In-Hospital "Academic Accelerator": Skill Acquisition in Research Is Strongly Associated with Emotional and Organizational Benefits Among Healthcare Professionals. Summary of Two Years of Activity

Abstract Background . Scientific research, academic writing, publication, and promotion rely on skills rarely taught in undergraduate medical education. However, are essential for career development and may significantly affect academic engagement and professional burnout. Methods . We established the “Academic Accelerator,” a structured program designed to support such clinicians enabling acquisition of essential research and publication skills through hands-on, project-based learning, supported by institutional guidance. Results . Of 30 projects, most matured within 12 months and resulted in publications in peer-reviewed journals. Participants were diverse: physicians and healthcare professionals across a broad range of ages. Projects involved approximately 150 active participants, 300 group meetings, and 900 hours of independent work. On average, each participant dedicated 40 hours to the program, while project management required about 15 hours per week, and publication costs averaged $1,500 per article. Institutional support included workshops in research methodology, statistics, and scientific writing. A validated questionnaire revealed that prior research experience was not significantly associated with improvements in research skills, burnout reduction, or organizational belonging. In contrast, improvement in formulating a research question was strongly correlated with gains in writing the scientific background, overall article writing, and statistical understanding (all p < 0.001). Strong intercorrelations were observed among writing scientific background, overall writing skills, and statistical comprehension, suggesting that research competencies improve as an integrated skill set. Improvements in each research skill were significantly associated with lower burnout levels (p < 0.001) and with a stronger sense of organizational connection (p < 0.001). Reduced burnout was moderately associated with increased organizational belonging (ρ = 0.521, p < 0.001). Conclusion . The Academic Accelerator serves as a scalable model for developing research and publication skills among healthcare professionals. Acquiring these skills is associated not only with increased academic productivity, but also with reduced burnout and enhanced organizational engagement.