Abstract
PURPOSE: A decline in the number of health professionals (HPs) engaging in clinical and healthcare research has spurred governments, educational and healthcare organisations to focus on developing strategies to promote a resurgence of clinical researchers. Based on the Expectancy-Value-Cost theory which offers a comprehensive framework to understand motivation in research, this study aimed to explore how motivations and perceived values of research evolve across different career stages, and develop a model that promotes sustained research motivation. METHODS: This study employed a phenomenological qualitative research design and individual interviews to explore the experiences of 30 HPs (doctors, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals) across three career stages-early, mid, and late-at three North Queensland Public Hospitals from March 19 to April 15, 2021. A purposive sampling technique was used to select participants, and data were analysed through inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Six themes emerged, categorised into individual, organizational, and sociocultural factors. Individual: Back to Basics and Career Aspirations Influence Research Value; Organisational: Cumbersome Processes and Resource Accessibility; Sociocultural: Building Research Capacity through Connections and Supportive Relationships Enhance Motivation. These themes informed the development of the RISES model, a multi-layered framework emphasising a collaborative approach to addressing individual, organisational, and sociocultural factors to support HPs' sustained research engagement. CONCLUSION: The study provides valuable insights into the lived experiences of HPs in relation to research, highlighting the intricate interplay of factors affecting their motivation. It introduces the RISES model to encourage ongoing research motivation and suggests further research to expand on these findings and explore additional aspects of research engagement in healthcare.