Summer & GAP Year Opportunities
Summer & Gap Year Opportunities
As you are planning a year of Growth and Professional (GAP) Development to enhance your skills and understanding of the health profession you are considering, or to complete courses as a post-baccalaureate student, explore the categories and programs listed below.
Explore the sections and drop-downs most relevant to you and your health professional goals. You might consider perusing the entire list of GAP year experiences before you create a “short list.”
The dropdown lists below are separated out by category, such as programs related to clinical research, public health and community service, and opportunities geared specifically to under-represented, minority, or disadvantaged students. Programs with a single site only have one location. Programs with multiple sites have more than one location or campus.
Post-Baccalaureate Programs
If you began thinking of a health profession mid-way through your undergraduate college education, you may take the additional pre-requisite science courses in one or two GAP years as a non-degree or post-bac student at a university or college near your home, or you may explore a structured program which may have a linkage with a medical school. Explore the AAMC Post-baccalaureate Premedical Programs Listing for “Career-Changers,” “Academic Enhancement,” and “Graduate Programs.” Choose a program that best serves your academic goals. Here is the link for the Post-Bac Programs Common Application.
General Programs, Internships, and Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
- Albany Medical College PURPOSE Program for Undergraduate Research & Professional Development
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Summer undergraduate research program
- Boston University REU Program
- Broad Institute Summer – GAP Opportunities
- Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders (CATSD) at Mass General Hospital
- Cornell Weill Medical College Summer Research Fellowship
- Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership Summer Internship Program
- Dartmouth Health Care Foundations – Summer Intensive
- Drexel University (Formerly MCP Hahnemann) – Summer Research Program
- Feinstein Summer Visiting Scholar Research Program – Cohen Children’s Medical Center – Northwell Health
- Georgetown University Academy for Research, Clinical, and Health Equity Scholarship
- Hartford Hospital Summer Student Research Fellowship – Residency, Internship, & Fellowship Programs
- The Health Sciences and Technology (HST) Summer Institute
- The Jefferson Step-Up Program Sydney Kimmel
- Lankenau Summer Internship Program (Philadelphia)
- Mount Sinai – Summer Undergraduate Research Program
- Mount Sinai Brain Injury Research Center – Undergraduate Volunteer Program
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases STEP-UP Program – Short -Term Research Experience Program
- NYU Langone Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation SURP
- NYU Langone Risk Rehabilitation Health Career Opportunity Program
- NYU Orthopedic Surgery SURP
- NYU SURP at Vilcek Institute of Biomedical Sciences
- Weill Cornell Medical College Summer Research Fellowship
- Chester Summer Scholars Program Cleveland, Ohio
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital – Undergraduate Summer Internship
- Indiana University School of Medicine – Undergraduate Summer Programs
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology – Washington University in St. Louis
- Michigan Health Sciences Summer Institute
- University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
- University of Iowa
- University of Minnesota
- Baylor College of Medicine SMART Program
- Georgetown University Academy for Research, Clinical, & Health Equity Program
- Marcus Autism Center – Fellowship opportunities, including Undergraduate and Graduate Practicum
- Project Horseshoe Farm – offers summer internships and GAP year fellowships
- Pfizer Inc. – Summer Internship Program
- University of North Carolina School of Medicine
- University of Texas-Houston
- University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
- University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center – Summer Undergraduate Research Program
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center – Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- American Heart Association Undergraduate Student Fellowship Program
- Amgen Scholars Program
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
- Clinton Foundation
- Health Career Connection
- The Leadership Alliance Summer Training Research Program – The Summer Research Early Identification Program
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – STEP-UP Short -Term Research Experience Program
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Post Bac and Summer Biomedical Research
Clinical & Research Experiences
- Albany Medical College PURPOSE Program for Undergraduate Research & Professional Development
- Churchill Scholarship
- The Department of Health and Human Services
- The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program
- Mayo Clinic – Summer Undergraduate Research Program
- MD-PhD Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
- PROMISE (Penn State Research Training in Oncology and Medicine to Inspire Student Engagement)
- Psychology Guide for Pre-Professional OpportunitiesRead to Grow – has locations in Middletown
- Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
- The Obama Foundation Internship
- Abington Hospital Jefferson Health Pre-Med Program, Philadelphia, PA
- AIDS Health
- Albert Einstein Medical Center Pre-Med Program, Philadelphia PA
- APDerm Gap Year as a Medical Assistant ; Applicants receive on the job training.
- Atlantic Health System: Overlook Summer Internship Program
- Atrius Health in Massachusetts
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center – Research Assistant
- Children’s Hospital Boston
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
- CityMD Urgent Care in New York/New Jersey – Medical Scribe/Assistant; Applicants receive on the job training.
