Mental illness is subject to stigma, discrimination and prejudice by both healthcare professionals and public. Fortunately, students are still flexible in their beliefs and there is evidence that education in psychiatry may help to positively alter these beliefs. This survey looks into how psychiatry placement positively influences attitudes of medical students to mental illness.

To elicit the effect of clinical attachment in psychiatry on 3rd year medical students’ attitudes toward mental illness.

Questionnaires were administered to four cohorts of students pre- and post-attachment. Responses were anonymised. Responses were based on Yes/No, free text, order of preference and Likert scale. Analysis was with basic statistical analysis.

Ninety-eight pre- and 81 post-placement students responded. There was a 4% increase in mean positive attitude scores following the placement. There was no significant difference in the medical students’ attitudes to violence in mental illness and that patients with mental illness do not want you to help them. Students post-attachment were more likely to disagree with the statement, ‘Psychiatric patients are difficult to like’. However, 6% more students agreed with the statement ‘Alcohol abusers have no self-control’ after the placement!

Following the 4-week attachments, the percentage of students reporting more positive attitudes to mental illness showed only a marginal increase. A possible explanation may be insufficient contacts with patients and a feeling of not been part of the treating team.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.