Topics We Cover:
- Why Do Internships in High School?
- How to Find Medical Internships for High School Students in Chicago
- 10 Medical Internships for High School Students in Chicago
- Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Medical Internships
- Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
Medical internships for high school students in Chicago can put Windy City teens on the path to their dream healthcare career, whether it’s working in direct patient care, laboratory research, or administration.
Why Do Internships in High School?
A medical internship for high school students in Chicago—and high school internships more broadly—provides valuable skills and hands-on experience. Internships also give students insight into potential career paths, helping them make informed decisions about their future.
High school internships provide an advantage in college admissions as well, demonstrating a student’s willingness to pursue their interests outside the classroom and verifying their interest through real-world experience. In crowded fields of competitive college applicants, this can help students stand out.
According to PRISM, a student-run consultancy at the University of Chicago, just under three-quarters of students attending U.S. News Top 50 universities completed at least one internship while in high school.
High school internships also increase a student’s chances of securing a college internship and improve their odds of admission to pre-professional groups like pre-med societies, public health clubs, student research groups, and hospital volunteer programs.
How to Find Medical Internships for High School Students in Chicago
StandOutSearch is a valuable tool for students seeking medical internships in Chicago, as well as high school internships anywhere in the U.S. StandOutSearch is the largest free online database of internships for teens and is easily searchable using a variety of filters, including location, field of interest, and format (virtual, in-person, hybrid).
Online search tools and directories are valuable resources for students seeking high school internships—for example, this roundup of prestigious summer programs and internships curated by MIT Admissions.
While it’s relatively easy to discover official internship opportunities online, these positions are notoriously difficult to secure and fiercely competitive. Along with exploring official programs, students intent on landing an internship will also want to form a cold outreach plan.
Cold outreach is the process of contacting a professional you don’t know to ask about potential opportunities. Many teens find cold outreach harrowing, but the guide and templates at the end of the article should offer some reassurance.
10 Medical Internships for High School Students in Chicago
Most medical internships for high school students in Chicago have acceptance rates of 20% or lower due to high demand. We recommend applying to at least five programs, and if one excites you, be sure to mark its deadline on your calendar!
1. StandOut Connect
Ages: 15-19
Location: Virtual
Timeline: Summer, Spring, Fall, or Winter
Deadline: November 23, 2026 (Winter cohort)
StandOut Connect is a program that helps match gifted high school students with online internships in their industry of interest. Students match with companies across 25 interest areas such as finance, STEM, medicine, law, arts, and more. Examples of past matches relating to medicine include biotech startups developing therapies for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, a company building an ultrasound treatment for dangerous blood clots, and a company making drug development faster and cheaper. StandOut Connect is funded by StandOutSearch, the largest free database for high school internships. The program has been featured in Forbes and was created with the help of investment from The University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
2. University of Chicago Medicine ResearchStart Program
Ages: Juniors and Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 11, 2027
This summer program provides high schoolers in Illinois and Lake County, Indiana the chance to explore careers in cancer research. Participants work in labs under the guidance of experienced cancer researchers, gaining hands-on experience in areas like:
- Cancer immunology
- Bioengineering
- Experimental cancer therapeutics
- Cancer disparities
Students also develop skills and career readiness through workshops and lectures, network with healthcare professionals, and present their work at a research symposium for friends, family, and the broader scientific community.
3. Northwestern University | Kimberly Querrey Summer Research Program
Ages: Rising Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
Students interested in the biological sciences will want to check out this high school internship for rising high school seniors and undergraduates. Participants gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge laboratories while assisting with translational or clinical research in fields including:
- Pneumonia
- COPD
- Asthma
- Adult cystic fibrosis
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Participants also receive support in their preparation for college.
4. Northwestern Medicine | Discovery Program
Ages: Sophomores and Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Year-round
Deadline: Not yet announced (September 28 in 2026)
Run by Northwestern Medicine, this school-year program gives Illinois high school students the opportunity to explore a range of healthcare careers through one of the region's hospital systems. Participants meet once a month, usually on the third Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, for hospital tours, guest speakers, group discussions, activities, and community partner experiences. Along the way they develop career readiness, build a network of healthcare professionals, and engage in community service. Applicants must be at least 15, entering sophomore or junior year, and hold a 3.0 GPA. The Central Chapter runs for two years, while the other chapters run for one.
5. UChicago Medicine | Chicago EYES on Cancer Program
Ages: Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: November 30, 2026
Through Chicago EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science), high school students can gain real-world experience with cancer research—working full-time in labs. The program includes rigorous research training, a lecture series, skill-building workshops, career development, and the opportunity to build a network of mentors. The program culminates with a research symposium highlighting participants’ work across basic, translational, clinical, and population-based areas of cancer research.
The Chicago EYES on Cancer Program is highly selective, admitting only up to 12 students each year.
6. National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program (SIP)
Ages: 17-18 (graduating seniors)
Location: Bethesda, Maryland, and other NIH campuses
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 26, 2027
Participants in SIP work full-time in research positions side-by-side with some of the most talented scientists in the world. Internship opportunities are available in the biomedical, behavioral, and social sciences and offer the chance to explore basic, translational, and clinical research. In addition to research, students build career readiness and core competencies required for successful careers in healthcare, research, and the sciences. The program takes U.S. citizen or permanent resident seniors who turn 18 by September 30, 2027 (17-year-olds must live within 40 miles of a campus), and interns from Chicago arrange their own housing near their lab.
