Objective: To determine the attitude towards mental illness among medical students and non psychiatric doctors of Mamata Medical College. Materials and Methods: The study was cross sectional, conducted in Mamata Medical College, Khammam, from September 2016 to March 2017. Our study sample contains 150 medical students doing internship in the Mamata Medical College, Khammam, and 100 non psychiatric doctors working in the Mamata Medical College, Khammam, who are willing to participate in the study. Results: In present study we observed negative attitude towards mental illness among both medical students and non psychiatric doctors. When compared attitude toward mental illness among medical students and non psychiatric doctors, we found that there was no statistically significant difference. Compared to non psychiatric doctors, the medical students had stigma that people with a severe mental illness are dangerous and its more discomfortable talking to a person with a mental illness. Compared to medical students, the non psychiatric doctors had stigma that being a psychiatrist is not like being a real doctor, it is not important that any doctor supporting a person with a mental illness also assesses their physical health. Non psychiatric doctors also had stigma that they don’t want to work with a colleague if they had a mental illness. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the need for educational programs aimed at medical and non psychiatric doctors for providing basic information and thus demystifying mental illness.

Keywords: Attitude towards mental illness; Non psychiatric doctors; Medical students