A vacuum assisted handheld biopsy device includes a housing, a stylet slideable within a cannula, the stylet having a hollow tube portion and a tissue collection portion coupled together, an actuator slideable within the housing for driving at least one of the stylet and the cannula, a vacuum source in communication with the stylet, and an ambient air opening in selective communication with the vacuum source. The coupling of the hollow tube portion with the tissue collection portion provides a fluid flow path sufficient to provide a vacuum suction to the tissue collection portion. A stylet for a vacuum assisted handheld biopsy device includes a hollow tube portion and a tissue collection portion coupled together. The coupling of the hollow tube portion and the tissue collection portion provides a fluid flow path sufficient to provide a vacuum suction to the tissue collection portion.