Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) significantly enhance the outcomes of students who participate. Unfortunately, students may face barriers to engaging in UREs, which creates challenges for students' development of essential research skills that may not be covered thoroughly in laboratory classes. Overall, there is a need for a curriculum that does not rely on the availability of lab resources and that allows students to gain more practice in developing laboratory critical-thinking skills such as troubleshooting. To address this challenge, we designed and implemented a student-initiated course (STIC) called A Primer on Research Techniques in Molecular Biology (PORT) at a large public university. Using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, we evaluated the outcomes of PORT and students' perceived differences between regular courses and STICs. PORT was effective for teaching students how common molecular biology techniques work. Additionally, PORT helped students develop core research competencies and practice the critical-thinking skills they need to troubleshoot. Students described the STIC instructor as more relatable, approachable, and accessible, though less experienced in pedagogy compared with faculty in regular courses. The students also suggested that regular courses could benefit from additional focus on practical skills development and the inquiry-based learning model that was employed by PORT.