8 Houston Hospital Internships for High School Students
Hospital internships are a great opportunity for high school students to explore healthcare. You can gain exposure to medical professions, develop valuable skills, and learn about healthcare providers' critical roles. Whether you want to become a doctor, nurse, or healthcare administrator, these internships can open doors to new opportunities.
You’ll develop essential skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork by observing and supporting medical professionals. Participating in a hospital internship can also enhance your college applications by showing admissions officers your initiative.
Here’s our list of 8 excellent hospital internships in Houston for high school students! While some programs allow you to contribute to hospital patient care, others introduce you to medicine through research.
The High School Emerging Researcher Experience at Houston Methodist Academic Institute is an 8-week program for juniors and seniors eager to explore translational research. This experience pairs you with faculty mentors to work on projects, providing exposure to research at a world-class institution. You will develop essential research skills, including laboratory techniques, data analysis, and effective scientific communication. You can collaborate with undergraduate interns. You will showcase your work at a concluding research symposium, gaining valuable presentation experience.
Location: Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
Dates: May 27 – August 1
Application Deadline: January 31
Eligibility: Juniors and seniors aged 16+ by the start date.
The Harris Health Summer Junior Volunteer Program allows high school students to explore healthcare while contributing to their community. Over six weeks, you will complete 60+ hours of service in Harris Health facilities, assisting with patient navigation, specialty clinic assistance, and medical records. This experience introduces you to the responsibilities of healthcare professionals and allows you to make a meaningful impact on patient care. The program emphasizes developing a sense of community and leadership skills.
Location: Harris Health facilities across Harris County, including Ben Taub Hospital, LBJ Hospital, and outpatient clinics.
Program Dates: June 16 – July 24
Application Deadline: March 3 (applications open February 3)
Eligibility: High school students aged 14-18.
The DACCPM Summer Research Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center offers a 10-week research experience for high school students interested in anesthesiology, critical care, and pain medicine. You will be matched with faculty mentors and work on research projects studying cancer biology, chemotherapy-induced pain, and perioperative immune function. The program begins with a Cancer Biology boot camp and includes professional development workshops and seminars. You will learn essential research skills, including literature review, data analysis, and presenting findings at a symposium. You will also prepare abstracts for inclusion in the CATALYST Summer Program abstract book. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application Deadline: January 15
Eligibility: High school students (18+), college students, MS1 medical students
This MD Anderson Cancer Center program is a 10-week opportunity for Texas high school seniors to explore biomedical research. The program pairs you with faculty mentors, guiding you through research projects and introducing you to scientific investigation. You’ll gain experience in laboratory techniques, data analysis, and scientific communication while working on real-world research. The experience includes faculty-led seminars on diverse topics, poster presentation competitions, and networking events. Since only up to 12 students are accepted annually, this program offers a unique opportunity to learn more about biomedical research.
Location: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dates: June 2 – August 8 (or June 9 for late starts)
Application Deadline: January 20
Eligibility: Must be a Texas high school senior, 18+ by the program start, and enrolled in a Texas public, private, charter, or homeschool during the spring semester. Must be accepted into a college for the Fall semester.
The APA Internship Program offers an exceptional opportunity for students to gain experience in psychology, policy, publishing, education, and advocacy. Although not a traditional medical internship, this program can be valuable for students interested in mental health care careers. This program aims to educate the public about the science of psychology and support students in developing applicable skills. APA’s internships provide a robust platform to explore non-traditional career paths in psychology while building professional networks. Activities include learning about federal advocacy, research techniques, networking, and resume building. You will work closely with supervisors and colleagues across diverse APA departments.
Location: Remote (with state restriction)
Dates: Internships are offered year-round; exact dates vary based on the internship selected. Internships during the summer are available.
Application Deadline: Varies based on the internship.
Eligibility: Interns must have authorization to work in the U.S., which must be confirmed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s e-verify service, and must live in one of the states where APA is currently registered as an employer. Students must be enrolled at least part-time in an educational institution to qualify for an internship with APA. For applicants under 18 years old, a valid District of Columbia Work Permit must be included with your application. Additional details regarding the D.C. Work Permit can be found online.
The MohanLab High School Summer Internship Program offers rising seniors an opportunity to gain experience in biomedical research. In this program, you will receive training in basic laboratory techniques before undertaking bench research under the guidance of a scientist or graduate student. This program is ideal for students interested in biomedical, bioengineering, and health-oriented careers. You’ll participate in a collaborative lab environment and present your findings at the MohanLab joint laboratory meeting. Depending on the project, your research could contribute to scientific publications. You also have the option to continue working with the lab beyond the internship, focusing on manuscript writing and data analysis.
Location: MohanLab, Houston, TX
Dates: June 2–July 25
Application Deadline: March 28
Eligibility: Rising high school seniors with a strong academic background
The AIMI Summer Research Internship at Stanford is a two-week virtual experience for high school students interested in AI and its role in healthcare. This program introduces students to the technical and clinical aspects of AI in medicine, helping them build problem-solving skills while working with Stanford researchers. You will attend technical lectures and mentorship sessions with Stanford faculty and student leaders. The program also includes career development opportunities featuring virtual discussions with academia, industry, and government professionals. An optional extended research internship allows for further exploration. Upon completion, you will earn a certificate.
Location: Virtual
Dates: June 16–27
Application Deadline: February 28
Eligibility: High school students (grades 9–12) with strong math, programming, or healthcare interest
JHIBS is an exceptional summer research program for high school juniors and seniors interested in neuroscience. JHIBS provides students with mentored research opportunities, fostering a deep understanding of the neurological sciences. You will gain valuable research experience through mentored projects, clinical rotations, and professional development sessions. The program emphasizes mentorship, collaboration, and skill-building. To learn more about this program, check out our complete guide here.
Location: In-person (Baltimore, MD) or Virtual
Dates: 8 weeks (in-person), 5 weeks (virtual)
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.
Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.