Do option 2. It’s real work and paid. That will be more impactful than what sounds like a pay to play program. I found SSP online. Sounds like a pay to play and expensive program….even if it isn’t. Save your money.
Getting a good scholarship will largely depend on great grades and an aggressive courseload, good standardized test scores, LOR and essays.
If you plan to apply to BS/MD programs, you need to plan to shadow, do patient facing work of some kind and volunteer with underprivileged groups. But do keep in mind that BS/MD acceptances are more competitive than elite school acceptances…regardless of what you do this summer.
That you need to rustle up the money for SSP…tells me you should do other option.
In other words, the program fee is scaled to what each family can afford. No one pays more than the program fee of $8,800 (2024), our cost per participant to operate the program.
That’s a pretty hefty cost. Do the paid job!