Final answer:
Medical students using humor to mitigate feelings of disgust are exemplifying the defense mechanism of sublimation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When medical students use humor to deflect their feelings of disgust, they are engaging in sublimation. Sublimation is a defense mechanism in which socially unacceptable impulses or idealizations are unconsciously transformed into socially acceptable actions or behavior, possibly resulting in a long-term conversion of the initial impulse.
For instance, in the case of medical students, the feeling of disgust, which is a natural but professionally undesirable reaction in medical practice, can be channeled through humor which is more acceptable and can help maintain a professional atmosphere.