Targeted Recruitment Efforts Research Articles

An investigation of racial and ethnic disparities in donor sperm availability in the United States

To determine whether the racial and ethnic distribution of sperm donors contributing to US sperm banks differs from the demographics of the US population and those of US donor sperm recipients undergoing treatment with invitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Cross-sectional study. United States donor sperm banks, US Census, and fertility clinics reporting to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System. Sperm donors from 18 banks, men aged 18-39 years on the basis of the 2021 Census Current Population Survey, and recipients of donor sperm for IVF and ICSI treatments in clinics reporting to the Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. None. Proportions of sperm donors and donor sperm recipients undergoing IVF and ICSI treatments identifying as each racial and ethnic group. Eighteen donor sperm banks were identified, encompassing 1,503 donors. Of these donors, 60.9% identified as White compared with 55.1% of the US male population and 67.7% of donor sperm recipients. Proportions of donors identifying as Asian or 2 or more races were larger than those of US men and donor sperm recipients (Asian: 18.6% vs. 6.5%, and 18.6% vs. 10.2%; 2 or more races: 11.6% vs. 2.2%, and 11.6% vs. 1.7%). In contrast, Black donors were underrepresented when compared with the US population of men and donor sperm recipients (2.8% vs. 12.9% and 2.8% vs. 13.0%). Hispanic donors were underrepresented when compared with the US population of men (6.0% vs. 22.2%). The percentages of Hispanic sperm donors and donor sperm recipients were similar (6.0% vs. 7.0%). The racial and ethnic distribution of sperm donors differs significantly from the demographics of the US male population and donor sperm recipients undergoing IVF and ICSI treatments. These findings suggest a need for targeted recruitment efforts for Black sperm donors.

Target recruitment efforts on current—and future—board needs

When it comes time to recruit for new board members, it's smart to note what is currently needed on the board, in terms of skills, background and experience, as well as any needs that are on the horizon.

Abstract B084: Association between race and ethnicity, area deprivation, and exposure to environmental toxins in the WISDOM clinical trial population

Abstract Background: Women Informed to Screen Depending on Measures of risk (WISDOM) is a preference-tolerant, pragmatic clinical trial comparing the safety and morbidity of personalized risk-based and annual breast cancer screening. Environmental risk factors are not considered in WISDOM’s risk assessment. Geocoded residential addresses were used to understand whether a relationship between area deprivation, exposure to environmental toxins, and race and ethnicity exists within the cohort. Methods: The residential addresses at time of study entry of consented WISDOM participants were geocoded to latitude/longitude coordinates and assigned census tract and/or Zip Code Tabulation Area IDs from the US Census Bureau. Each census tract was assigned an Area Deprivation Index (ADI). The ADI comprises 17 indicators of poverty, housing, education, and employment which classifies a census tract on a scale from 1 (least deprived) to 10 (most deprived). ADI was grouped into highest deprivation (ADIs 8-10), middle deprivation (ADIs 4-7), and least deprivation (ADIs 1-3). Census tracts were also mapped to data from the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Screen (EJS) on the national percentile rank of 12 toxic exposures such as proximity to hazardous waste sites, air particulate matter and ozone concentrations. Each EJS exposure variable was categorized into quartiles. The cohort was limited to self-reported White, Asian, Black African American, and Mixed participants. The Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test and the Dunn’s test of multiple comparison using Bonferroni adjustment were used to test the association between race and ethnicity, ADI, and EJS variables. Results: The analysis cohort had 42,388 women. Most WISDOM participants were White (85%), followed by Asian (5%), Black or African American (5%), and Mixed (5%) race and ethnicity. Most lived in the least deprivation areas (57%) while a minority lived in the highest deprivation areas (12%). Black or African American women were significantly more likely to live in the highest deprivation areas compared to all other races and ethnicities (p<0.001). The highest deprivation areas where more likely to rank in the highest quartile of exposure to ozone (p<0.001), proximity to hazadous waste sites (p<0.001), and concentration of cancer risk air toxins (p=0.017) compared to the middle and least deprivation areas. White and Asian women were more likely to live in the least deprived areas that were more likely to rank in the highest quartile of exposure to particulate matter 2.5 compared to the most deprived areas (p<0.001). Conclusions: Black and African American women in the WISDOM study were more likely to live in the most deprived areas which have higher exposure to several environmental toxins. Given that exposure to some environmental toxins are known to increase breast cancer risk, investigation on how environmental factors can be encorporated in risk estimation is warranted. WISDOM should also direct targeted recruitment efforts to women who live in the most deprived areas. Citation Format: Katherine E Leggat-Barr, Kimberly Badal, Allison Stover-Fiscalini, Dan Meltzer, Mindy Hebert-DeRouen, Laura Van 'T Veer, Laura Esserman. Association between race and ethnicity, area deprivation, and exposure to environmental toxins in the WISDOM clinical trial population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Breast Cancer Research; 2023 Oct 19-22; San Diego, California. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(3 Suppl_1):Abstract nr B084.

