START Program


The CTSI and the Bidwell Training Center co-developed the STricklAnd Research Training (START) program which aims to train and hire community members for positions in clinical research at the University of Pittsburgh.

Read more about the creation of START.

Students enrolled in the Bidwell Training Center’s Medical Assistant program receive training in basic clinical research fundamentals in addition to the medical assistant curriculum. This includes:

  • Good Clinical Practice (GCP)
  • recruitment and retention
  • obtaining informed consent
  • research misconduct
  • study documentation
  • clinical research process
  • research lab regulations
  • privacy, confidentiality and information security

Upon successful completion of the didactic training at Bidwell, interested students complete a 4-week clinical research externship at Pitt with the opportunity to apply to an entry level research assistant position.

Researchers: Want to host an extern from the START program? Please contact Katelyn Collinger.