In this study we investigate the publication trajectories of medical researchers in Russia. For the analysis of publication trajectories we selected all researchers which were awarded PhD in cardiology in Russia in 2005. The goal of the study was to identify the patterns of internationalization of Russian medical research on the example of cardiology. One of the important issues raised in this work is the difference in career opportunities and paths between researchers starting in the center and the periphery of national science. Scientists starting their careers not in the center are not strongly discriminated in the chances of reaching the international level. However, if the scientists of the center can start publishing in the bottom national journals, and then go to the international level, for the regionals the way to the international level is through top national journals
