Rural populations remain substantially underrepresented in clinical research, facing compounded barriers: distance from academic centers, limited local trial availability, transportation and time costs, broadband gaps that complicate decentralized approaches, and — in many communities — a deep and historically grounded skepticism toward research institutions. This session presents lessons from a research navigation program built specifically to address these conditions. Presenters will describe the navigator role in practice, partnership development with rural primary care and community health organizations, the logistics of extending trial access beyond metropolitan hubs, and the communication approaches that shifted perception over time. We'll share honest results, including enrollment and retention outcomes, what proved unexpectedly difficult, and what elements are genuinely transferable to other regions and programs.

Takeaways

• Identify the structural and perceptual barriers specific to rural research participation
• Understand the research navigator model and the partnerships that make it work
• Assess which program elements are transferable to your own geography and resources