The authors surveyed all U.S. medical schools to ascertain the frequency with which medical students attempt suicide, complete suicide & seek psychiatric treatment. In the classes of 1974-81 the annual suicide rate for male students was 15.6 per 100,000, comparable to their agemates in the national population. Female student rates equaled that of the male students but were 3 to 5 times greater than their agemates. The authors also discuss 4 steps schools can take in suicide prevention.