OBJECTIVES: Very few studies have tried to evaluate comparative patient ratings of physician satisfaction across specialties. We examined the differences in physician satisfaction reported by patients accessing care from pediatricians versus other primary care physicians. METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional, national web based survey study consisting of anonymous patients who rated their physicians on the basis of treatment satisfaction that they received from their most recent outpatient visits. The survey was user friendly, validated and helped patients identify their physicians as per specialties and rate them on a scale of 0 (“not at all satisfied”) to 10 (“extremely satisfied”). The association of physician satisfaction between pediatricians and non-pediatricians was assessed using hierarchical linear model (HLM). RESULTS: Using 6982 patient survey responses, we matched 2724 PCP visits with a similar number of visits to pediatricians. After controlling other variables, pediatricians were associated with higher satisfaction, on average, than other PCPs (r03 = 14.79, p<0.000). Spending time with patients was positively associated with patient satisfaction (r50 = 3.49, p<0.000) holding all other factors in the model constant. However, pediatricians were associated with lower time spent with patients (r53 = -1.1, p=0.045).  After controlling for other variables, waiting time was negatively associated with patient satisfaction (r40 = -0.37, p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Our study finds that pediatricians are associated with higher patient satisfaction score than non-pediatricians.  Increased time spent with the patient by pediatricians convinced to other PCPs to be the driver of the effect.