The article discusses the features of a new contingent of foreign students in the preparatory courses of the Russian language – doctors planning to continue their studies in residency. These features determine the novelty of the textbook developed for foreign doctors. The paper deals with the methodological principles of communication, accessibility, functionality, on the basis of which the manual for foreign physicians on training in the professional sphere of communication in Russian is based. The article substantiates the selection of linguistic and grammatical material of the manual, provides examples of speech exercises and situational tasks that contribute to the formation of communicative competence of foreign doctors. The author concludes that the manual for foreign doctors, based on these methodological principles, contributes to the effectiveness of the educational process.