Application Information
2025 Program Dates
- February 1st-8th 2025: The program will accept applications. It will host 25 research interns in Summer 2025.
- April 18, 2025: INSPIRE Program sends decision notifications to all candidates
- April 28, 2025: Deadline for accepted applicants to confirm participation.
- May 2025-Mid-June 2025: INSPIRE High School and INSPIRE Future Generations interns complete pre-appointment onboarding requirements in-person on-site at Cedars-Sinai.
- June 30, 2025: INSPIRE High School and INSPIRE Future Generations internships begin. Internships will last 6-10 weeks.
- All internships must be a minimum of six weeks (earliest end date: August 8, 2025) and must end at 10 weeks (maximum end date: September 5, 2025). High school students must end before returning to school.
Applicant Eligibility
INSPIRE High School and INSPIRE Future Generations
- Applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. Visa sponsorship is not available.
- Applicants must be available to start the program Monday, June 30, 2025 (no exceptions), and participate as an intern for the program's duration (6-10 weeks, depending on placement).
- Applicants must be in Los Angeles or the surrounding area and have reliable transportation to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for the duration of their internship. Housing and transportation funding is not available.
- INSPIRE High School: Applicants must be in high school for the 2025-2026 academic year and be at least 16 years old prior to the program's start (Monday, June 30, 2025).
- INSPIRE Future Generations: Applicants must be an incoming student, current student or recent graduate from a technical, community, undergraduate or postbaccalaureate program and come from a background that is underrepresented in medicine, healthcare and research. This includes, but is not limited to, people of color, women, low-income people, first-generation college students, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities and protected veterans.
Application Overview
The online application contains the following sections:
- Applicant information
- Program selection and eligibility.
- Education and coursework
- Short answer questions:
- What inspired you pursue a career in science or medicine?
- Is there a specific field of science or medicine that most interests you? If yes, why does this field appeal to you?
- What do you hope to learn or gain from participating in this program?
- Attachments: Applicants must attach a resume/CV and Cedars-Sinai recommendation form (PDF) if they are applying to INSPIRE High School and/or INSPIRE Future Generations.
- Cedars-Sinai recommendation form: Please use the Cedars-Sinai recommendation form (PDF) for your application. The recommendation form must be completed by someone who is not a family member. If your reviewer would like to submit their Cedars-Sinai recommendation form to our team directly, please have them email it to [email protected] with your first and last name in the subject line of the email. Must be submittd before deadline (between Feb. 1st and Feb. 8th).
How to Apply
Applications for the 2025 INSPIRE Summer Program is now closed. Late submissions will not be accepted or reviewed. For commonly asked questions, please review the INSPIRE FAQs section.
Selection and Onboarding Process
Completed applications will be reviewed by the program team and participating mentors.
Applicants who are invited to participate in an INSPIRE High School or INSPIRE Future Generations internship will be notified April 18, 2025. Applicants who accept the invitation to participate in an internship will be required to complete pre-appointment onboarding steps, including an online Cedars-Sinai application, acceptance of appointment letter, new intern paperwork, in-person health physical and HR appointment, and background check (18+ only). Additional information can be found on the Preparing for Your Internship web page.
Please note: Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for their in-person appointments and must have a valid work permit on file prior to the internship start date.
Frequently Asked Questions
- INSPIRE High School and INSPIRE Future Generations Internships will begin on Monday, June 30, 2025. Internships will last between 6 -10 weeks dependent on mentor and intern availability.
- INSPIRE High School and INSPIRE Future Generations Internship hours will vary based upon intern and mentor availability. Most interns can expect to spend about 20 hours per week on their internship. All intern activities must occur during business hours (Monday – Friday from 7 am – 6 pm).
- Accepted interns will work with their assigned mentor to finalize their schedule.
Due to employment and safety regulations, we are unable to allow students to participate in the in-person internships if they are not aged 16 by the program start date.
All INSPIRE High School and Future Generation Interns are required to be on-site at the Cedars-Sinai main campus in Los Angeles, CA. Cedars-Sinai does not provide funding for relocation or travel. If you apply to the program and are not local to the Los Angeles area, you must arrange for your own housing and travel.
Graduate/medical students are eligible to apply for INSPIRE Future Generations. However, due to limited program capacity, students in the target education range (undergraduate & postbaccalaureate) may be prioritized.
INSPIRE High School and Future Generation Interns will be paid via Cedars-Sinai payroll and must be eligible to work in the US.
If your recommender would like to submit their Cedars-Sinai INSPIRE Recommendation Form to our team directly, please have them email it to [email protected] with your first & last name in the subject line of the email.
No. Due to high volume of applications & in fairness to all applicants, only one (1) Cedars-Sinai recommendation form per applicant will be reviewed. If more than one (1) recommendation form is submitted, our team will only review & consider one of the recommendation forms.
All INSPIRE High School and Future Generation Interns will be paid LA city minimum wage. If you wish to obtain academic credit in addition to pay, you will need to arrange for credit with your school.