Attitude of interns towards mental illness and psychiatry: A study from two medical colleges in South India

• The opinion about mental illness among medical interns continues to remain negative.
• The attitude towards psychiatry, psychiatrist and treatment efficacy is positive.
• Social and reward aspects of Psychiatry are considered to be low.
• Few students consider psychiatry as their career choice.

Objective: This study aims to assess the intern’s beliefs about mental illness, their attitude towards psychiatry and psychiatry as a career choice.Methods: In a cross-sectional design, one hundred and seventy six interns from the two medical colleges completed the Belief about Mental illness scale and Attitudes Towards Psychiatry (ATP-29) scale.Results: Majority of the interns considered mentally ill patients as dangerous, unpredictable, cannot take up major responsibilities, cannot be a good parent, have poor interpersonal or social skills. The attitude towards psychiatry overall, functioning of a psychiatrist, efficacy of psychiatry treatment was found to be good in over 90% of the interns. The attitude towards career and reward aspect of psychiatry was not favorable in about 40%. About 13% considered psychiatry as a career choice.Conclusions: Beliefs about mental illness continue to be negative. Though the attitude towards psychiatry, psychiatrist and treatment efficacy is good, the social and reward aspects of psychiatry are not encouraging. Steps for changes in undergraduate medical education policies are required.