OHSU CURE vs OHSU Dental Research: Which Program Is Right for You?
Two summer research internships at OHSU in Portland for high school students: the Ted R. Lilley CURE Program places students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Knight Cancer Institute labs for eight weeks, while the School of Dentistry's internship is a shorter lab placement for students aiming at dental or oral health careers.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of Ted R. Lilley CURE Program and OHSU School of Dentistry Summer Research Internship. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| OHSU CURE | OHSU Dental Research | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free · paid stipend | Free · paid stipend |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced | Not listed |
| Grade eligibility | Grades 10–12 | Age 16 and above |
| Format | In person | In person |
| Location | Portland, OR, United States | OR, United States |
| Program dates | Not listed | Not listed |
| Application destination | ohsu.edu | Not listed |
| Organizer | OHSU Knight Cancer Institute | Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry |
OHSU CURE vs OHSU Dental Research: the short answer
Both are paid summer research internships at OHSU in Portland for high school students 16 and older, so a Portland-area student interested in biomedical research can reasonably weigh one against the other. CURE, at the Knight Cancer Institute, is longer and more narrowly aimed: eight weeks of up to 40 hours a week in a cancer lab for a $4,000.00 stipend and a transit pass, open to sophomores, juniors and seniors at Oregon high schools who come from disadvantaged backgrounds and hold a 3.0 GPA. The School of Dentistry's internship is 6 weeks for high school students, pays $15 per hour or the current minimum wage, and asks mainly that you want a career in dentistry or oral health. CURE says 2027 applications open in late fall, with decisions by the end of February; the dentistry portal is closed until next year.
Program details
These are the current details stored for each program. A blank cell means the catalog does not hold that detail.
| OHSU CURE | OHSU Dental Research | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | A $4,000.00 stipend (about $12.50 an hour at 40 hours a week) and a TriMet pass for the program. | $15 per hour or the current minimum wage. |
| Length and hours | Up to 40 hours a week, seminars included, for 8 weeks in a Knight Cancer Institute faculty member's lab. | A 6-week internship for high school students, with time off limited to 3 pre-approved days. |
| Who can apply | Sophomores, juniors or seniors at Oregon high schools from disadvantaged backgrounds, 16 or older by June, with a 3.0 GPA and at least one lab science class. | High school or undergraduate students, or recent graduates, 16 or older, who want a career in dentistry or oral health. |
| Who it favors | Students with 2 years of high school left who attend public schools in the Portland Metro area. | Openings for high school, undergraduate and non-traditional learners, including those from rural and underrepresented communities in Oregon. |
| What you present | A poster presentation attended by Knight Cancer Institute lab staff and directors. | Two talks: a group presentation on a selected article and an individual presentation on what you learned. |
Inside OHSU CURE
Eight weeks as a paid member of a cancer research lab at OHSU's Knight Cancer Institute, working up to 40 hours a week under a faculty member, attending weekly seminars and presenting a poster to the institute's staff at the end. The program exists to bring students from underserved populations into biomedical research, and it prefers students with two years of high school left who attend Portland Metro public schools.
Inside OHSU Dental Research
Six weeks in a School of Dentistry lab — the page lists summer openings in dental public health, clinical orthodontics, biomaterials, the oral microbiome and tissue engineering — mentored by an experienced researcher and paid by the hour. High school interns give two talks: a group presentation on a selected article and an individual presentation on what they learned. The program is built as a pathway into dental, oral and craniofacial research careers in Oregon.
Choose OHSU CURE if…
- You come from a disadvantaged background and want to work on cancer. CURE is built for Portland-area students from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, in Knight Cancer Institute labs.
- You want a full-time summer with a set stipend. CURE pays a $4,000.00 stipend for 8 weeks of up to 40 hours a week.
Choose OHSU Dental Research if…
- You are headed toward dentistry or oral health. The School of Dentistry internship asks for a desire to pursue a career in dentistry or oral health.
- You do not meet CURE's background or GPA requirements. The dentistry internship's eligibility list asks only that you be a student, 16 or older, who wants a dental or oral health career.
Applying next cycle: what to do now
| OHSU CURE | OHSU Dental Research | |
|---|---|---|
| When the program ran | Monday, June 22 through Friday, August 14, 2026. | Not stated. The School of Dentistry page gives the internship's length but no dates. |
| Next application window | Applications for 2027 open in late fall. | The application portal is closed until next year. |
| Decisions released | All applicants hear by the end of February. | Not stated on the School of Dentistry page. |
Applying to OHSU CURE
- An essay on your career goals, interests and plans, why you want the program, and obstacles you have overcome.
- Up to two references, one of them a science teacher or research mentor.
- A resume with volunteer work, activities, community service and jobs.
Applying to OHSU Dental Research
- Apply through the School of Dentistry's online portal, which is closed until next year.
- Time off during the internship is limited to 3 pre-approved days, so plan the summer around it.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- The School of Dentistry page calls its summer program a minimum of eight weeks in one place and the high school internship 6 weeks in another; we show the high school figure.
- Neither page gives a 2027 application deadline: CURE opens in late fall, and the dentistry portal is closed until next year.
- Neither page says it provides housing, and CURE's transit pass suggests commuting; plan on living within reach of OHSU.
- Neither publishes how many interns it takes or an acceptance rate.
Ted R. Lilley CURE Program
Hands-on research for Portland-area high school students who excel academically and come from socially or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
OHSU School of Dentistry Summer Research Internship
Paid research internships in dental and oral health, each intern mentored by an experienced researcher.
Full OHSU Dental Research details, FAQs, and application link
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, OHSU CURE or OHSU Dental Research?
OHSU CURE: Free · paid stipend. OHSU Dental Research: Free · paid stipend. Confirm each figure on the program's official page before budgeting.
Can I apply to both OHSU CURE and OHSU Dental Research?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. OHSU CURE: ohsu.edu. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, OHSU CURE or OHSU Dental Research?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to OHSU CURE and OHSU Dental Research?
OHSU CURE: Grades 10–12. OHSU Dental Research: Age 16 and above. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
OHSU CURE vs OHSU Dental Research is 1 of 56 comparison pages. No other comparison page shares either program yet.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.