diff --git a/model/src/pyrenew/latent/infection_initialization_process.py b/model/src/pyrenew/latent/infection_initialization_process.py
index 8e8c62e2..5ec82269 100644
--- a/model/src/pyrenew/latent/infection_initialization_process.py
+++ b/model/src/pyrenew/latent/infection_initialization_process.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from pyrenew.latent.infection_initialization_method import (
     InfectionInitializationMethod,
 )
-from pyrenew.metaclass import RandomVariable, SampledValue
+from pyrenew.metaclass import RandomVariable, SampledValue, _assert_type
 
 
 class InfectionInitializationProcess(RandomVariable):
@@ -74,18 +74,12 @@ def validate(
         -------
         None
         """
-        if not isinstance(I_pre_init_rv, RandomVariable):
-            raise TypeError(
-                "I_pre_init_rv must be an instance of RandomVariable"
-                f"Got {type(I_pre_init_rv)}"
-            )
-        if not isinstance(
-            infection_init_method, InfectionInitializationMethod
-        ):
-            raise TypeError(
-                "infection_init_method must be an instance of InfectionInitializationMethod"
-                f"Got {type(infection_init_method)}"
-            )
+        _assert_type("I_pre_init_rv", I_pre_init_rv, RandomVariable)
+        _assert_type(
+            "infection_init_method",
+            infection_init_method,
+            InfectionInitializationMethod,
+        )
 
     def sample(self) -> tuple:
         """Sample the Infection Initialization Process.
diff --git a/model/src/pyrenew/metaclass.py b/model/src/pyrenew/metaclass.py
index 06df3be5..b4ac6529 100644
--- a/model/src/pyrenew/metaclass.py
+++ b/model/src/pyrenew/metaclass.py
@@ -21,6 +21,36 @@
 from pyrenew.transformation import Transform
 
 
+def _assert_type(arg_name: str, value, expected_type) -> None:
+    """
+    Matches TypeError arising during validation
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    arg_name : str
+        Name of the argument
+    value : object
+        The object to be validated
+    expected_type : type
+        The expected object type
+
+    Raises
+    -------
+    TypeError
+        If `value` is not an instance of `expected_type`.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    None
+    """
+
+    if not isinstance(value, expected_type):
+        raise TypeError(
+            f"{arg_name} must be an instance of {expected_type}. "
+            f"Got {type(value)}"
+        )
+
+
 def _assert_sample_and_rtype(
     rp: "RandomVariable", skip_if_none: bool = True
 ) -> None:
diff --git a/model/src/test/test_assert_type.py b/model/src/test/test_assert_type.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea66ddff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/model/src/test/test_assert_type.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# numpydoc ignore=GL08
+
+import numpyro.distributions as dist
+import pytest
+from pyrenew.metaclass import DistributionalRV, RandomVariable, _assert_type
+
+
+def test_valid_assertion_types():
+    """
+    Test valid assertion types in _assert_type.
+    """
+
+    values = [
+        5,
+        "Hello",
+        (1,),
+        DistributionalRV(name="rv", dist=dist.Beta(1, 1)),
+    ]
+    arg_names = ["input_int", "input_string", "input_tuple", "input_rv"]
+    input_types = [int, str, tuple, RandomVariable]
+
+    for arg, value, input in zip(arg_names, values, input_types):
+        _assert_type(arg, value, input)
+
+
+def test_invalid_assertion_types():
+    """
+    Test invalid assertion types in _assert_type.
+    """
+
+    values = [None] * 4
+    arg_names = ["input_int", "input_string", "input_tuple", "input_rv"]
+    input_types = [int, str, tuple, RandomVariable]
+
+    for arg, value, input in zip(arg_names, values, input_types):
+        with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+            _assert_type(arg, value, input)