Summer is when you can explore medicine without the pressure of grades. The best programs combine hands-on learning with real exposure to healthcare settings. Some are free. Many offer financial aid. Here is how to find the right one.
Free and low-cost programs
NIH Summer Camps (National Institutes of Health)
The NIH offers summer camps for middle and high school students in the Bethesda, Maryland area. These are competitive but free and provide real exposure to biomedical research. Applications typically open in January. See training.nih.gov for current offerings.
University-based STEM camps
Many universities run free or subsidized STEM camps for middle schoolers. Search for “[your state] university STEM camp middle school” to find local options. Examples of well-known programs:
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY): Offers summer courses in science and medicine for academically advanced students. Financial aid available. See cty.jhu.edu.
Duke TIP (Talent Identification Program): Summer studies including biomedical science courses. Need-based financial aid covers up to full tuition. See tip.duke.edu.
STEM-Away and Pathways to Science: Aggregator sites that list hundreds of free STEM programs searchable by age, location, and topic. See pathwaystoscience.org.
State and local programs
Your state health department, local hospitals, community colleges, and medical schools often run summer youth programs. These are less competitive than national programs and more accessible. Start by searching “[your city] health science summer camp” or call the community outreach office at your nearest hospital or medical school.
What to look for in a program
The best programs include hands-on activities (not just lectures), interaction with healthcare professionals, projects you complete and present, a certificate of completion (useful for your activity log), and a community of students with similar interests.
How to apply
Most programs require a short application, a teacher recommendation, and sometimes a personal statement. Here is how to write a strong application at your age:
For the personal statement, answer these three questions in 2-3 paragraphs: What interests you about medicine or science? What have you done so far to explore that interest (classes, clubs, reading, volunteering)? What do you hope to learn from this program?
For the teacher recommendation, ask your science or math teacher at least 3 weeks before the deadline. Give them a short note explaining what the program is and why you are applying.
If you cannot attend a formal program
A structured summer program is great, but it is not the only way to spend a productive summer. You can read books about medicine (see our Books, Shows, and Podcasts guide), start or continue volunteering, visit science museums and health exhibits, do a self-directed science project, shadow a healthcare professional (ask a parent to help arrange this through family or community connections), or take a free online course (Khan Academy has excellent biology and health content).