Recruiting underrepresented individuals in a double pandemic: Lessons learned in a randomized control trial

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Faculty Development
• Diversity and Inclusion

Background:

• The "leaky" career pathway disproportionately affects underrepresented (UR) faculty in biomedical fields.
• Recruitment for the Building Up Trial occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-racism movement, significantly impacting the target population.
• Previous studies have not fully addressed recruitment challenges during concurrent global health and social justice crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the challenges and adaptations encountered during the recruitment and regulatory approval phases of the Building Up Trial.
• To assess the feasibility of recruiting UR postdoctoral fellows and early-career faculty amidst unprecedented societal disruptions.
• To inform future research on effective recruitment strategies for diverse populations in academic settings.

Main Methods:

• The Building Up Trial employed a cluster-randomized design targeting 208 participants across 26 institutions.
• Enrollment occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-racism movement, necessitating adaptive strategies.
• Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval via a single IRB (sIRB) presented institutional-level challenges, addressed by simplifying forms and increasing communication.

Main Results:

• Despite a 3-month delay, the trial successfully enrolled 225 participants, exceeding the target sample size.
• The participant cohort was predominantly female (80%), Hispanic/Latinx (34%) or Black (33%), and early-career faculty (53%).
• Key adaptations included simplifying sIRB processes, modifying study practices, and enhancing inter-institutional communication.

Conclusions:

• Recruiting UR faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-racism movement, while difficult, proved feasible with strategic modifications.
• The study highlights the importance of flexible and adaptive recruitment policies to overcome barriers during crises.
• Findings underscore the need for institutional support and streamlined IRB processes to facilitate research involving diverse faculty.