Mobile Toolbox: Remote, unsupervised longitudinal assessment of a diverse cohort in the UCSF Brain Health Registry

AbstractBackgroundA critical need in the AD field is development and validation of efficient, scalable cognitive assessments to identify older adults with cognitive impairment. The Mobile Toolbox (MTB), a novel suite of app‐based cognitive assessments, was developed to address this need. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility, usability, compliance, longitudinal retention, and validity of MTB assessment in a large, ethnoculturally and educationally diverse cohort in a remote, unsupervised setting.MethodParticipants were recruited from the UCSF Brain Health Registry (BHR), an online study. BHR participants were invited by email, screened for eligibility (English fluency and access to a compatible smartphone), and provided online instructions for MTB app download. All participants could complete a baseline administration. A subset was invited to a longitudinal study, in which they complete MTB assessments at a short‐term timepoint (day 7, 14, or 21; study arms sequentially assigned), and then at 6‐month intervals. Enrollment goals were N = 800 with equal distribution across 10‐year age bands (ages 18‐80+); 60% with <16 years of education; 10% non‐Latinx Black, 15% Latinx, and 5% non‐White other ethnocultural identity.ResultOver a 5‐month period, 48,110 BHR participants were invited to the study. Of those, 8287 (17%) expressed interest, 3554 (7%) completed baseline assessment, and 1327 (3%) were assigned to the longitudinal study. Participants submitted 1205 help tickets asking for email support to complete MTB. The baseline and longitudinal cohorts underrepresented Black individuals and younger age bands, despite targeted recruitment efforts (Table 1). Longitudinal completion rates were 59.0% for the short‐term timeline and 55.2% for the 6‐month timepoint, and varied by ethnocultural group (Figure 1). Compared to those invited, those who enrolled in the longitudinal study were older, had higher education, and were more likely to identify as female non‐Latinx White (p<0.05).ConclusionResults demonstrate feasibility and usability of remote, unsupervised MTB assessment. Underrepresented populations were less likely to enrolled and to complete assessments at baseline and longitudinally, emphasizing the need to develop more inclusive recruitment and engagement efforts. This approach can be scaled up to efficiently assess cognition in many research, clinical trial, and healthcare settings.

