This publication was designed to report the experience gained by the Department of Ear, Throat and Nose Diseases at I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University in the matters concerning the education of the students involved in the activities of research groups. The main causes for which the senior students should be attracted to doing research work in the framework of the university-based scientific societies are considered. Special emphasis is laid on the role of the students’ research groups in the formation of the system of values as a personality trait of the future doctor. The experience gained during the recent years with the organization of inter-institutional students’ competitions (otorhinolaryngological olympiads) is discussed.