Given the shortage of human resources and the launching of a new Mental Health Plan, recruitment of psychiatrists is currently a major concern in Portugal, as well as in several other countries.

Medical students’ attitude toward psychiatry has been pointed as a predictor of recruitment. Several studies reported the positive effect a clerkship has on the student's attitude towards psychiatry. This effect is particularly visible in clerkships that promote students to participate in the direct delivery of care.

To evaluate the medical students’ perception of psychiatry, and the impact on their intention to pursue psychiatry as a future specialty.

Two self-report questionnaires (Balon,1999) were administered to all 6th year students in a medical school in Lisbon, before and after a 4-weeks full-time psychiatric clerkship.

153 students were assessed. After the clerkship, there was a significant improvement regarding the overall merits of psychiatry, efficacy, role definition and functioning of psychiatrists, use of legal powers to hospitalize patients and specific medical school factors. There was also a significant increase of students decided or considering the possibility to take a residency in psychiatry.

However, perceptions of low prestige and negative pressure from family and peers regarding a future choice of psychiatry remained unchanged in about one-third of the students.

Clerkship had a favorable overall impact on the student attitude towards psychiatry, as well as in the number of students considering a future career in psychiatry. Attitudes toward psychiatry seems a promising outcome indicator of the clerkship's quality.