Objective To understand outpatients' trust in doctors and associated factors, in order to provide measures to enhance patient-doctor trust. Methods Convenient sample method for questionnaire survey of outpatients in a tertiary hospital in Anhui province. The survey includes the General Situation Questionnaire for Outpatients, the Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale, and the Associated Factors for the Degree of Trust in Doctors Questionnaire for Outpatients. Results Non-first visit, perceived respect for the healthcare process, high trust in the physician group, and overall trust in the system had a positive effect on the total physician trust score, benevolence, and technology dimensions; high scores on the healthcare environment had a positive effect on the total physician trust score and technology dimension scores; and compared to patients who perceived the physician-patient relationship to be an active-passive model, those who perceived that the physician-patient relationship should be a directive-cooperative model as well as a co-participatory model patients scored higher on the benevolence dimension. Conclusion The medical institution should optimise the medical environment and focus on the protection of patients' privacy; the social level should promote group trust in doctors and improve the sense of access to the health system. In addition, patients should be guided to participate in the diagnosis and treatment process, and the doctor-patient relationship should be correctly perceived.