Due to an oversight in retrospect on my program director's part, I was able to avoid the 6 month research stint and get a full 4 years of clinical training in residency. I felt really well prepared upon residency graduation, and also being part of the last year of residents able to graduate fully board certified before residency was over (they should bring that back IMHO) didn't hurt my confidence level either. One thing I've never heard is someone say "My year of research in residency helped me so much in taking care of patients," although I bet someone somewhere has said it. At the end of the day however, as a resident, it doesn't matter what you hate or like if the powers that be hate or like things different than you. But "Good luck with that!" as the kids say.