- Cohen Children’s Medical Center—Northwell Health
- Dialysis Clinic, Inc., Collegiate Medical Summer Internship Program
- Dermatology Associates of Concord – for medical assistant position/training, please send resume and cover letter to Wendy Navaroli, Medical Office Manager
- DermCare Fellowship Program
- Found in Translation – Language Access Fellowship for Medical Interpreter Training
- Frontier Nursing Service – Courier Program, Wendover, KY
- Hartford Hospital Summer Student Research Fellowship
- Harvard Orthopedic Trauma Summer Internship
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania – Healthcare Career Track Program
- Kuchnir Dermatology Clinical Assistant GAP Program
- Long Island Jewish Medical Center (Northwell Health)
- MedServe
- National Women’s Health Network Internships
- Neuropathology Brain Bank Summer Internship at Mount Sinai – This full-time summer internship will span the course of 8 weeks, running from July through August. Stipends are available for students who identify as financially-disadvantaged candidates. For more information on the application timeline reach out to brainbank@mountsinai.org
- New York Presbyterian Hospital Westchester, NY
- Project Health Care– Bellvue Hospital Center, NY
- Reconnect Gap Year Fellowship
- Research Assistant Program – Yale/Bridgeport Hospital
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School/Summer Clinical Internship
- Schweiger Dermatology Group – Schweiger provides on the job training for medical assistant work and provides opportunities for gaining skills in medical scribing and surgical assistant work. Schweiger has clinics located in various locations in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York
- ScribeAmerica
- St. Jude Pediatric Oncology Education Program
- Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer (THANC) Foundation – Research Associate Positions
- Thundermist Health Centers
- Unite for Sight Global Health
Under-Represented, Minority, & Disadvantaged Students
Please explore specific programs oriented towards under-represented, minority, & disadvantaged students below:
Preference will be given to US Citizens and permanent residents who are members of underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups and socio-economically disadvantaged students and/or these programs show a particular interest in serving members of those groups
- Georgetown University Academy for Research, Clinical, & Health Equity Program
- Stanford School of Medicine – Health Careers Opportunity Program
- Students Training in Academia, Health, and Research (STAHR) The STAHR program is “supported by a $3.2 million grant from the United States Health Resources and Services Administration, the program is a collaborative effort of the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, School of Pharmacy, and the Institute for Human Development and is targeted for students from economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.”
- SUNY Downstate/Brooklyn Summer Research Program
- Tufts University – Summer Research Program for Undergraduate Minority Students
- The Broad Summer Research Program (BSRP) – The Broad Institute
- UCLA Prep
- University of Alabama (UAB) – SIBS (Summer in Biomedical Science) program
- University of Cincinnati – Summer Premedical Enrichment Program
- University of Massachusetts Medical Center – Combined Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity
- University of Michigan Future Public Health Leaders Program – Residential Summer Program
- University of Michigan Health Services Management – Summer Enrichment Program
- University of Pennsylvania Summer – Pre-Med Enrichment Program
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine – Summer Premedical Academic Enrichment. Program
- USC Bovard Scholars Pre-Med Academy
- University of Utah – Summer Research Opportunity Program
- Virginia Commonwealth University – Summer Academic Enrichment Program (Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy)
- Zucker School of Medicine – College Pipeline Program (CPP)
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Hispanic Center of Excellence Summer Undergraduate Mentorship Program
- American Heart Association
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Biomedical Research Apprentice Program – Washington University in St. Louis
- Bronx Hope – Mentoring in Medicine
- CDC – Office of Minority Health and Health Equity
- Center for Multicultural Affairs, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
- Cooper Medical School at Rowan University PULSE-Premedical Urban Leaders Summer Enrichment Program
- Cornell University Medical College Gateways to the Laboratory
- Cornell University Medical College Travelers Summer Research Fellowship
- Creighton University – Summer Research Training Program
- Des Moines University Health Professions Advanced Summer Scholars Program
- Drexel University College of Medicine/Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Dental Medicine Pipeline Projects
- Jackson Laboratory, Summer Student Program
- The Jefferson Step-Up Program
- Georgetown University School of Medicine ARCHES Fellowship
- Harvard Medical School – George Church Lab (Department of Genetics)
- Harvard Medical School – Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program
- Harvard School of Public Health – Summer Internship in Biological Sciences in Public Health
- Mayo Clinic
- Marquette University School of Dentistry – Summer Science Enrichment Program
- MGH Summer Research Trainee Program – for underrepresented students
- Michigan Health Sciences Summer Institute
- Michigan State University of Veterinary Medicine Vetward Bound Programs
- Minority Access Internship Program
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases STEP-UP
- Northeast Regional MedPrep Program
- NYU School of Medicine
- Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine – Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry
- Summer Health Professions Education Program – (SMDEP) At thirteen locations throughout the country
