This page covers research opportunities, science competitions, HOSA® chapters, and health-related extracurricular activities for New York high school students interested in healthcare careers.
Summer Research Programs
New York’s concentration of world-class research universities and medical centers creates research opportunities for high school students that are unmatched in most other states. Securing a research position requires initiative, persistence, and preparation, but the potential payoff for your pre-health profile is enormous.
Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program (NYC): One of the most prestigious high school research programs in the country, SSRP places students in Rockefeller University laboratories for a 7-week summer research experience. Students work alongside faculty, postdocs, and graduate students on active research projects in biomedical sciences. The program is highly competitive and provides a stipend. Visit rockefeller.edu and search for the summer science research program.
Mount Sinai SPARK (Students Participating in Artistic and Research Knowledge): The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai offers summer research opportunities for New York City high school students, with a focus on students from groups underrepresented in biomedical research. Programs provide laboratory experience, mentorship, and exposure to the research process. Contact Mount Sinai’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion or visit icahn.mssm.edu.
NYU ARISE (Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering): NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s ARISE program offers a 7-week summer research experience for NYC public high school students. While engineering-focused, many projects have biomedical applications (biomedical engineering, biosensors, health technology). The program is free and provides a stipend and MetroCard. Visit engineering.nyu.edu and search for ARISE.
Columbia University Summer Research Program for Science Teachers and High School Students: Columbia’s program places students in university research labs for summer research experiences. Programs have included molecular biology, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering projects. Check Columbia’s outreach pages at outreach.columbia.edu.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center (Long Island): CSHL’s DNA Learning Center offers research-oriented programs for high school students, including the Partners for the Future program, which places advanced students in CSHL research labs for a year-long research experience. This is one of the most intensive high school research programs in the country. Visit cshl.edu.
SUNY Campus Research Programs: Stony Brook University, University at Buffalo, SUNY Upstate Medical University (Syracuse), SUNY Albany, and Binghamton University offer summer research programs for high school students from their surrounding communities. These programs are typically less competitive than NYC-based programs and provide excellent mentorship and research experience. Check each campus’s undergraduate research or K-12 outreach office for current offerings.
Independent Research with a Teacher Mentor: If formal programs are not accessible to you (due to geography, competitive admission, or scheduling), consider conducting independent research under the guidance of a high school science teacher. Literature reviews, data analysis using publicly available datasets (CDC WONDER, NIH databases, Census health data), and small-scale experimental studies can all produce meaningful research that you can submit to science fairs and competitions.
Science Competitions
Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS): The most prestigious pre-college science competition in the United States. STS is based on an original, independent research project completed by a high school senior. Students submit a research report, and 300 scholars and 40 finalists are named annually. The top award is $250,000. New York consistently produces a disproportionate number of STS scholars and finalists. While the competition is extremely selective, the process of designing, conducting, and writing up a research project is valuable regardless of whether you advance. Visit societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts.
New York City Science and Engineering Fair (NYCSEF): The city-wide science fair for NYC high school students, serving as a qualifying event for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Health science, biomedical, and behavioral science projects are well-represented among entries. The fair is organized by the New York Academy of Sciences. Visit nyas.org.
New York State Science and Engineering Fair: Regional science fairs across the state send qualifying projects to the state-level competition and ultimately to ISEF. Check with your school science department for regional fair locations and entry deadlines.
Science Olympiad: New York has one of the strongest Science Olympiad programs in the country, with hundreds of participating high school teams. Health-related events include Anatomy and Physiology, Disease Detectives (epidemiology), and Forensics. Visit scioly.org. Biology Olympiad (USABO) and Chemistry Olympiad (USNCO): National-level competitions that build deep content knowledge far beyond the AP® curriculum. New York students are well-represented among national finalists in both competitions.
HOSA® and Health Science Clubs
HOSA® (Future Health Professionals) has active chapters at New York high schools across the state. New York HOSA® holds a State Leadership Conference each spring where qualifying students advance to the international competition. Competitive events cover medical terminology, health career exploration, biomedical debate, CPR/first aid, epidemiology, and many other health-related topics. If your school has a HOSA® chapter, join it as early as possible. If not, talk to a teacher about chartering one. See our CTE and HOSA® page.
Beyond HOSA®, New York students can participate in Red Cross Clubs, pre-med or health careers clubs (start one if your school does not have one), debate and Model UN (health policy and bioethics topics connect to pre-health interests), and community service organizations (Key Club, Interact, National Honor Society) with health-focused service projects. The key is sustained involvement with increasing leadership responsibility over time, not a long list of superficial memberships. See our Extracurriculars for Medicine page.
Making the Most of Your Activities
Quality matters more than quantity. Medical schools and competitive colleges want to see sustained commitment to a few activities that demonstrate genuine interest, growth, and impact. We recommend building a profile that includes at least one clinical experience (hospital volunteering, EMT when age-eligible), one research or academic competition (summer research, science fair, Science Olympiad, HOSA®), and one community service commitment. Seek leadership roles within these activities as you progress through high school. Document everything carefully: dates, hours, responsibilities, and what you learned from each experience. These records will form the foundation of your college applications and, eventually, your medical school activities section.
Mentorship and Long-Term Research
The most valuable research experiences are not one-time summer programs but sustained relationships with research mentors over months or years. If you secure a summer research position, ask your mentor whether you can continue working in the lab during the school year on a part-time basis (a few hours per week after school or on weekends). Long-term research involvement allows you to take on greater responsibility, contribute more meaningfully to projects, and potentially earn co-authorship on publications. It also produces stronger letters of recommendation, since your mentor can speak to your growth, initiative, and intellectual engagement over an extended period rather than just a brief summer snapshot.
New York City students have a particular advantage in sustaining research relationships because of the density and proximity of research institutions. A student in Manhattan can take the subway to a Rockefeller University lab after school. A student in the Bronx can walk to an Einstein College of Medicine lab. A student on Long Island can commute to Stony Brook or Cold Spring Harbor on weekends. This geographic accessibility makes year-round research engagement more feasible in New York than in states where universities are hours away from most high schools. Take advantage of this proximity to build the kind of deep, sustained research experience that sets you apart from students who participated in a single summer program and then moved on.
References
Rockefeller University. “Summer Science Research Program.” Rockefeller, 2025. https://www.rockefeller.edu/. Accessed March 2026.
Society for Science. “Regeneron STS.” Society for Science, 2025. https://www.societyforscience.org/. Accessed March 2026.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. “DNA Learning Center.” CSHL, 2025. https://www.cshl.edu/. Accessed March 2026.
HOSA-Future Health Professionals. “About HOSA.” HOSA, 2025. https://hosa.org/. Accessed March 2026.