Prostate Advanced Radiation Technologies Investigating Quality of Life (PARTIQoL): A Phase III Randomized Clinical Trial of Proton Therapy vs. IMRT for Low or Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancer diagnosed among men in the United States, and the majority of patients are diagnosed with localized disease. Men with localized prostate cancer have several treatment options including external beam radiotherapy with either photons or protons. Proton beam therapy (PBT) has certain dosimetric advantages and the potential to reduce treatment-associated morbidity and improve oncologic outcomes, but current PBT is significantly more costly than intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). The PARTIQoL trial (NCT01617161) is the first multicenter phase 3 randomized trial comparing protons to photons in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. Patients with low or intermediate risk prostate cancer (Stage T1c-T2c, PSA < 20, Gleason score ≤ 7) are randomized to receive either PBT or IMRT, with targeted recruitment efforts for minority populations. A companion registry study has concurrently enrolled patients who declined randomization or whose insurance denied coverage for PBT. Patients are stratified by clinical site, age, use of rectal spacer, and fractionation schedule (conventional fractionation: 79.2 Gy in 44 fractions vs moderate hypofractionation: 70.0 Gy in 28 fractions). Participants are followed longitudinally to assess patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of bowel, urinary, and erectile function for 60 months after completion of radiotherapy (with an option for additional follow up through 10 years). Participants may also participate in correlative studies, including serial CT imaging during treatment and analyses of biopsy tissue, blood and urine specimens. The primary objective is to compare PROs of bowel function using the EPIC score at 24 months following completion of radiation. Secondary objectives are to assess treatment-related differences in urinary and erectile functions, adverse events, efficacy endpoints (biochemical control, metastasis-free survival, disease-specific survival, and overall survival), health state utilities, perceptions of care, late effects, cost-effectiveness, association between radiotherapy dose distribution and PROs, and to identify biomarkers of radiation response and toxicity. The randomized trial has completed accrual, with 450 patients enrolled at 27 sites between June 2012 and November 2021. 20.3% of patients enrolled are non-white. Accrual on the companion registry is active, with 354 patients enrolled as of February 2023. Follow-up for the primary endpoint on the randomized trial will be reached in 2024. The PARTIQoL randomized clinical trial will rigorously assess the clinical benefits of PBT relative to IMRT and results will inform decision making by patients, providers, policymakers, and payers.

Practical Ways to Recruit, Nurture and Retain Older Volunteers

The Volunteer Management ReportVolume 28, Issue 2 p. 6-6 Targeted Recruitment Efforts Practical Ways to Recruit, Nurture and Retain Older Volunteers Kerry Nenn, Kerry NennSearch for more papers by this author Kerry Nenn, Kerry NennSearch for more papers by this author First published: 10 January 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/vmr.32021Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume28, Issue2February 2023Pages 6-6 RelatedInformation

Minoritized Graduate Students’ Recommendations to Communication Sciences and Disorders Programs to Improve Inclusion of Minoritized Students

Minoritized students in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) programs have unique insights into inclusion and diversity initiatives based on their lived experiences. In this study, the researcher examined and analyzed recommendations that minorized CSD graduate students provided to programs to increase inclusion. The researcher identified themes within the recommendations using discourse analysis to analyze how students positioned themselves and faculty in relationship to diversity and inclusion. A total of 104 minoritized CSD graduate students across 28 states completed a survey that included demographic information and a writing prompt for recommendations to programs. The study found that students valued broad and targeted recruitment efforts, faculty education on diversity, supportive connections and networks, diversity topics throughout courses and within clinical training, and access to resources. Students positioned themselves as having social goods or assets in the form of diversity knowledge and lived experiences that could inform peers and faculty. Students positioned faculty as simultaneously having social goods through the social and political power of their roles and lacking social goods in the form of limited diversity knowledge. These findings align with existing literature for diversification of graduate programs that prioritize recruitment, foster connections, and offer resources. Minoritized graduate students provided additional recommendations to programs to provide faculty training, actively build community for students, address contemporary diversity issues throughout the curriculum, and advocate for diversity as an asset. Student recommendations on inclusion honored students as experts in their needs and contributed to discussion of how faculty can support inclusion and diversification of the field.

Getting the word out: Methods of learning about research and motivations for participation in a study focusing on a reproductive-aged Latina/x population.

