During the winter term 1976/77 and in the summer term 1977 233 medical students of the fourth term were asked about their "attitudes and experiences" as "to which extent the patient wants to be and should be informed about his illness". About half of the investigated students--the number varies with the indicator--displayed attitudes and experiences corresponding to the patients' reality and needs. This was rated as an indicator of patient-centered orientation. The rest displayed patterns of attitudes and presuppositions similar to those we noted in physicians in hospital. The patients' great need of information is usually underrated, the individual aspects are not clearly recognized and there is only a slight inclination to tell the patient the whole truth, especially with regards to the prognosis. Age, sex, experiences in hospitals and professional objective of each of the investigated students do not have a relationship with these orientations. Having given a critical discussion of methods the authors demonstrate the didactic conclusions which the Marburg Institute of Medical Sociology would draw from its investigations.