Clinical work and research do not compete with each other; rather, they are complementary. I can understand the urge to drown in clinical work. The success of clinical orthopaedics is intoxicating. We all came to medicine because we wanted to help people. It is, therefore, quite gratifying to see the success of one’s handiwork. When a young working man, the sole bread-earner of his family, walks home after recovering from a debilitating limb injury or a child with a congenitally deformed foot smiles in happiness after successful treatment, your work feels fulfilling. The burden of work, especially in the developing world, is so massive and the impact so profound that it is easy to become immersed in clinical work. Further, in many parts of the world, there is no recognised career structure for research. Despite the constraints, I believe that young surgeons would benefit from becoming involved in medical research before their career path is established. In the absence of adequate resources and career support, research is likely to remain the poor cousin of clinical work in the developing world, but that should not stop you from conducting research.