The survey consisted of 35 items, the first 25 true and false questions assessing knowledge of virology, immunology, epidemiology, and clinical issues of HIV infection, and the last 10 statements assessing attitudes about AIDS patients rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The 2-day training workshop consisted of three hours of lectures and films on medical information about AIDS and its transmission and ethical aspects provided by an immunologist, a family physician, and pathologist. The results show a significant increase in posttest knowledge scores for students who participated in the workshops over pretest scores, particularly the first-year medical students. The attitudes expressed by the medical students did not indicate discriminatory attitudes toward patients with AIDS. The results show that a voluntary training program may be an effective method for teaching medical students about the clinical as well as the humanistic aspects of AIDS. A sample of the survey is appended. 17 references and 2 tables (Author abstract modified)