Latin is a completely new discipline for first-year students, which has not been previously studied, and therefore causes certain difficulties in learning. At a medical university, Latin is taught in order to instill in students the basics of studying and using medical terminology not only at the university, but also in their subsequent professional activities, in other words, to prepare a terminologically competent doctor. The article deals with the fundamental characteristics of teaching Latin for non-linguistic specialties, as well as the specifics of the academic discipline "Latin" in higher educational institutions. This research study also formulates the basic skills to keep students motivated to learn Latin.