Although one of the fastest-growing populations in the USA, Latinx individuals remain underrepresented in research. In this study, we aimed to identify how Latina/Latinx participants of the Environment, Leiomyomas, Latinas, and Adiposity Study (ELLAS) learned about the research study and what motivated them to participate. Using a standardized survey tool, bilingual staff interviewed participants and asked them, 1) how they heard about ELLAS and 2) to identify and rank their top three reasons for participating in ELLAS. "Word of mouth" through a friend or relative was the most common method of learning about ELLAS (49.0%), followed by a "community outreach event" (29.3%). The three most common reasons for participating in ELLAS were "to learn more about women's health" (83.3%), "to receive a free health assessment" (79.4%), and "to contribute to scientific knowledge" (59.5%). Correlation between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and participant responses indicated that there are different reasons for participation based on these factors. Community engagement and word of mouth are vital to the successful recruitment of Latina/Latinx participants to research studies. Latinx participants are most motivated to participate by health benefits and health education, as well as altruistic aspects of research studies. Therefore, establishing mutually beneficial relationships within Latinx communities and appealing to motivations for research participation with close attention to the demographics of participants can both expand and allow for targeted recruitment efforts for this underrepresented group in research studies.

Impact of dedicated women’s outreach workers (WOWs) on recruitment of women in ACTG clinical studies

Background: Despite efforts by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) to enroll representative numbers of diverse women, participation in ACTG studies in the United States remains largely white and male. To address this gap in women’s participation in ACTG research, a one-year pilot study of dedicated women’s outreach workers (WOWs) was proposed. Objectives: included demonstrating that targeted recruitment efforts can expand community awareness of ACTG research and ensuring successful enrollment of women at the respective clinical research sites. Methods: The pilot study was conducted at two U.S. sites (Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Emory Ponce de Leon Center in Atlanta, Georgia). The WOWs worked with site personnel to identify and reach out to women living with HIV and/or Hepatitis B or C at their respective sites and encourage them to join a clinical trial registry for those interested in participating in future clinical trials. Results: The Rutgers WOW approached 127 potential participants (of whom 100 joined the WOW registry) and screened 35 participants for open ACTG studies. The Emory WOW approached 120 participants, enrolling 86 into the WOW registry, and screened 51 potential participants for open ACTG studies during the WOW’s tenure. The majority of women screened at both sites were women of color. Conclusions: The WOW study team identified several lessons learned that can inform future efforts to engage women living with HIV in clinical research. First, success in engaging women is proportional to level of funding and institutional support. Second, there is a need for a more gender-inclusive scientific agenda as women are more likely to participate if studies address topics of interest to them. Third, meaningful engagement is a two-way street.

Bias in Context: Small Biases in Hiring Evaluations Have Big Consequences

It is widely acknowledged that subgroup bias can influence hiring evaluations. However, the notion that bias still threatens equitable hiring outcomes in modern employment contexts continues to be debated, even among organizational scholars. In this study, we sought to contextualize this debate by estimating the practical impact of bias on real-world hiring outcomes (a) across a wide range of hiring scenarios and (b) in the presence of diversity-oriented staffing practices. Toward this end, we conducted a targeted meta-analysis of recent hiring experiments that manipulated both candidate gender and qualifications to couch our investigation within ongoing debates surrounding the impact of small amounts of bias in otherwise meritocratic hiring contexts. Consistent with prior research, we found evidence of small gender bias effects ( d = −0.30) and large qualification effects ( d = 1.61) on hiring managers’ evaluations of candidate hireability. We then used these values to inform the starting parameters of a large-scale computer simulation designed to model conventional processes by which candidates are recruited, evaluated, and selected for open positions. Collectively, our simulation findings empirically substantiate assertions that even seemingly trivial amounts of subgroup bias can produce practically significant rates of hiring discrimination and productivity loss. Furthermore, we found contextual factors can alter but cannot obviate the consequences of biased evaluations, even within apparently optimal hiring scenarios (e.g., when extremely valid assessments are used). Finally, our results demonstrate residual amounts of subgroup bias can undermine the effectiveness of otherwise successful targeted recruitment efforts. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Overcoming Barriers to Parkinson Disease Trial Participation: Increasing Diversity and Novel Designs for Recruitment and Retention.

