Which of the following skills is NOT expected from a competent medical assistant?

A competent medical assistant is primarily responsible for supporting healthcare providers and ensuring the smooth operation of a medical practice. This includes a variety of roles, such as performing administrative tasks, assisting with medical procedures, and maintaining patient records.

Diagnosing common patient symptoms is distinctly outside the scope of practice for medical assistants. This responsibility falls under the qualifications of licensed healthcare providers, such as physicians and nurse practitioners, who possess the necessary training and legal authority to make diagnoses. Medical assistants, while knowledgeable and skilled in numerous tasks, are not trained or permitted to diagnose conditions. Therefore, the choice that indicates a skill not expected from a competent medical assistant is indeed the ability to diagnose.