Abstract: In the new epoch, the National Conference on Undergraduate Education in Colleges and Universities has put forward that the principle of “taking undergraduate education as the foundation” should be adhered to and the “four returns” should be promoted. This article elaborates on the promotion of “four returning” in higher medical education, which is based on the two principles that higher medical education is elite education and is also professional education. In order to return to common sense, it is requested that the cultivation of medical students' core values be emphasized, the requests for students' learning capacity be clarified, the output quality of talent training be strictly controlled, and students guided to be learning-based and concentrate on study. In order to return to one's duty, teachers need to be motivated to focus on teaching, be guided to achieve not only the good reputation of behavior and skills but also the excellence on medicine and education, become a guide for medical students to grow up healthily by devoting themselves to education. In order to return to the original self, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of school spirit, teaching spirit and study spirit, pay attention to the construction of campus culture, highlight the construction of teaching quality culture and to build a good education culture. In order to return to dreams, it is necessary to innovate in concepts, institutional mechanisms, organizational management and certification systems, promote the cooperation of medicine and education, deepen the comprehensive reform of medical education, and improve the quality of medical personnel training, which will lay profound foundations for achieving a higher medical education which meets the social needs and subsequently reach the goal of healthy China and China with rich resource of education.

Key words: Higher medical education, Two principles, Four returning, Teaching culture