Research Centers and Programs

Research Training Program for High School Students

High school students wearing lab coats and smiling for a group photo

Applications Open January 8

Applications for the Summer 2024 Research Training Program open on Monday, January 8, and will close on Sunday, March 10, 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

Submit an Application

About the 2024 Summer Program

Seattle Children’s Research Institute is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce, and inspiring the next generation of scientists, physicians and healthcare workers. During the summer, our Science Education Department offers high school students the opportunity to learn more about biomedical research.

For summer 2024, we are offering an in-person programs led by PhD-level scientists and educators. Students will learn how to work in a research laboratory environment and learn about topics including biochemistry, immunotherapy, gene editing, and infectious diseases. Students will also participate in workshops on college readiness and career exploration. These programs provide students with a solid foundation for a future career in biomedical research. There is no cost to participate.

The Research Training Program (RTP) is an in-person program with a competitive application process and is intended for local students who reside within commuting distance of downtown Seattle. Stipends are available to offset costs for transportation and meals. The program does not provide or arrange housing for students.

The Research Training Program is for students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in the biomedical and health sciences as defined by the National Institutes of Health. Students from these groups are highly encouraged to apply:

  • Blacks or African Americans
  • Hispanics or Latinx
  • American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Indigenous
  • Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders
  • Individual with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.
  • Individuals who meet two or more of the criteria for disadvantaged backgrounds as defined by the National Institutes of Health.

We are not offering the Virtual Research Training Program in 2024.

Program Information

Format

  • The 2024 Research Training Program is a fully in-person experience in a laboratory classroom. There are no hybrid or virtual options. The wearing of isolation or higher-level masks is highly recommended.

Application Timeline

  • Monday, January 8, 2024: Applications for the Summer 2024 Research Training Program open.
  • Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: Applications are due. Students must submit an application form before this due date. Late applications will not be considered.
  • Sunday, March 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: Letters of Recommendation are due. Letter writers must submit their letters before this due date. It is highly recommended that students give their letter writers at least three weeks’ notice before this due date.
  • April: Applications are reviewed.
  • Early May: Applicants will be notified of their status: accepted, waitlisted, or not selected.
  • Wednesday, May 22, 2024, 4–5:30 p.m.: There is a mandatory in-person Orientation Session at Seattle Children’s Research Institute in downtown Seattle. Students will submit required paperwork at this orientation.
  • The Research Training Program will take place over four weeks from Monday, July 8 to Friday, August 2, 2024, from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. daily.

Activities

  • Lectures on biochemistry, immunology, global and public health, and infectious diseases
  • Labs on microscopy, agarose gel electrophoresis, immunoassays, isolating white blood cells, polymerase chain reaction, bacterial transformation, gene editing, and more.
  • College and career workshops
  • Facility tours
  • Group research project and presentation

Eligibility

The Research Training Program is open to current 10th grade (rising junior), 11th grade (rising senior), or 12th grade (graduating senior) high school students who have not yet applied to college.

Students must have a strong interest in one of the following fields: biology, biochemistry, microbiology, public health, or a related scientific field. Prior knowledge of these fields is not required.

Students must be able to reside within commuting distance of downtown Seattle for the duration of the program. The program does not provide or arrange housing for students. Prior formal research experience is not required. Program applicants seeking their first research experience will be prioritized over applicants who have completed other research programs and/or internships to optimize the program’s impact.

Students will receive a stipend, which is considered reportable income by the Internal Revenue Service. Therefore, students must have a SSN to participate in the RTP.

The Research Training Program is for students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in the biomedical and health sciences as defined by the National Institutes of Health. Students from these groups are highly encouraged to apply:

  • Blacks or African Americans
  • Hispanics or Latinx
  • American Indians, Alaska Natives, or Indigenous
  • Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders
  • Individual with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.
  • Individuals who meet two or more of the criteria for disadvantaged backgrounds as defined by the National Institutes of Health.

Frequently Asked Questions

      • Can I apply for the Virtual Research Training Program (VRTP)?
        • We are not offering the online Virtual Research Training Program (VRTP) in 2024.
      • I belong to a certain racial or ethnic group. Am I eligible to apply for this program?
        • The Research Training Program is for students from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in the biomedical and health sciences as defined by the National Institutes of Health.
        • While we prioritize students from these backgrounds, we consider many factors when reviewing applications.
        • If you have experienced other factors that are not listed in the eligibility criteria, you can explain in your application essay.
      • Is this a medical program? Will I get to work with patients and learn about medical school?
        • The RTP is not a medical program. The RTP is best suited for students interested in laboratory research at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
        • Students will not be working at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and we will not be working with patients. Also, we will not be covering medical school in great detail. If you are interested in volunteer or clinical positions at Seattle Children's Hospital, please visit High School and Youth Service Projects, Summer Nurse Camp or Summer Scrubs & ’Scopes Camp.
      • I’m in Running Start or I’m enrolled college courses while still in high school. Am I eligible to apply?
        • Preparation for the college application process is a major component of the RTP. Students in Running Start or who are enrolled in college courses while still in high school are eligible to apply for the RTP, as long as they have not yet applied to college.
      • Do I need a Social Security Number to participate?
        • Participants of the RTP will receive a stipend, which is considered reportable income by the Internal Revenue Service. Therefore, students must have a SSN to participate in the RTP.
      • Are masks required?
        • Participants are highly encouraged to properly wear isolation or higher-level masks that cover the nose and mouth.
      • What is the acceptance rate?
        • This is a competitive program, and we receive and carefully review many more applications than we have capacity for. The lab has a capacity of 24 students.

      How to Participate

      Step 1. Ask Your Letter Writer

      Contact your letter writer as soon as possible to request a letter of recommendation.

      Please select someone to write a letter of recommendation for you. This individual should be someone who will speak well of your academic or professional accomplishments, such as a teacher, advisor, or employer. We highly recommend that you ask them at least three weeks in advance.

      When you submit your application form (see Step 2 below), an email will be sent automatically to your letter writer with instructions on how to submit the letter of recommendation.

      Step 2. Application Form

      Submit an Application

      The application form is due on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

      Please respond to the following essay prompts. Our expectation is that your application materials will be your own original composition.

      1. Tell us about yourself. Describe how you see your role in enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in science. (Maximum of 3,000 characters with spaces or ~500 words)
      2. Why are you interested in this laboratory research program? (Maximum of 1,200 characters with spaces or ~200 words)
      3. Describe any previous work or volunteer experience and skills you gained that are applicable to this program. (Note: A lack of research experience will not exclude you from this program.) (Maximum of 1,200 characters with spaces or ~200 words)
      4. What major do you intend to pursue in college? If you are undecided, what area of study do you intend to pursue in college? (Maximum of 1,200 characters with spaces or ~200 words)
      5. Explain how participating in this training program that focuses on laboratory research and biomedical science will help you achieve your college goals? (Maximum of 1,200 characters with spaces or ~200 words)

      Step 3. Letter of Recommendation

      When you submit your application form, an email will be sent automatically to your letter writer with instructions on how to submit the letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation is due on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

      The application form and letter of recommendation do not need to be received at the same time.

      If there are any questions or concerns, please email the Science Education Department.

      Thank you for your interest in the Research Training Program at Seattle Children’s Research Institute!

      This page was last updated on December 18, 2023.