Abstract：Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） thinking is the core embodiment of TCM culture and an essential thinking for TCM students.The“New Medical Education”initiative requires TCM colleges and universities to strengthen the cultivation of students’ TCM thinking and their ability to inherit TCM culture. Currently， the pathways for cultivating students’ TCM thinking in TCM colleges and universities are faced with issues， such as the supporting system of the curriculum system needs to be improved， the situational experience in clinical practice should be strengthened，and the integration of traditional cultural education awaits enhancement.From the perspective of driving forces for innovative development in TCM thinking cultivation， the“New Medical Education” initiative derives its impetus from three dynamics：policy-driven mandates，practice-informed traction，and development-oriented propulsion. To enhance the efficacy of TCM thinking cultivation，institutions should explore four implementation pathways：inter disciplinary convergence in education，AI-empowered practice，humanistic spirit immersion，and cultural confidence consolidation，cultivating foundational competence in TCM thinking，to achieve the high quality growth of TCM students.