively).
Dates: 6 weeks in June-August.
Stipend/Cost: None.
MIT's Research Science Institute (RSI) gives selected students an in-depth insight into the research process, from developing the initial question of interest to carrying out hands-on experiments. Offered under the guidance of expert faculty, you get to learn topics related to biology and related technology through a curriculum that combines lectures, lab work, and collaborative projects. The program is structured to provide insights into the scientific process and acquaint you with the latest developments in Biology and stem field of your choice.
As a participant, you will draw up a detailed research plan, get up-to-date with current literature, and deliver conference-style oral and written reports on your findings, working independently under the faculty and researchers. You will gain the chance to experience a researcher's life, which will help you understand the profession. It is important to note that this opportunity is highly competitive, with only 100 students selected from thousands of applications.
10. University of Massachusetts Research Intensives
Location: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA.
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores and seniors are eligible to apply. Those applying should have grades of B (GPA 3.0) or above in mathematics and science courses.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close around May.
Program Dates: Six weeks in June-August.
Cost/Stipend: $11,350 for residential, $6,767 for commuter, and an additional $35 application fee (scholarships available)
The summer research program is ideal for high-achieving high school students who are interested in biology and wish to work in professional labs alongside distinguished faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. The program has multiple placements in fields such as biology, biochemistry, environmental conservation, psychology, and food science.
Research Intensives is not a traditional internship but a pre-college program that gives you a chance to work in a setting where you can apply theoretical knowledge and work in a lab. It also equips you to understand and excel at the university level. Additionally, you will participate in multiple college and career prep workshops. Make sure that in your application, you provide your top three lab preferences and articulate the reasons for your interest in the personal statement section
11. SHTEM: Summer Internships for High Schoolers
Location: Virtual.
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in grades 11th and 12th and are at least 14 years old and above.
Application Deadline: Applications typically close in January. You can fill this out to be notified when applications for the 2025 cohort open.
Dates: June-August.
Cost/Stipend: None.
This virtual internship, hosted by one of the top universities in the world, is a solid opportunity for high school students interested in STEM-M and related fields. You will spend time working on collaborative group projects with like-minded peers and gaining hands-on experience by conducting research. For those interested in biology and medicine, the program has an intensive and integrated curriculum relevant to fields like molecular biology, neuroscience, genetics, biotechnology and more
Additionally, you will work under Stanford’s distinguished faculty members, who will serve as your mentors for your research and guide you through the process. The course nurtures critical experimental skills, data analysis, and problem-solving and provides an interdisciplinary perspective that is beneficial to foster skills to apply in real-world settings.
12. Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Imaging Summer Research Internship
Location: Virtual.
Eligibility: High school students above the age of 14 who are enrolled in high school.
Application deadline: March 2025 (based on previous years).
Program dates: Typically, 2 weeks in June.
Cost/Stipend: None.
The Stanford Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Imaging (AIMI) provides a selective opportunity for students eager to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and medicine. Over a period of two weeks, participants will collaborate with like-minded peers and seasoned scientists. They will learn the basics of AI in healthcare, mentored by top Stanford faculty and researchers while working on a hands-on group research project.
You will also engage in various social events to network with peers and attend guest lectures from professionals across different industries, aiding in career decisions. By the conclusion of the program, students will have made significant contributions to innovative research in AI and healthcare and will receive a certificate of achievement. Additionally, there is an opportunity for high-performing students to secure an extended research internship.
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries, with a large number of them in tech. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply now!
Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.