Parkinson disease (PD) is highly prevalent among neurodegenerative diseases, affecting a diverse patient population. Despite a general willingness of patients to participate in clinical trials, only a subset of patients enroll in them. Understanding the barriers to trial participation will help to alleviate this discrepancy and improve trial participation. Underrepresented minorities, older patients, and patients with more medical comorbidities in particular are underrepresented in research. In clinical trials, this has the effect of delaying trial completion, exacerbating disparities, and limiting our ability to generalize study results. Efforts to improve trial design and recruitment are necessary to ensure study enrollment reflects the diversity of patients with PD. At the trial design level, broadening inclusion criteria, attending to participant burden, and focusing on trial efficiency may help. At the recruitment stage, increasing awareness, with traditional outreach or digital approaches; improving engagement, particularly with community physicians; and developing targeted recruitment efforts can also help improve enrollment of underrepresented patient groups. The use of technology, for virtual visits, technology-based objective measures, and community engagement, can also reduce participant burden and increase recruitment. By designing trials to consider these barriers to trial participation, we can improve not only the access to research for all our patients but also the quality and generalizability of clinical research in PD.

Are Higher Education Institutions Addressing the Employment Needs of Clinical Laboratories in Rural Areas?

Clinical laboratories across the nation are faced with a shortage of qualified Medical Laboratory Technicians and Medical Laboratory Scientists. As the clinical laboratory workforce continues to shrink, it is essential that higher education institutions acknowledge the employment needs of rural laboratories to ensure quality health care in underserved areas. An aging workforce, program closures, and a general increase in demand for laboratory testing have compounded the workforce shortage for rural clinical laboratories, which often face unique challenges. The purpose of this research study was to examine the perceptions of rural clinical laboratory managers toward higher education9s response to the shortage of MLTs and MLSs, and to determine the extent to which MLT and MLS programs are meeting the staffing and professional development needs of rural clinical laboratories. This descriptive mixed-method study was conducted utilizing a national survey of 429 MLT and MLS program directors, in addition to interviews with 10 clinical laboratory managers in rural West Virginia. The results of this study revealed higher education institutions are not adequately meeting the employment needs of rural clinical laboratories, with notable key areas for improvement, including communication, partnership, and promotion of the profession. Interviews with laboratory managers indicated a moderate to severe rural workforce shortage, with a glaring deficiency of MLS candidates. Research findings demonstrated that community and technical colleges, specifically MLT programs, were more likely than universities and four-year colleges to establish formal relationships with rural laboratories and served as a primary source of job candidates for rural laboratories. The findings further suggested rural clinical rotations, targeted recruitment efforts, and the creation of online and hybrid programs, would aid rural laboratories in securing a qualified workforce, while the delivery of online continuing education modules would benefit incumbent workers.

Are Higher Education Institutions Addressing the Employment Needs of Clinical Laboratories in Rural Areas?

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> Clinical laboratories across the nation are faced with a shortage of qualified medical laboratory technicians (MLTs) and medical laboratory scientists (MLSs). As the clinical laboratory workforce continues to shrink, it is essential that higher-education institutions acknowledge the employment needs of rural laboratories to ensure quality health care in underserved areas. An aging workforce, program closures, and a general increase in demand for laboratory testing have compounded the workforce shortage for rural clinical laboratories, which often face unique challenges. The purpose of this research study was to examine the perceptions of rural clinical laboratory managers toward higher education’s response to the shortage of MLTs and MLSs and to determine the extent to which MLT and MLS programs are meeting the staffing and professional development needs of rural clinical laboratories. This descriptive mixed-method study was conducted utilizing a national survey of 429 MLT and MLS program directors, in addition to interviews with 10 clinical laboratory managers in rural West Virginia. The results of this study revealed higher education institutions are not adequately meeting the employment needs of rural clinical laboratories, with notable key areas for improvement, including communication, partnership, and promotion of the profession. Interviews with laboratory managers indicated a moderate to severe rural workforce shortage, with a glaring deficiency of MLS candidates. Research findings demonstrated that community and technical colleges, specifically MLT programs, were more likely than universities and 4-year colleges to establish formal relationships with rural laboratories and served as a primary source of job candidates for rural laboratories. The findings further suggested rural clinical rotations, targeted recruitment efforts, and the creation of online and hybrid programs would aid rural laboratories in securing a qualified workforce, whereas the delivery of online continuing-education modules would benefit incumbent workers.

