Northwestern Medicine Pre-Med Gap Year Internship Program

The Pre-Med Gap Year Internship Program places exceptional pre-medicine students into clinical environments for 13 months to work, conduct research and participate in faculty-led lectures.

This program offers the opportunity to be part of a team of knowledgeable and caring clinicians who are committed to providing world-class care in a premier academic medical center. Through the program, you will also be immersed in a network of other pre-med students. This is a paid benefits-eligible role.


To be eligible, you must:

  • Have recently completed your bachelor’s degree by the time the program starts.
  • Demonstrate interest and eligibility to apply to medical school within the next one to three years.
  • Be available to participate in the program for 40 hours per week for 13 months.

Program information:

Gap year interns work for 40 hours a week. Eight hours are spent focusing on research. For the remaining 32 hours, they work in a patient support role, such as:

  • Scribes
  • Clinic assistants
  • Technicians
  • Immediate care assistants
  • Patient liaisons

In addition, you will attend faculty lectures and rounds, and you’ll participate in social programming. When you apply, you can indicate your position-specific preferences, such as location, role and specialty. We offer intern roles in a variety of clinical areas across Northwestern Medicine, including:

  • Orthopaedics
  • Primary care
  • Cardiology
  • Hospital medicine
  • Dermatology
  • Immediate care
  • Pediatrics
  • Neurosurgery

Orientation will take place on June 23, 2027, at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital campus in downtown Chicago.


How to Apply

Our application will be open January 22, 2027, through February 12, 2027. Go to jobs.nm.org, search for “Gap Year,” and click on the listing for Pre-Med Gap Year Intern.

When you apply, submit the following as PDFs:

  • A one-page personal statement where you:
    • Explain why you are interested in a career as a physician.
    • Describe an obstacle you’ve faced when working toward your academic, career or personal goals and how you’ve worked to overcome it.
    • Discuss any lessons you’ve learned through those experiences and how they will help you succeed in your career as a physician.
    • Explain how you will spend your gap year preparing for medical school.
  • Your updated resume
  • Your unofficial transcripts (preference given to those with 3.4 GPA and above)

Meet Our NM Pre-Med Gap-Year Internship Alumni

2025 Alumni

Learn about the 2025 Northwestern Medicine Pre-Med Gap-Year interns.

2024 Alumni

Learn about the 2024 Northwestern Medicine Pre-Med Gap-Year interns.

2023 Alumni

Learn about the 2023 Northwestern Medicine Pre-Med Gap-Year interns.

2022 Alumni

Learn about the 2022 Northwestern Medicine Pre-Med Gap-Year interns.