STAR Program (Duke Clinical Research Institute)

High school seniors and rising seniors (plus rising juniors, with lower admission preference) join a mentored, team-based clinical research project on medication use and effects at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, alongside college and medical students, plus pre-reading and remote activities before and after the in-person weeks. There's no application fee and high school participants receive a $4,000 stipend, though students cover their own housing and transportation. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is required.

Who can apply

FieldsClinical Research · Medicine

EligibilityU.S. citizenship or permanent residency required (per NIH policy). Rising juniors may apply, but admission preference favors rising seniors and older applicants. Students under 18 by the program's start may still join the research track, but are not eligible to shadow physicians in clinics/hospital.

Logistics

Applying

You submitTranscript, two recommendation letters, and a 300-500 word essay.