Implications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for targeted recruitment of older adults with dementia and their caregivers in the community: A retrospective analysis.

5.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) or related dementias. Developing evidence-based interventions for these people and their caregivers (dyads) is a public health priority, and is highly dependent on recruiting representatives from the community. Precision recruitment methodologies are needed to improve the efficiency of this process. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) offer the potential to determine location trends of an older adult population of people living with dementia in the community and their caregivers.American Community Survey (ACS) 2015 5-year estimates were analyzed at the census tract level in ESRI ArcMap v. 10.5.1. Datasets included summarized estimates of age, gender, income, and education in Maryland. Using a two-step process, geographic regions were identified in ArcMap that contained various combinations of available data variables. These areas were compared to participant locations from a previously completed traditional recruitment effort to determine overlap (Dementia Behavior Study - R01AGO41781).The largest number of existing participants were identified in derived regions defined by combining age, education, gender, and income variables; predicting 184 (79%) of 234 participants regardless of the population density within census tracts. 208 (89%) were identified when matching this variable combination to the highest density census tracts (city/urban), and 66 (28%) in regions with the lowest population density (rural).This study successfully defined specific geographic regions in the state of Maryland that overlapped with a large number of known dementia dyad locations obtained via traditional recruitment efforts. Implications for these findings allow for more targeted recruitment efforts of difficult to recruit populations, and less utilization of resources for doing so.

Intention to Participate in Group Prenatal Care: Moving Beyond Yes or No.

Group prenatal care (GPNC) is an alternative model to traditional individual care and may improve public health outcomes. Prior studies suggest that interest in GPNC varies widely and few studies have examined characteristics predictive of interest in this model. The purpose of this study was to inform GPNC recruitment efforts by examining likelihood of participation delineated by characteristics and GPNC perceptions. Pregnant participants received information about GPNC then completed a survey measuring demographic, psychosocial, and reproductive characteristics, likelihood to participate in GPNC, and factors influencing selections. Respondents expressed varied levels of likelihood to participate in GPNC; 16.2% low likelihood, 44.9% moderate likelihood, and 38.9% high likelihood. Characteristics were similar between groups, and thus their use is not recommended when targeting recruitment efforts. Benefits outweighed barriers and threats for the high likelihood category, barriers and threats outweighed benefits for the low likelihood category, and benefits, barriers, and threats were balanced for the moderate likelihood category. Accurately assessing likelihood of participating in GPNC efficiently identifies individuals who are clearly either going to decline or participate, as well as promotes targeted recruitment efforts directed at those who are ambivalent. Understanding and addressing perceived benefits, barriers, and threats supports effective GPNC recruitment.

2444 Development of an instrument to identify factors influencing point of care recruitment in primary care settings: A pilot study at University of Utah Health

2444 Development of an instrument to identify factors influencing point of care recruitment in primary care settings: A pilot study at University of Utah Health

Differential response to contact-based stigma reduction programs: Perceived quality and personal experience matter

The aim of this study was to examine two under-studied factors integral to the theoretical underpinnings of contact-based mental illness stigma reduction programs: the quality of the contact and prior personal experience with persons with mental health problems. This study utilized pre- and post-survey data collected from 4122 individuals participating in a diverse set of contact-based educational programs implemented as part of California’s statewide initiative to reduce mental illness stigma. Multi-level mixed regression models were used to determine whether pre-post changes in a variety of stigma-related measures varied depending on perceived quality of contact and prior personal experience with mental illness. Significant pre-post reductions in stigma were observed, but individual perceptions of contact quality strongly moderated program effects. Mean contact quality across all attendees at a presentation was rarely a moderator. Though effective for all participants, on average, contact-based educational programs were more effective for those without prior personal or family experience of mental illness. Program organizers may wish to target recruitment efforts to reach more individuals without such experience, given the greater effectiveness of contact among these individuals. More research should explore the factors underlying individual variation in perceived quality of contact-based stigma reduction programs.

