The attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry and psychotherapy were examined considering the extent of their education, previous psychiatry experience, the evaluation of the course, their career intentions and socio-demographic variables. Five hundred and eight medical students in their second, fifth, ninth and tenth semester completed a questionnaire on "Attitudes Towards Psychiatry" (ATP-30). With 508 participants (return quota: 88%), the study showed no overall change in attitude in the ATP-30 during the course of the study. No general change in attitude following practical training in psychiatry was found. The more positive the psychiatry course was rated the more positive attitudes towards psychiatry were. Female students and students with psychiatry/psychotherapy experience had a significantly more positive attitude towards psychiatry as a subject. Overall 5.8% of all students showed a very positive attitude towards psychiatry. A positive education experience as well as personal experience increases the probability of a positive student attitude towards psychiatry. In order to assure adequate care for the mentally ill, it should be a fundamental aim of medical education to promote positive attitudes towards the mentally ill and psychiatry. It remains to be investigated, however, whether an improvement in the attitudes of students towards the psychiatry discipline is sufficient to increase the number of students who would like to become psychiatrists or whether other factors are more deciding such as career opportunities, conditions of further education, or income potential.