Despite major advances in medical research, there is a decline in the number of physician-scientists. It is necessary to stimulate the involvement of MDs in the scientific endeavor. Brazil has a national program which stimulates the participation of undergraduate students, including medical students, in research projects as a regular academic activity. Herewith we analyze the introductory scientific program and the involvement of MDs in research in Brazil. The program to promote early scientific exposure during the undergraduate or medical course has the objective of recognizing students with aptitude for scientific research. Brazilian research groups in the area of medicine show a continuous increase, and the health sciences represent a sizable part of graduate students who receive scientific initiation fellowships. An important part of students who participated in introductory scientific programs continued in scientific activities in graduate programs. This finding supports the importance of basic scientific research in stimulating students to follow a scientific career.