Objective To evaluate the effects of talent training and employment-based education mode in social medicine course. Methods From March 2018 to June 2019, totally 286 undergraduates from five-year Preventive Medicine program of grade 2014 and 2015 in School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, were enrolled into cohort analysis. One hundred and forty-four undergraduates from grade 2015 were assigned to new teaching mode group and 142 undergraduates from grade 2014 were assigned to traditional teaching mode group as controls. The teaching effects were evaluated by comparing the examination results and online questionnaire survey in the two groups of students. Results The rate of attendance, answering questions, homework submission, excellent of final exams and the total scores from the experimental group students are higher than those of the control group [(94.8% vs. 79.1%, 92.4% vs. 57.0%, 89.3% vs. 76.2%, 61.8% vs. 40.1%), (82.08±7.70) vs. (71.37±5.00)].Meanwhile, the students in the experimental group have got significantly better evaluations of learning outcomes from course teaching than those in the control group: the percentage of those agreed or very agreed with of course content was high [84.7%(122/144)], and also of faculty and students participation in classroom activities [84.7%(122/144)]. The percentage of interaction in classroom activities was impressive [83.3%(120/144)]. Conclusions The new teaching mode achieved good effects, which was proved to be helpful for improving students'knowledge and enthusiasm for taking classes.