About

The Stanford Institutes of Medicine Research (SIMR) program is one of the most competitive biomedical research opportunities for U.S. high school students. Originally founded in 1998 under a different name and renamed SIMR during a 2003 reorganization, the program offers rising seniors eight weeks of full-time, mentored lab research at Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Unlike many paid programs, SIMR is completely free and also provides stipends for students with financial need—placing it among the very few elite, fully funded summer research programs.

SIMR is highly selective, admitting about 50 students from an applicant pool that is likely over 2,000— for an acceptance rate of roughly 2–3%, or on par with Stanford University itself. Applicants must be rising seniors and U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and a strong preference is given to local Bay Area students. Non-local applicants are expected to show proof of housing, as this is not provided. The application requires transcripts, recommendations, and lengthy essays, which are a major part of the application process. Students are matched into one of eight biomedical research tracks, including cancer biology, immunology, genetics, bioengineering, and more.

For eight weeks, SIMR students spend 40 hours a week working under Stanford faculty, postdocs, and graduate students in active medical research labs. Projects span cutting-edge topics like CRISPR gene editing, stem cell biology, and computational genomics. In addition to lab work, students attend weekly lectures, career panels, and peer workshops on scientific writing and presentation. The program culminates in a poster presentation that is considered the highlight of the program—an event attended by faculty, students, and other members of the Stanford community.

SIMR alumni often co-author papers, present at professional conferences, or use their projects for competitions like Regeneron STS. Given its Stanford affiliation, full funding and stipend, and rigorous lab and research opportunities, it is unsurprising that very few high school STEM programs stand on equal footing with SIMR. When it comes to biomedical research, the program is almost without peer.