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Penn Medicine Teams with West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, Hires 50 Laboratory Assistants for COVID-19 Testing Efforts

Even as COVID-19 vaccine distribution ramps up in Philadelphia, the virus remains prevalent, and shoring up testing capabilities is a key way to protect local residents. Penn Medicine has tapped into a workforce in its own backyard to expand testing efforts in the area: Through the University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), the health system has hired 50 new laboratory assistants, who will play a pivotal role in collecting and processing large quantities of testing samples.