If “recruiting and screening patients who try new treatments and monitoring and reporting on patient progress” sounds like a reasonable, if skimpy, definition of the duties of a clinical research coordinator (CRC) at a clinical trial site, imagine the surprise of a newly minted CRC who finds themself tasked with exploring a shuttered hospital in search of old research records, or visiting the local jail in hopes of finding participants who have gone missing mid-study. 

Community engagement is a critical step in improving the diversity of clinical trial participants, but this demands more than simply setting up a site in an area with an underserved population. Sustainable growth in recruitment and retention requires ongoing engagement beyond efforts to recruit for a specific trial.