Massachusetts High School

If you are a high school student in Massachusetts interested in healthcare careers, you are in one of the best locations in the world for pre-health preparation. The concentration of hospitals, research institutions, and healthcare education programs in Massachusetts, particularly in the greater Boston area, creates opportunities for clinical volunteering, shadowing, research, and academic enrichment that are unmatched in most other states. Students in central and western Massachusetts also have strong options through UMass campuses, regional hospitals, and community organizations.

Your Massachusetts High School Pathway

Freshman year (Grade 9): Focus on strong study habits and take the most rigorous science and math courses your school offers. Take honors biology and complete any required MCAS science preparation. Join health-related clubs, explore volunteering opportunities, and earn CPR certification. Sophomore year (Grade 10): Take honors or AP® Chemistry. Begin looking at hospital volunteer programs (most Boston-area hospitals accept volunteers starting at age 16). Explore HOSA® if your school has a chapter. Junior year (Grade 11): Take AP® Biology and AP® Chemistry (if not yet taken). Build substantial clinical experience. Prepare for the SAT® or ACT®. Research colleges with strong pre-health programs. Apply to summer research programs at Harvard, MIT, BU, Tufts, or UMass. Senior year (Grade 12): Take AP® Physics and remaining advanced courses. Complete college applications. If applying to BS/MD programs, begin those applications in the fall. See our BS/MD Programs page.

Massachusetts High School Sub-Pages

Academics and Planning covers MCAS requirements, AP® and IB course availability, dual enrollment through UMass and community colleges, and college planning for MA students including the MassGrant and NEBHE Tuition Break.

Clinical Experience and Volunteering covers hospital volunteer programs at Boston-area and statewide hospitals, EMT certification, CNA training, physician shadowing, and community health volunteering.

Research and Extracurriculars covers summer research programs at Harvard, MIT, BU, Tufts, the Broad Institute, and other MA institutions, science fairs and competitions, HOSA® chapters, and health science clubs.

Why Massachusetts Is Exceptional for Pre-Health Students

Massachusetts offers advantages that compound at every stage of the pre-health journey. The state’s medical schools are among the most respected in the world. The teaching hospitals affiliated with those schools are destinations for patients seeking the most advanced care available, exposing volunteers and student observers to cutting-edge medicine alongside routine clinical practice. The biotech and pharmaceutical industry provides paid internship and employment opportunities that connect academic research to real-world drug development and healthcare innovation.

For high school students specifically, Massachusetts’s educational infrastructure is among the strongest in the country. Massachusetts consistently ranks at or near the top of national education quality measures. Most comprehensive high schools offer multiple AP® science courses, and the state’s high academic expectations mean that students are well-prepared for the rigor of college-level pre-med coursework. The depth of STEM enrichment available, from MIT and Harvard outreach programs to the Museum of Science to statewide science competitions, provides supplementary learning opportunities that go far beyond what most states can offer.

Students outside the Boston metro area should not feel disadvantaged. UMass Amherst, UMass Lowell, UMass Dartmouth, and community colleges across the state provide strong STEM education and dual enrollment opportunities. Regional hospitals (Baystate in Springfield, UMass Memorial in Worcester, Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Cape Cod Hospital) offer volunteer programs with less competition than Boston-area facilities. The key is taking advantage of whatever resources are accessible to you and supplementing with cross-border programs and virtual options when local offerings are limited. For general high school guidance, see our For High School Students hub.

Regional Differences Across Massachusetts

Greater Boston: The highest concentration of hospitals, research institutions, and enrichment programs in the state (and arguably the world). Competition for volunteer positions and research placements at elite institutions can be intense, but the sheer number of options means that persistent students can find positions. The MBTA transit system makes hospitals and universities accessible from across the metro area. Central Massachusetts (Worcester area): UMass Chan Medical School, UMass Memorial Medical Center, the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Clark University provide clinical, research, and academic opportunities. Western Massachusetts (Springfield/Berkshires): Baystate Medical Center (a UMass Chan affiliate), Springfield-area community colleges, and regional organizations provide resources for students who may be farther from Boston. North Shore, South Shore, and Cape Cod: Community hospitals (North Shore Medical Center, South Shore Hospital, Cape Cod Hospital), regional campuses (Salem State, Bridgewater State, UMass Dartmouth), and local organizations provide accessible opportunities.

Regardless of where you live in Massachusetts, clinical volunteering, research, and academic enrichment opportunities exist within reasonable distance. Students in rural western Massachusetts may need to be more proactive in seeking opportunities and may benefit from exploring programs across the Connecticut border (see our Connecticut page) or virtual options. The sub-pages below provide specific program information organized by activity type, with geographic notes where relevant.

Massachusetts students should also take advantage of the state’s strong Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in health sciences. Vocational-technical high schools and CTE programs within comprehensive high schools offer health science pathways that may include CNA certification, medical terminology, anatomy, clinical skills, and phlebotomy. These programs provide practical healthcare skills and clinical exposure that complement academic coursework. See our CTE and HOSA® page.

Massachusetts students should also be aware of the state’s extensive network of community health centers. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the state provide primary care to underserved populations and frequently accept high school volunteers for patient support, health education, and community outreach roles. Organizations like the Dimock Center (Boston), the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center (Worcester), and Baystate Health’s community programs (Springfield) connect students to the social mission of medicine and the realities of healthcare delivery in underserved communities. Volunteering at a community health center complements hospital volunteering by providing exposure to the primary care, prevention, and social services dimensions of healthcare that hospital-based experiences alone may not offer. See our health equity page and social determinants of health page.

References

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. “Graduation Requirements.” DESE, 2025. https://www.doe.mass.edu/. Accessed March 2026.