Medical student perceptions of psychiatric conditions and the impact of stigmatizing language

Although there was no overall difference between the average Index Scores for the PCL and stigmatizing versions of the case presentations, significant differences in the Index Scores of certain presentations for students undergoing clinical education indicate that some targeted education on mental health stigma may be beneficial for third- and fourth-year medical students. Teaching empathetic approaches to patients with mental illness, regardless of whether their presentation was "stigmatizing," emphasizes the holistic care expected through the osteopathic tenet describing the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit.