Research Involvement of Surgical Residents in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Predictors, Barriers, and Motivations

Emad Rajih,1 Reeman M Aljohani,2 Dorar F Alharbi,1 Sohailah A Haddad,2 Lama S Alrefai,2 Asim M Almughamsi,1 Abdulaziz M Bakhsh,1 Mansour Alnazari,1 Walaa M Borhan2 1Department of General and Specialized Surgery, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia; 2Basic Medical Sciences Department, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Emad Rajih, Email erajih.baltimore@gmail.comIntroduction: Research is a vital component of surgical training, enhancing academic skills and career opportunities. This study aimed to assess the research involvement of surgical residents in Saudi Arabia and identify key predictors, barriers, and motivations.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 297 surgical residents between December 2021 and September 2023 using a structured online questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS.Results: Overall, 51.2% of residents published at least one paper during residency. Prior research experience in medical school significantly predicted publication during residency (P = 0.012). In logistic regression, residents in gynecology had lower odds of publication compared to general surgery (OR 0.58, P < 0.05). The main motivation for research was fellowship acquisition (63.3%). The leading barriers were lack of time (67.0%) and work-related stress (50.0%).Conclusion: Early research engagement in medical school strongly predicts future productivity during residency, while time constraints and stress remain major obstacles. Our findings suggest that residency programs could enhance research output by providing structured mentorship, allocating protected research time, and encouraging early exposure to research activities.Keywords: residency program, surgical, trainees, research, publication