In the UK less than 4% of medical students choose psychiatry. This number has remained reasonably static but there have been an increase in the number of medical schools. There are many reasons why medical students in the UK get put off by psychiatry among these are the stresses experienced, not the right type of placement, stigma against psychiatry and psychiatrists by other disciplines and specialties. There has been massive changes in training system in the last 3 years and changes are continuing. Foe any psychiatric trainee the aim of training is to provide a doctor with an educational programme, which enables him or her to practice independently in psychiatry, whether as a consultant or as a senior member of an academic department. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has been in existence in some form since 1841 and as a body responsible for training is taking the shortfall in recruitment seriously. The report of a scoping group will be described along with lecture historical lessons which will be linked with the present and the way forward in recruiting and retaining medical students into psychiatry.