Senior medical students' attitude towards psychiatry : relationship with career interest.

Using the Senior Medical Student Questionnaire, the attitudes towards psychiatry and the career interest in psychiatry of 146 final year medical students were obtained. The results indicated that, on the overall merits of the field of psychiatry and role definition and functioning of psychiatrists, students had a favorable opinion. Many students considered that career and personal rewards in psychiatry are limited. Analysis of the relationship between career interest and attitudes showed that on many items students with a greater career interest in psychiatry had more favorable opinions. However, there was evidence to suggest that students with greater career interest in psychiatry were equally concerned about the low career and social rewards in psychiatry.