Community, Ethics, Public Health, & Public Service
- Agency for Health Care Research and Quality – (AHRQ) Internships
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry – (ATSDR) Summer Internship
- AIDS Healthcare Foundation
- American Cancer Society
- American Medical Student Association/International Health Opportunities
- American Public Health Association/International Health Internship
- Amigos de las Americas
- Association of Public Health Labs
- Boston Health Care for the Homeless
- Carter Center
- Casa de Esperanza Hands of Hope Internship
- Charles B. Wang Community Health Center/NYC
- Child Family Health International
- Clinton Health Access Initiative
- Columbia Mailman School of Public Health Biostatistics Enrichment Summer Program (BEST)
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP)
- Connecticut Mental Health Foundation
- Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE)
- Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership Healthcare Internship
- Education as a Vaccine Against AIDS
- Engineering World Health (EWH) Summer Institute/Duke University
- Experiential Learning AbroadFamilies USA
- Fogarty International Research Training Programs
- Gay Men’s Health Crisis Global Internships
- Global Healing Global Service Corps
- Global Health Ministry – Work in distressed urban areas and villages throughout Latin America and the Caribbean
- Global Volunteers
- The Hastings Center for Bioethics
- Harvard Fostering Advancement and Careers through Enrichment Training in Science (FACETS)
- Harvard School of Public Health Summer Program in Quantitative Sciences
- Harvard Summer Program in Biology in Public Health
- Harvard Summer Program in Biostatistics and Computational Biology
- Harvard Summer Program in EpidemiologyHealth Leads USA
- Health Management and Policy Summer Enrichment Program – University of Michigan School of Public Health
- Health Volunteers Overseas Fellowships & Volunteers
- India Study Abroad Center
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Diversity Summer Internship program (DSIP)
- Lutheran Social Services of New York
- NIH Bioethics Fellowship
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – Student Research Program
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- National Mental Health Association – Internship Program
- National Women’s Health Network Internships
- NIH-Immunizations and Infectious Diseases
- New York City Department of Health – Health Research Training Program
- Operation Smile – Provides reconstructive surgery and related healthcare in developing countries and US.
- Organization for Tropical Studies
- Our Bodies Our Selves/Boston Women’s Health Book Collective
- Physicians for Human Rights – Internship Program
- Physicians for Social Responsibility
- Prevention Corps CT – AmeriCorps Initiative
- Project Horseshoe Farm – offers internships for summer and GAP year fellowships
- Remote Area Medical
- San Francisco Community Health Corps
- Social Determinants of Health
- Society of Toxicology – Student Research Internships in Toxicology
- Student Training and Education in Public Service (STEPS)
- School for International Training
- Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics
- Uganda Village Project/IFMSAUnite for Sight Global Health
- University of Connecticut Community Health Leaders
- University of Michigan Future Public Health Leaders – Public Health Summer Experience Program
- Washington University in St. Louis – Institute for Public Health Summer Research
- World Health Organization
- Yale School of Public Health Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
- Yale School of Public Health – Science, Technology and Research Scholars (STARS) Program
- AMA Ethics Standards Group/Summer Internship
- The Dartmouth Institute for Public Health
- The Hastings Center
- Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (PDF)
- MDRC Policy Work Undergraduate Internship
- SUNY Upstate/Center for Bioethics and Humanities
- American Society for Bioethics and Humanities Undergraduate Internships
Resources/General Information:
- Fellowships and Other Opportunities
- A Financial Guide for AmeriCorps and Peace Corps by Money-Geek
- Why Take a Volunteering Gap Year? by STEPS
Programs:
Other Medical Specialties
- Dental Medicine Pipeline Projects
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry
- Rutgers Gateway to Dentistry Program
- School of Medicine & Dentistry Rochester Summer Scholars Program
- Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine – Discover Dental School: Summer Scholars’ Program
- University of Buffalo Destination Dental School
- University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine – Summer Fellowship
- Brighter Hope Wellness Center Internship
- Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health
- Hartford Healthcare Behavioral Health Network Internship
- Human First Psychology Internship
- Mary’s Center Behavioral Health Internship
- National Alliance on Mental illness (NAMI) Volunteer or Intern in D.C.
- Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Internships (virtual or in-person)
- Texas State Internship in Psychology (Youth & Families at Risk, Cognitive Disorders)
- University of North Caroline Karen M. Gil Internship Program
International Students
- Pathways To Science – Browse a list of all types of summer research programs
- Georgetown University Academy for Research, Clinical, & Health Equity Program
- Harvard Undergraduate Summer Research Internship in Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- MaineHealth Institute for Research: Summer Undergraduate Research Program
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Mechanist Biology Summer Program
- School of Medicine & Dentistry Rochester Summer Scholars Program
- Siteman Cancer Center Leah Menshouse Springer Summer Opportunities Program
- Stowers Graduate School Summer Scholars Program
- University of Minnesota Lando/NSF REU in Chemistry
- University of Texas Southwestern Biomedical Sciences SURF
