Successes and Challenges in Clinical Trial Recruitment: The Experience of a New Study Team

Participant recruitment is one of the most challenging aspects of a clinical trial, directly impacting both the study's duration and the quality of its results. Therefore, reporting successful recruitment strategies is crucial. This study aimed to document the recruitment tactics and experiences of a research team during a university-based randomized clinical trial, conducted as part of a clinical research immersion program. Recruitment took place from October 2021 to October 2022. Before the study commenced, study team members received formal training in clinical trial participant recruitment from the Principal Investigator. The recruitment strategies were integrated into initial study design, which was approved by the Institutional Review Board. A multimodal approach was employed, incorporating both direct and indirect recruitment methods. These strategies successfully met the enrollment target within the twelve-month period. Throughout the process, team members acquired valuable knowledge in recruitment design and implementation, along with transferable interpersonal and networking skills. In-person recruitment was the most efficient and cost-effective strategy, followed by personal referrals. The primary challenge was accommodating participants' availability. Other study teams should consider these recruitment strategies during their study designs. Additionally, the knowledge and skills gained by this study team underscore the value of experiential learning in research education.