Objective To investigate the scientific research willingness and its influencing factors among undergraduates in Southwest Medical University so as to provide reference for the research on the education mode of innovative talents training in universities. Methods A voluntary self-administered anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among 1043 undergraduates of different grades and majors in a medical university. Results Among the undergraduates, 69.4% of them were willing to do scientific research, and 52.5% of them had a good understanding of the university's scientific research projects. Multivariate ordered logistic regression analysis revealed that the undergraduates with following characteristics were more likely to have the scientific research willingness: female undergraduates (versus male undergraduates: OR=1.494, 95%CI: 1.121-1.991), medical undergraduates (versus non-medicalundergraduates: OR=1.776, 95%CI: 1.254-2.515), the top 1/3 and middle 1/3 students (versus the last 1/3 students: OR=2.764, 95%CI: 1.854-4.121 and OR=2.235, 95%CI: 1.583-3.155), and students who fully understand scientific research (versus who don't understand scientific research: OR=1.643, 95%CI: 1.007-2.680). Enhancing scientific research literacy ability (87.6%), applying for postgraduate entrance examination and employment (80.0%), and obtaining innovation credits (55.5%) are the main purposes of participating in scientific research. Conclusion Most of the undergraduates are willing to participate in scientific research, and the main purpose of participating in scientific research is to improve the ability of scientific research literacy, but undergraduates are not well informed about the university's research programs and research system. In the process of promoting the cultivation of undergraduate innovative talents, colleges and universities should strengthen the publicity of scientific research, encourage students with spare capacity to participate in scientific research actively, and pay attention to the construction of non-mainstream majors.