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Dima Tareq Al Absi,1 Khadija Yousuf,2 Kholoud Aljaberi,2 Rahma AlBreiki,2 Mecit Can Emre Simsekler,1 Mohammed Atif Omar,1 Sanjay Ayathan,2 Tahir Mehmood,2 Siddiq Anwar,2,3 Deanne T Kashiwagi2 1Department of Management Science and Engineering, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 2Department of Medicine, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 3College of Medicine and Health Science of Medicine, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesCorrespondence: Siddiq Anwar, Department of Medicine, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, P.O. Box 11001, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Tel +971 2 314 2760, Fax +971 2 314 4446, Email sanwar@ssmc.aeBackground: Research has increasingly become important to career progression and a compulsory component in most medical programs. While medical trainees are consistently urged to undertake research endeavors, they frequently encounter obstacles at both personal and organizational levels that impede the pursuit of high-quality research. This study aims to identify the barriers and recommend successful interventions to increase research productivity amongst medical trainees.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among interns, residents, and fellows within a single hospital located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE. The survey included inquiries regarding perceived obstacles hindering engagement in research activities, factors driving motivation for research involvement, and the assessment of how research participation relates to their job in terms of relevance.Results: Fifty-seven medical trainees participated in the survey, reflecting a response rate of 53%. The survey highlighted common obstacles, notably including time constraints, insufficient statistical and methodology training, the weight of other educational commitments, as well as inadequate incentives and rewards. While a majority of participants expressed interest in engaging in research activities, the consensus was that more incentives and increased funding opportunities would significantly encourage their involvement.Conclusion: Implementing successful interventions such as allocating dedicated time for research, facilitating access to research mentors, and organizing training sessions have the potential to be effective strategies in fostering a thriving research culture and subsequently elevating research productivity of medical trainees.Keywords: medical research, residents, medical trainees, medical training, future of work, medical education