Perceived mental illness stigma by medical students prior and after psychiatric training

Introduction. Patients diagnosed with mental health conditions are often affected by high levels of stigma from society, families, and healthcare providers. This stigma is one of the main reasons for difficulties in accessing adequate medical care and contributes to an increased number of comorbidities in psychiatric patients. Objective. The present study aimed to assess the levels of stigma toward patients diagnosed with mental illness expressed by sixth-year medical students, both before and after their seven-week psychiatry clinical internship. Methods. Sixth-year medical students from the Romanian and foreign language sections completed a questionnaire that included demographic data, questions regarding their opinions on mental patients, and the likelihood of choosing psychiatry as a specialty. Additionally, they completed a discrimination and devaluation questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed twice: before the internship and at the end of the clinical psychiatry rotation. Results. A total of 349 students answered the questionnaires, distributed into three groups: 177 Romanian students, 114 English students, and 58 French students. In both evaluations, Romanian stude