Objective To explore the application effect of a positive cognitive teaching model grounded in positive psychology in pathology teaching for higher vocational medical students within the context of "three kinds of education" (i.e., vocational education, higher education, and continuing education) collaborative innovation. Methods A randomized controlled trial design was adopted. Six natural classes of the 2024 intake at Guangxi Health Science College taking pathology courses were cluster-randomized into an observation group (3 classes, n=121) and a control group (3 classes, n=115). The observation group received positive cognitive teaching grounded in positive psychology concepts, while the control group received traditional lecture-based teaching. Final examination scores of pathology were compared between the two groups, as well as the total score and dimension scores of the Campus Positive Psychological Characteristic Scale before and after teaching. Results The observation group scored (82.51±6.73) in the final examination of pathology, which was higher than the control group's (76.34±8.12) (t=6.392, P<0.05). Before teaching, there was no statistically significant difference in the total score or any dimension score of the Campus Positive Psychological Characteristic Scale between the two groups (all P>0.05); 1 week after the completion of teaching, the total score and all dimension scores of the Campus Positive Psychological Characteristic Scale in the observation group were increased compared with those before teaching, and were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). Conclusion The positive cognitive teaching model grounded in positive psychology concepts can improve the final examination scores of pathology and enhance positive psychological qualities among higher vocational medical students.

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