7 Medical Summer Programs for High School Students in North Carolina
- Stephen Turban
- Oct 26, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Applying to a medical program is a smart choice if you're serious about pursuing a career in healthcare. These programs offer you a structured way to explore the medical field, helping you gain valuable skills, interact with professionals, and understand the various paths you can take within medicine. Whether you aim to become a doctor, nurse, or researcher, these experiences provide a solid foundation in medicine.
Beyond academic learning, early exposure to the medical field can positively impact your college applications. It shows admissions committees that you’ve taken the initiative to explore your career interests and are committed to your goals. Engaging in these programs strengthens your understanding of the field and highlights your proactive approach to learning.
To help you find the right fit, here’s a list of 7 medical summer programs for high school students in North Carolina. Each offers opportunities to explore different areas of medicine and gain experience that will benefit your academic and career goals. Note that the following information is based on the most recent program, with dates subject to change but generally similar from year to year.
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is a rigorous research program tailored for high school students. The program offers extensive 1-on-1 research opportunities for high school students across a broad range of subject areas that you can explore as a high schooler. The program pairs high school students with Ph.D. mentors to work 1-on-1 on an independent research project. At the end of the 12-week program, you’ll have developed an independent research paper! You can choose research topics from subjects such as psychology, physics, economics, data science, computer science, engineering, chemistry, international relations, and more. You can find more details about the application here.
Application Deadline: Varying deadlines based on cohort.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Eligibility: You must be currently enrolled in high school and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement.
Program Dates: Varies by cohort: summer, fall, winter, or spring. Options range from 12 weeks to 1 year.
Cost: Full financial aid is available!
The Wake Forest Pre-College Medicine Summer Institute is a summer program for high school students who want to explore the medical field. Held at Wake Forest University, this week-long program offers 9th to 12th-grade students the chance to learn about various medical disciplines, gaining experience in a professional healthcare environment. You’ll understand specialties like internal medicine, cardiology, pulmonology, neurology, and surgery. You’ll visit medical facilities such as the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and work in simulation labs. From practicing skills like taking blood pressure and suturing to learning about the latest medical technologies, you’ll get a taste of what it's like to work in healthcare.
Location: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NCÂ
Cost: $3,400. Limited need-based scholarships available
Eligibility: Current 9th – 12th grade students
Dates: July 6 – 11 | July 20 – 25
Application Deadline: No information available. Applications open on November 1
Veritas AI is an AI program for ambitious high school students, founded and run by Harvard graduate students. In the AI + Medicine program, you will learn how AI is used in the healthcare and medical industry. You will get a chance to work on real-world projects using AI & ML models to diagnose diseases, sharpen medical scans, and explain their outcomes to aid doctors and patients. Here is the program brochure and the application form.
Location: Remote — you can participate in this program from anywhere in the world!
Cost: $2,290
Eligibility: High school students who have completed the AI Scholars program or have prior Python experience
Dates: June 9 – August 11
Application Deadline: Early Admission: March 24 | Regular Admission 1: April 21 | Regular Admission 2: May 19
Outset is a one-week pre-med summer program for high school students who want to explore careers in medicine. Hosted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (and many other universities like UCLA, Yale, etc.), the program offers activities, lectures, and interactions with professionals from UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke Medical Schools. Throughout the week, you’ll learn about key medical topics, patient care, and the latest advancements in healthcare technology.Â
Location: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: $2,825
Eligibility: Current 9th – 12th grade students
Dates: June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling
The UNC School of Medicine Rural Medicine Summer Academy is a week-long residential program for rising high school seniors interested in healthcare, particularly in underserved rural areas. This experience provides hands-on learning, including skills sessions, simulations, and lectures on cardiovascular health and rural healthcare challenges. Students also engage with UNC faculty and healthcare professionals, gaining insight into the needs of rural communities and exploring various career paths in medicine.
Location: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: FreeÂ
Eligibility: Rising seniors in high school, especially those from rural North Carolina
Dates: Typically held in late June or July
Application Deadline: Usually around early spring (March-April)
The Health Careers Academy by the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) is a program for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors in Western North Carolina who are interested in pursuing careers in healthcare. Throughout the spring semester, accepted students engage in various programs in partnership with UNC Health Sciences at MAHEC, including in-person and virtual experiences. You will tour the Simulation Center at MAHEC, receive one-on-one health career advising, and connect with students and faculty at MAHEC.
Location: University of North Carolina, Asheville, NC
Cost: FreeÂ
Eligibility: High school sophomore, junior, or senior as of the Spring semester who has a minimum weighted GPA of 3.2 and resides or attend school in one of these Western North Carolina counties
Dates: Late June/Early July
Application Deadline: December 2
The NSLC High School Summer Medical Program provides a learning opportunity for high school students. You will assume the role of a physician, practicing surgical skills, diagnosing patients, and discussing public health issues. You will gain experience in suturing, surgical knot tying, and internal anatomy. You will also practice patient care by interviewing, diagnosing, testing, and treating patients alongside clinical teams. You’ll learn to handle critical medical situations through trauma assessments and simulated scenarios. This program also includes anatomy workshops with dissections of eyes, brains, hearts, and spinal cords. You’ll interact with guest speakers from various medical backgrounds, and field trips to sites like the Duke Human Simulation & Patient Safety Center will provide additional exposure.
Location: Duke University, Durham, NCÂ
Cost: $3,995
Eligibility: Students must be between the ages of 14-18 and have completed at least one year of high school
Dates: Multiple one-week sessions offered between June 12 – July 26
Application Deadline: Rolling
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.