516 final-year medical students were studied as to the occurrence of different degrees of suicidal feelings. 12.6% reported some degree of suicidal feelings during the past year. Responses ranged along a continuum such that Ss reporting the more intense feelings also reported the less intense feelings. In 5.6% of Ss, the maximum intensity was only a feeling that life was not worthwhile, 4% had thought of taking their life, 0.9% had seriously considered suicide or made plans, and 0.4% had made an actual attempt. Ss experiencing suicidal feelings in the past year had had more minor psychiatric symptoms, particularly of depression, and had experienced more stressful events and somatic illness. In these respects they resembled the description of completed suicide.