When assisting a provider with a punch biopsy of a mole, which task should a medical assistant anticipate?

When assisting a provider with a punch biopsy, the medical assistant plays a crucial role in the handling of tissue specimens post-procedure. Anticipating the task of receiving and preparing tissue specimens for processing is vital because this ensures that the biopsy samples are correctly labeled, preserved, and transported to the laboratory for accurate analysis. Proper preparation of the specimens is essential for diagnostic accuracy, which is why it falls under the medical assistant's responsibilities after the procedure.

The other tasks listed do not align with the typical responsibilities of a medical assistant during this specific procedure. Filing the patient's medical history is a preliminary task that usually occurs before the procedure, not during it. Administering local anesthesia is typically performed by the provider or under their direct supervision, as it requires specific medical training. Suturing the biopsy site is usually the responsibility of the provider or a trained clinician, as it involves skills related to wound closure that are not typically within the scope of practice for a medical assistant.