Biomedical Technician Training Program

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), and The Wistar Institute have partnered to create a Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program focused on connecting residents of Philadelphia to the Research Technician role at CHOP. Through the 12-week program, WPSI in partnership with The Wistar Institute has created a curriculum to foster in-demand skills and train individuals for the CHOP specific, targeted job role.

Human Resources is currently seeking CHOP faculty who can commit to hiring a Research Technician in September 2023 through the BTT Program. Please contact Heather Warman (warmanh@chop.edu) by April 30, 2023 to express interest.

The BTT Program will run from June 26, 2023 – September 22, 2023.

Professional Development: Participants in the program will receive Professional Development through WPSI’s proven and nationally recognized, custom workforce solution. The program will connect participants’ prior successes to a future career at CHOP and provide the skills and knowledge needed for success in the Research Technician position.

Discussions will be led by a variety of instructors and industry experts to:

1. Establish a common language and foundation for future work and include topics such as goal setting, networking, focus of control, and building support systems
2. Expand individual skills and perspectives, including social identity in the workplace, problem-solving, and conflict management
3. Provide interview preparation that includes class-based instruction, small group work, and one-on-one preparation

Life Science Foundations Courses: This course provides an introduction to foundational concepts in biology and biomedical research though an active learning, inquiry-based examination of molecules and cells. Critical thinking and quantitative reasoning are applied to authentic data to construct foundational knowledge and appreciate links between science, disease, and society. By engaging in the process of science, students gain proficiency in core scientific competencies. Practical application of laboratory and bioinformatic research methods to address scientific questions is explored in preparation for hands-on laboratory training.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Apply critical thinking and quantitative reasoning to scientific data to draw conclusions and construct foundational knowledge in the life sciences
2. Apply the scientific method, laboratory techniques and bioinformatic resources to explore, analyze and question biological phenomena
3. Apply core concepts in biology to understand biological phenomena including human disease

Biomedical Laboratory Orientation: The Wistar Institute will provide two weeks of hands-on lab training customized to CHOP’s needs for participants to gain the skills and knowledge needed for success in the Research Technician position. Through laboratory exercises, experiments, tutorials, and problem-solving sessions, BTT Program participants will learn and practice general biomedical laboratory skills in a 1,700-square-foot, dedicated training laboratory and adjacent tissue culture room.

After the training, participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate competency in general skills used in biomedical laboratories including pipetting, solution preparation, DNA, RNA and protein isolation and quantification, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, Western Blotting, and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA)
2. Carry out laboratory techniques for human cell culture including feeding, splitting, counting, plating and performing viability assays in a biosafety cabinet (laminar flow hood)