The working environment for young residents in orthopedic surgery has changed tremendously over the past 10 years. Due to cumulative clinical requirements and increasing demands on work-life balance research activity has become less attractive. Successful incorporation of research into the career of residents is a challenging project for the future. The young forum of the German Association for Orthopedics and Traumatology (DGOU) provides different approaches to enhance the quality of research and to help young orthopedists and trauma surgeons.