Attitude towards psychiatry among first year and final year medical students

Abstract

Aims: To assess the attitude of MBBS students toward concept and practice of Psychiatry between first year and final year MBBS students who attended clinical Psychiatry posting. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out. Attitude was measured with 30 item attitude to psychiatry (ATP-30) questionnaire. Results: Attitude toward psychiatry was found to be better in groups of medical students who attended 2 weeks clinical rotation in Psychiatry. However, the same reached statistical significance in only 36.7 % of the questions. Conclusion: Clinical rotation in psychiatry in undergraduate has a favorable effect on attitude of medical students toward concept and practice of psychiatry. Better curriculum and more hours in psychiatry may yield better gain.

Keywords

• attitude
• medical students
• psychiatry