7. Cancer Health Engagement Summer Scholars (CHESS)
Ages: Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: January 11, 2027
Cancer Health Engagement Summer Scholars (CHESS) is a paid, eight-week summer research program run by the University of Illinois Cancer Center and UIC’s Urban Health Program for Cook County high school students interested in cancer research and other health careers. After a boot camp week, each scholar works on an independent project in a UIC faculty lab, in areas such as:
- Molecular biology
- Pharmacology
- Biostatistics
Scholars also attend workshops and lectures on research, professional, and academic skills, present their work at the Cancer Center’s student research symposium, and receive a $4,000 stipend on completion.
8. University of Illinois Chicago | Medicina Academy Apprentice Program (MAAP)
Ages: Freshmen-Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: School Year
Deadline: Not yet announced (April 10 in 2026)
Run by the UIC College of Medicine's Hispanic Center of Excellence, MAAP is a pre-medical enrichment program held during the school year and founded in 2009. The program sets high schoolers on a path toward medical school, focusing on medical careers in communities that face shortages of physicians. Apprentices complete medical and higher education courses, take part in personal growth and interpersonal skill building, and attend twice-monthly Saturday sessions on career development from September through May. Students in grades 9 through 11 with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least conversational Spanish may apply, and first-generation college-bound students receive preference. The program is free and unpaid.
9. MedSTEM Explorers | RUSH Education
Ages: Rising Sophomores and Juniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced (February 27 in 2026)
Participation in this six-week, paid summer intensive pre-internship program at Rush University Medical Center builds confidence, job readiness, and leadership. Students research real-world health issues facing Chicago communities and earn credentials such as first-aid and CPR.
Participants will also explore careers in healthcare and STEM and engage in college preparation—deepening their knowledge and developing transferable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, time management, and self-motivation.
10. Data Science Institute (DSI) Summer Lab Program
Ages: Freshmen-Seniors
Location: Chicago, IL
Timeline: Summer
Deadline: Not yet announced
DSI is an eight-week, immersive paid data science research program for high school students, with projects in fields including biomedical research. Participants are paired with mentors in areas such as:
- Biomedical research
- Data science
- Social science
- Public policy
Students build hands-on experience in research methods, scientific inquiry, and collaborative teamwork. The program culminates with the presentation of student-created videos detailing their research findings at a symposium.
For more options beyond Chicago, see our list of medical internships for high school students.
Cold Outreach Strategy for High School Medical Internships
If the above medical internships for high school students in Chicago don’t seem like a good fit for you, your next step to landing an internship is to launch a cold outreach plan. Many find reaching out to professionals they don’t know stressful, but the guide and tips below should help streamline the process and enhance your chances of success.
When reaching out to professionals you don’t know, always prioritize your safety. It’s best to conduct meetings or interviews online whenever possible.
How to Find Companies to Reach Out to for a High School Internship
LinkedIn is a great place to find medical centers, labs, clinics, and nonprofits that may offer internships. Focus on smaller organizations, which are often short-staffed and more likely to welcome high school interns. Opportunities can include providing administrative support, assisting with lab work, or helping organize outreach efforts.
How to Find Professors to Reach Out to for a High School Research Position
You can identify professors to contact about research opportunities by searching university directories online. Understand that remote roles are harder to secure, since high school interns are typically brought in for hands-on lab tasks, which obviously can’t be done virtually.
Computational research offers some of the best opportunities for remote internships. These roles typically require a foundational understanding of programming languages like Python and R, which you can learn using free resources such as Coursera’s Python for Everybody and R Programming in just a few months.
How to Structure and Send Outreach Emails
We recommend sending at least 50 emails to potential internship providers as part of your cold outreach strategy. When contacting professionals, make sure to include a Google link to your resume (PDFs and Docs can create delivery issues). Just be sure the link’s settings allow anyone with the link to view its contents.
Make sure to highlight any relevant experience you may have—for example:
- Shadowing a doctor or nurse
- Volunteering at a hospital or clinic
- Assisting with lab or clinical research
- Organizing health awareness events
- CPR or first-aid training
Our resume guide and tips is a great resource for everyone, from those looking to create their first resume to those wanting to polish theirs before sending it out. The University of Chicago’s resume toolkit is another helpful tool.
Email Template for Finding a High School Internship
If you are unsure how to structure your outreach emails to potential internship providers, here are some basic templates you can customize to your needs.
Template for Finding an Internship
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Mr./Ms.____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I read about your company on LinkedIn and found the concept quite interesting. For context, [briefly state how the company relates to your interests or experience].
I was wondering if you might be looking for interns. I know I would have a great deal to learn from working with you, and I would love to contribute in any way I can. I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Template for Finding a Research Position
Subject: Student Reaching Out
Dear Professor/Dr. ____,
I hope you are having a great day! My name is [your name], and I am a rising [grade] at [your school]. I recently read your paper on [restate the abstract] in [name of publication] and was quite intrigued by [part you found interesting]. I was wondering if I might be able to intern for you over this summer. [Elaborate on your relevant skills and experience and why you are passionate about the field].
I have included my resume here. Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
[Your name]
Conclusion
Success in finding a Chicago medical internship—whether through formal programs or cold outreach—comes down to perseverance. Competition for these spots is intense, but the career momentum you gain is an incredible payoff for the effort.
If this guide helped you map out your next steps, save it for reference or send it to another aspiring intern. Good luck!
