Answer:
Not at all.
Physician Assistants or Physician Associates (PAs) are licensed to practice medicine. They must be associated with a physician but that physician usually need not be on site. PAs diagnose treat and prescribe just as physicians do. PA education is usually 24-27 months in length postgraduate in nature and one must have prior healthcare experience before being accepted into a PA program.
Medical Assistants also work as part of the medical team assisting physicians, nurse practitioners and PAs in their duties. Medical assistant courses vary greatly in length and can range from certificate programs to associate degrees. Medical assistants are involved in preparing patients, taking their vital signs and some aspects of the medical history. Medical assistants play an important function in the day to day running of a medical office.