Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 3 MAS 054 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
The Warning Signs in a Mole
The idea
Patients are taught a five-letter memory aid, A, B, C, D and E, for spotting early warning signs of melanoma in a mole.
In practice
A is asymmetry: the two halves of the mole do not match. B is border: the edges are irregular. C is color: the mole shows several shades of brown or black. D is diameter: the mole is wider than six millimeters, a little under a quarter of an inch. E is evolving: the mole's shape has changed over time. Any one of these signs is a reason for the patient to see a provider. A medical assistant may reinforce this teaching after the provider has given it, and should report a mole that a patient is worried about.
Where people slip
The memory aid helps patients notice and report change. It is not a way to decide that a mole is harmless, so never tell a patient that a spot looks fine, as unit one showed with the dark spot on a patient's arm.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Unlocks
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Medical Assistant Prep