The dissertation deals with theoretical generalization of the problem of formation of students' culture of health. The structure and functions of health and healthy lifestyle were considered. Peculiarities of the extracurricular activities of medical colleges have been found. It has been defined such psychological and pedagogical students' features, in the context of culture of health forming, as increased sensitivity to social phenomena, need for acceptance, existence of motivation for communication and creative activity, active cooperation in and beyond the reference group, the need for physical and spiritual achievements, self-determination and development. The culture of health of medical colleges' students is determined as inseparable component of their culture, formation of knowledge and skills which are necessary for organization vital activity for the sake of maintaining their own health and the health of surrounding people. It has been proved that extracurricular activities, as the main component of students' educational activity in higher educational institutions, aimed at forming their cognitive interests, improving motivation for development and consolidation of mental and motor skills due to any convenient, useful and sufficient forms and methods of work in extracurricular time, has significant potential opportunities for formation of students' culture of health. It promotes conscious attitude to work as to the highest value of a person and society, forming the active personal position concerning culture of health. On the basis of elaboration of the content of research key concepts, the essence of the phenomenon "formation of culture of health of students of medical colleges in extracurricular activities" has been specified. It is a purposeful process of providing conditions for students' awareness of health values for full and happy life, formation of orientation to preserve health, cognitive interests, increasing motivation for development, improvement and consolidation of theoretical and practical motor skills, as their professional development factors. Criteria (of motivation and value; cognitive, of creative activity), indicators and levels (high, medium, low) of formation the students' culture of health were defined and characterized. As a result of the final stage of the experiment it has been revealed that the level division of formation of the culture of health among medical colleges' students is as follows: 12,3 % respondents have high level, 36,9 % - medium, 50,8 % - low (experimental group). The results of the control group did not significantly differ - 12,4 %, 34,6 %, 51, 0 %, respectively. Special attention was paid to the theoretical substantiation of pedagogical conditions of formation of culture of health of medical colleges in extracurricular activities: the creation of student sports parliament for the purpose of positive motivation to strengthening and preserving the health of young people; activation of practical orientation of students' independent work by improving content of extracurricular activities; modernization of organizational structures of sports and recreational activities of medical college. The effectiveness of these pedagogical conditions has been experimentally confirmed.
