Objective:The incidence of occupational diseases is lower than expected. The approaches of medical school students on this issue are very important. In this study, we purposed to assess the attitudes and behaviors of medical school students towards occupational diseases. Materials and Methods: The population of this descriptive study consisted of 825 medical students who responded to a 31‑item questionnaire. Results: Two‑thirds of the medical students (75.4%) had received education on occupational diseases. The majority (94.5%) acknowledged the importance of a detailed occupational history, although some indicated that doctors did not pay sufficient attention to the occupational relationship (37.6%) and that a detailed occupational history was not taken (33.7%). The most common occupational diseases were found to be heavy metal poisoning at 85.9%, pesticide poisoning at 78.7% and asbestosis at 69.7%. The proportion of those who preferred occupational health was 26.6% (n=220), while the proportion of those who preferred occupational disease specialisation was 22.3% (n=184). The most frequently supported solutions proposed by medical students for problems encountered in the diagnosis of occupational diseases were increasing employer awareness (67.2%, n=555), employee awareness (65.3%, n=539), and public awareness (51.2%, n=423). Students who had received education on occupational diseases were significantly more knowledgeable and practice‑oriented regarding the definition of occupational/work‑related diseases (91.3% vs 84.5%; p=0.005), specific occupational diseases (pneumoconiosis 67.9% vs 57.8%; p=0.008; asbestosis 72.7% vs 60.2%; p=0.001), high‑risk sectors (ceramics/glass 70.0% vs 57.3%; p=0.0001; denim sandblasting 66.9% vs 50.0% ; p=0.0001; sand pit 80 %vs 67 %; p=0.0001 ) , and workplace physician roles (referral of suspected cases 80.6% vs 71.0%; p=0.0069, pre‑employment examinations and appropriate job placement 88.9% vs 80.6%; p=0.0023, perception of notification authority 41.1% vs 32.5%; p=0.028). Conclusion: The study indicates that medical students possess strong theoretical knowledge and awareness of preventive measures and regulations regarding occupational diseases; however, detailed occupational history is insufficiently incorporated into clinical practice, and notification and epidemiological awareness are low. Students who had received education on occupational diseases demonstrated higher levels of knowledge regarding disease definitions, specific occupational diseases, high‑risk sectors, and workplace physician roles, and exhibited practice‑oriented attitudes. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of developing the medical education core curriculum to strengthen reporting, epidemiology, and field practice.

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