The association between education in the field of biomedicine and health and acceptance of the mentally ill patients The aim of the study. To determine wether there is a correlation between the level of knowledge and acceptance of psychiatric patients. Study design. Cross - sectional study. Participants and methods. The study included 102 participants, consisting of first - and final - year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine in Osijek. The tool used was a questionnaire composed of three parts: the first part collected demographic data, the second assessed the level of knowledge about psychiatric illnesses, and the third examined opinions and social acceptance of psychiatric patients. Results. Final - year students have better knowledge and more positive attitudes towards psychiatric patients compared to first - year students, atributed to their education and practical experience. While prejudices against working with psychiatric patients are present, they decrease as students progress through their studies. Final - year students show greater willingness and less fear to work with psychiatric patients. Conclusion. The results indicate that final - year students possess better knowledge and more positive attitudes towards psychiatric patients compared to first - year students. This difference can be attributed to the education and practical experience gained during their studies. Although prejudices against working with psychiatric patients are present, they decrease as studies progress. Additionally, final year students exhibit greater willingness and less fear to work with psychiatric patients, highlighting the positive impact of education and practical training on reducing stigma and increasing confidence in working with this population.