Enrollment Management in Medical School Admissions: A Novel Evidence-Based Approach at One Institution.

In higher education, enrollment management has been developed to accurately predict the likelihood of enrollment of admitted students. This allows evidence to dictate numbers of interviews scheduled, offers of admission, and financial aid package distribution. The applicability of enrollment management techniques for use in medical education was tested through creation of a predictive enrollment model at the University of Michigan Medical School (U-M). U-M and American Medical College Application Service data (2006-2014) were combined to create a database including applicant demographics, academic application scores, institutional financial aid offer, and choice of school attended. Binomial logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression models were estimated in order to study factors related to enrollment at the local institution versus elsewhere and to groupings of competing peer institutions. A predictive analytic "dashboard" was created for practical use. Both models were significant at P < .001 and had similar predictive performance. In the binomial model female, underrepresented minority students, grade point average, Medical College Admission Test score, admissions committee desirability score, and most individual financial aid offers were significant (P < .05). The significant covariates were similar in the multinomial model (excluding female) and provided separate likelihoods of students enrolling at different institutional types. An enrollment-management-based approach would allow medical schools to better manage the number of students they admit and target recruitment efforts to improve their likelihood of success. It also performs a key institutional research function for understanding failed recruitment of highly desirable candidates.

The Role of Out-of-School Experiences and Targeted Recruitment Efforts in Norwegian Science and Technology Students’ Educational Choice

Understanding young people's educational choice is of interest in order to recruit sufficient numbers of young people to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In this article, questionnaire data (closed and open-ended questions) from 5,007 Norwegian first-year students in all STEM higher-education disciplines are utilised to describe the role of out-of-school experiences and targeted recruitment efforts in the choice to enter an STEM higher-education programme. Out-of-school experiences were described as the more inspirational by our respondents, contributing to a stable interest for and identification with the STEM field through a long-term educational choice process. Among such experiences, popular science and also fiction or drama with a science component were rated high, whereas museums and science centres were rated lower. Popular science as well as leisure-time activities and experiences in nature were also frequently referred to in open questions. Targeted recruitment efforts are important mainly near educational decision points. The higher-education institutions’ own websites were rated as far more inspirational than campaign websites from official authorities, professional organisations, etc. Commercials, company visits and school counsellors received low ratings as sources of inspiration for an STEM choice, whereas education expositions and visits to or from a higher-education institution were rated somewhat higher. The results suggest that stakeholders wishing to improve STEM participation might consider partnerships with educational institutions, popular science, the media and organisations offering outdoor activities for children and adolescents, in designing information and outreach to improve STEM participation.

Recruiting Strategically: Increasing Enrollment in Academic Programs of Agriculture

Agriculture continues to struggle to find enough qualified students to advance the industry. Thus, recruiting practice improvement is imperative. This study assessed the efficacy of message strategies, message channels, recruiting materials, and messages for recruiting students into an academic program with low enrollment. Focus groups were conducted with agriculture students outside of the department of interest to address the following objectives: 1) identify the most effective message strategies and message channels to reach and attract potential students, and 2) conduct testing of strategically developed recruitment materials and messages. Results indicated job stability and positive contextual messages would be effective for recruiting. Participants preferred messages delivered in person, targeted online advertisements, and campus publications. Additionally, findings showed participants wanted full-color materials with pictures; messages with statistics on the industry; online videos that are 1-2 minutes, with videos on a website based on user interest; and testimonials from a range of individuals in the industry. Participants were mixed on the perceived effectiveness of Facebook advertisements. The results of this study indicate an increased need to target recruitment efforts through a strategic communication process. This research has implications for recruiting the millennial generation using both gain and non-loss framed messages.