Many people who go see their family medicine physicians are often seen first and sometimes only by a physician assistant. Under Michigan law, a physician assistant is held to the same standard of care as the physician for whom he or she works. Most physician assistants are competent, hard-working people who want to do the best they can for a patient. Physician assistants, however, are not physicians. If you have any questions or believe you have unusual symptoms, you should always insist on speaking to the physician with whom you treat. Any good physician assistant would tell you the same thing.