Pre-Med/Pre-Health: Health Research/Pre-Health Opportunities

There are many opportunities available for Pre-Med/Pre-Health students to obtain meaningful research and clinical experience over the summer months or as part of gap time. This list is by no means comprehensive, so you should continue searching out there for ones that do not appear here. This list is alphabetical, not divided into any categories, so scroll until you find something that works for you. Many of the links are to the websites of other universities that also post opportunities. 

AAMC M.D.-Ph.D. Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
These are competitive but excellent programs for undergraduate students. 

AAMC Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
The Association of American Medical Colleges has a great list here and these programs are spread across the country. 

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Summer research opportunities in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology are listed by state. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Opportunities for Students and College Graduates  
The CDC has numerous internship, training, and volunteer opportunities for students of all academic disciplines and levels. Many of these opportunities provide invaluable experiences and potentially offer clear cut paths to exciting careers with CDC.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Summer Oncology Research Fellowship
While the program has traditionally been designed for students who have completed their first year of medical school, highly qualified undergraduates majoring in the health science fields may be considered. Students from diverse or disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Students actively participate in clinical or laboratory research studies during their fellowship, and some have authored or co-authored peer reviewed publications as well as presented their work at major national and international scientific meetings. Many have gone on to academic medical careers. 

Columbia University Medical Opportunities for Pre-Health Students
This is an excellent list of summer internship programs from across the US. 

Co-op/Internships and Summer Research Opportunities
This website lists opportunities from the larger Co-op/Internship and Summer Research Opportunities in the Life Sciences website that meet any of the following criteria - 1. biomedical research, 2. located in a medical or clinical setting, 3. located in a medical school or health science center, 4. has "biomedical" as a descriptor, 5. may be of particular interest to pre-med students. 

Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory Fellowship Program
Practical application of technologies, methodologies and practices related to emerging infectious diseases; conduct high priority infectious disease research in public health laboratories.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Internships in biomedical research at Fred Hutchinson with the focus of “translating discoveries into cures.” 

GREAT group SURP programs
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Graduate Education, Training and Research (GREAT) maintains a website with links to its members' summer undergrad research programs (SURPs). These programs allow students to participate in cutting-edge research, and often offer a stipend, room and board, and travel allowance. The applicant pool is competitive and you're encouraged to apply early. Most deadlines for application are in January and February.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Health Research Training Program
The Health Research Training Program of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provides undergraduate, graduate/professional school students the opportunity to experience some of the "real life" challenges of public health. By working on current relevant public health issues under the close supervision of experienced professionals, students apply their classroom learning to practical problems and, in the process, learn critical skills. 

NIH Academy
NIH Academy is a postbaccalaureate program that provides opportunities for recent college graduates to spend a year engaged in biomedical investigation at NIH. Recent college graduates with a research interest in domestic health disparities. 

NIH Biomedical Research Summer Internship
The NIH Clinical Center (CC) Summer Internship Program selects 50 students to participate in the Clinical Center's internship experience. At the Clinical Center— the nation's largest hospital devoted entirely to clinical research—students work with mentors who are researchers and health professionals, participate in the NIH Research Poster Festival with results generated by their work in this summer program, and attend weekly lectures presented by NIH investigators. Application deadline is March 1. 

NIH Postbaccalaureate Intramural Research Training Award Program
Provides opportunities for recent college graduates to spend a year engaged in biomedical research at the NIH. 

NIH Summer Internship Programs in Biomedical Research
This is an excellent opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research.

Patient-Oriented and Translational Research Option
This program offers a "hands-on" application of medical research and is open to undergraduates, recent graduates, medical students, PhD and MD/PhD students, and postdoctoral research associates. 

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Forensic Investigation
The program is designed for students with a bachelor's degree who wish to gain competence in the area of forensic investigation. Its aim is to educate personnel whose professional scope and practice interfaces with the criminal justice system. It is designed to provide police and fire inspectors, emergency service personnel, nurses, social workers and other public health professionals with the competencies essential to the process of forensic investigation. Upon completion of the program graduates will be knowledgeable in the areas of legal/ethical parameters, specimen collection and analysis, forensic anatomy, forensic psychology, the criminal justice system, and the application of photographic/evidence specialties. 

Postbaccalaureate Prehealth Studies
The Postbaccalaureate PreHealth Certificate Program at New York University is designed primarily for those students who have made the decision to pursue a career in medicine, dentistry or other health professions, but who have not yet taken the basic sciences needed to apply to medical or other health professional schools. 

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
The Smithsonian Institution offers fellowships for advanced study at SERC at the senior postdoctoral, postdoctoral, predoctoral, and graduate student levels. SERC hosts about 18 fellows annually. 

St. Jude Children’s Hospital Pediatric Oncology Education Program
The Pediatric Oncology Education program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is funded by the National Institutes of Health / National Cancer Institute. The POE program offers a unique opportunity for students preparing for careers in the biomedical sciences, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, or public health to gain biomedical and oncology research experience. The POE program provides a short-term training experience (internship) in either laboratory research or clinical research.

Summer Medical and Dental Education Programs (SHPEP)
The AAMC's SHPEP is a free (full tuition, housing, and meals) six-week summer medical and dental school preparatory program that offers eligible students intensive and personalized medical and dental school preparation. The programs include academic enrichment activities, clinical exposure, and other activities. Each of the 11 programs has different entrance criteria and all are interested in first- and second-year college students with a demonstrated interest in issues affecting underserved populations. Applications are competitive and due February 15. 

Technical Intramural Research Training Award
Aims to produce highly trained research support personnel.

University of Maryland Nathan Schnaper Intern Program in Translational Cancer Research
The NSIP is a 10-week summer internship for undergraduate students interested in cancer research. The program provides integrated research, educational and clinical experiences that emphasize the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical applications and inspire the next generation of cancer researchers and physician scientists.