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Most likely you have already completed or are nearing completion of an athletic training education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), and you are looking forward to taking the Board of Certification (BOC) examination. Your first professional goal is probably very similar to that of athletic training students across the country: to use the knowledge, skills, and abilities you have obtained throughout your educational program to pass the BOC examination and add the certified athletic trainer (ATC®) credential to the end of your name.
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The purpose of the BOC certification program is to establish standards for entry into the profession and to ensure, through the examination and continuing education requirements, that all individuals who earn the ATC credential have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform tasks critical for the safe and competent practice as an entry level athletic trainer. The ATC credential is also needed to obtain licensure or certification to practice as an athletic trainer in most states. Thus, this credential opens the door to your career in the profession of athletic training.
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Anticipating the certification examination can be very daunting. However, the more prepared you are going into the examination, the less stressful the process will be. This study guide builds on the knowledge and skills you have already obtained during your educational preparation. It is designed to walk you through the examination preparation process and provide you with the tools to create your individualized study plan. This study guide should not stand alone in your examination preparation. It should enhance the knowledge you have already gained from your degree program courses, clinical education experiences, and from all the professional mentoring you’ve received.
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COMPONENTS AND BENEFITS OF THIS STUDY GUIDE
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Similar to other health-care professions, athletic training research continues to add information to the body of professional knowledge and adjust practice standards to reflect the most current evidence-based practices. This book reflects this new content information and aligns with the seventh edition of the BOC’s publication, Practice Analysis. According to the BOC Candidate Handbook, the Practice Analysis defines the current entry level knowledge, skills and abilities required for practice in the profession of athletic training and it serves as the blueprint for determining the content of the examination.
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This text and its accompanying web-based resources not only offer hundreds of review questions, they also provide you with logistical information about BOC examination eligibility and the administrative policies and procedures associated with signing up for and taking the test. Chapters 2 and 3 contain detailed information on the BOC examination including the following: examination eligibility, steps for examination registration, information on retaking the examination, and information on the relationship between the Practice Analysis and the examination’s content, components, and scoring. Additionally, these chapters include the current requirements for maintaining your BOC certification.
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