Objective To investigate the innovation ability status of undergraduate students in Third Military Medical University

and put forward some effective suggestions. Methods A questionnaire was applied to survey the innovation ability status of undergraduate students in Third Military Medical University. A total of 210 valid questionnaires were collected. The questionnaires covered five aspects including undergraduate students’ basic information

innovative consciousness

innovation thinking

innovation skills and basic knowledge. The results were assessed by using SPSS 19.0 statistical software for T-test or ANOVA of students from different grades

majors and academic years. Inspection level was α=0.05. Results The total score of innovation ability in undergraduates was (70.5±8.2) point

and no significant difference was observed in the total score of undergraduates’ innovation ability within different grades (P=0.435). However

the innovation thinking ability of undergraduates in Grade Four was significant higher than that in Grade Two [(77.0±10.7) point vs. (72.6±10.9) point

P=0.030)]

and the score of basic knowledge of undergraduates in Grade One was significant higher than that in Grade Four [(76.2±6.0) point vs. (69.3±8.7) point

P=0.014)]. The total score of innovation ability of undergraduates from clinical medicine was significant higher that of undergraduates from preventive medicine and other majors [(72.5±8.8) point vs. (69.9±7.5) point

P=0.035); (72.5±8.8) point vs. (66.7±7.9) point

P=0.004)]. There were no significant differences in total score of innovation ability or score of any first level index of undergraduates between eight- and five-year system of preventive medicine (P＞0.05). Conclusion The overall innovation ability of undergraduates in military medical university was relatively high

and undergraduates from different grades

majors and academic years have their own special advantage in innovative consciousness

innovation thinking

innovation skills and basic knowledge

and it is necessary to carry out more researches focus on educational and training mechanism of innovation ability according to the personality of undergraduates in military medical universities.