Objective: To explore the relationship among self-regulatory focus and depression, anxiety symptoms and suicidal risks of medical college students. Methods: A total of 2 251 freshmen were recruited from a medical university by convenienee sampling methood. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey using Regulatory Focus Questionnaire (RFQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Psychache Scale (PAS), and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) was conducted. Results: The prevalence rate of freshmen’s depression symptoms was as high as 20.4%, the prevalence rate of anxiety symptoms was 11.2%, and the risk of suicide increased by 5.85 times among students with depression-anxiety comorbid symptoms. Girls reported higher prevention focused scores than boys, as well as higher anxiety symptoms and suicidal risks(t=4.84,2.18,5.57,P<0.05). College students with a prevention focused self-regulation style had significantly higher scores on depression, anxiety symptoms and suicidal risks than those with a promotion focused regulatory style, the effect sizes of the differences were moderate or large (Cohen’s d>0.50). Conclusion Self-regulatory focus plays an important role in emotional health. The pursuit of promotion goals is beneficial to mental health, while the pursuit of prevention goals is more likely to be associated with depression, anxiety symptoms and a higher risk of suicide.