The purpose of the study is to detect and describe the psychological characteristics of students and residents of surgical specialties of the medical university. The study involved 22 sixth-year students planning to enter the surgical section and 20 residents of surgical specialization. The 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) by R. Cattell (Form A) was used. The following psychological characteristics prevail among the sixth-year students: anxiety, suspicion, radicalism, dreaminess, dominance, restraint, straightforwardness, cruelty, shyness, low level of self-control, high level of normative behavior. For the residents such characteristics are: anxiety, self-control, dominance, radicalism, suspiciousness, non-conformism, cruelty, practicality, courage. According to the results of statistical calculations, differences in psychological characteristics were revealed among the 6th year students and residents of the first year of training. The residents have a higher level of cruelty, suspicion, practicality and selfcontrol. Self-control among the students is significantly lower and dreaminess is more expressed than among the residents. The materials of this study can be used to improve the process of professional medical education and training of young specialists.