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Students who are working toward an athletic training degree are often interested in obtaining BOC certification to further hone and showcase their abilities for future employers.

In this post, we will examine key aspects of the BOC athletic training exam, what the exam structure entails, tips for passing, and more. Give it a look to help you prepare for an upcoming BOC exam, or bookmark it for later when you are ready for certification.

BOC Exam: An Overview

In 1989, the Board of Certification, Inc., or BOC, was founded with the goal of supplying a certification program for athletic trainers. Part of the BOC’s mission is to establish and review standards for the athletic training field, with updates introduced regularly.

The BOC is also the only organization that provides an accredited certification program for athletic trainers in the United States, which is the BOC athletic training exam.

Some key points regarding the BOC exam:

• To take the BOC certification, a student must be enrolled in or have completed a CAATE-accredited athletic training program

• Students in their final semester of such a program are eligible to apply for the exam with the confirmation of their placement in the program by the program’s director

• For those students who have graduated, the director’s confirmation or an official transcript illustrating the student’s degree completion will both be accepted

• Additionally, Canadian students who have received certification through the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association, or CATA, are also eligible for the BOC exam

• Successfully completing the BOC exam for athletic training means achieving the ATC credential, known to improve career prospects. While this credential is optional, more than 45,000 athletic trainers hold it as reported by the BOC

BOC Athletic Training Exam: The Test Structure

To adequately prepare for the BOC exam, students should be well versed in the structure of the test, everything that will be covered, and what to expect.

The exam is limited to 4 hours and features 175 questions that cover material and diverse topics within the following areas:

• Injury/Illness Prevention and Wellness Protection
• Clinical Evaluation and Diagnosis
• Immediate and Emergency Care
• Treatment and Rehabilitation
• Organization and Professional Health and Wellbeing

These questions feature differing point values which varies based upon the weight delimitated for a given content area, combined with the number of questions that are found within a given content area. Questions are offered in the formats of drag and drop, multiple choice, multi select, hot spot, and other forms.

Scores for the BOC exam are tabulated on a scale from 200 to 800. To pass the test and become a BOC-certified athletic trainer, students must have a minimum score of 500.

Tips for Passing the BOC Exam

The best preparation you will receive for the BOC exam, and your ultimate career as an athletic trainer, will of course be the training you will receive as part of Kent State’s athletic training program. In addition to this, however, there are a number of ways you can give yourself a leg up so you will be fully prepared for your certification exam.

1. Take Advantage of Study Guides

Obviously one of the best ways to prepare for any major exam is to utilize study guides that have been developed by experts in the field who know the given exam.

Using quality study guides in preparing for your BOC athletic training exam will:

• Help you to assess your knowledge within specific exam domains
• Increase your knowledge of the BOC exam structure
• Allow you to measure your likely performance for the future exam

While there are a variety of BOC study guides out there, the by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association is a good place to start.

2. Utilize Other BOC Exam Resources

In addition to study guides, there is a wealth of material available for students looking to prepare for their BOC certification. While many organizations and websites provide these materials, some of the best resources you will find are housed on the itself. Their site offers:

• An exam reference list
• Self-assessment practice BOC exams
• Sample exam questions
• Practice analysis
• Information on exam development and scoring

Be sure to visit their site so that you can fully prepare for your upcoming test day.

3. Create Flash Cards

Flash cards are so often utilized in exam prep simply because they work. By isolating the key facts found in pages of text and giving yourself something to focus on you will be able to better retain information, especially if you review that information dozens of times.

You can compile your cards based on the study guides and practice BOC exams above, along with everything you have learned in your courses. Once completed, keep the cards on you and find times throughout each day to review them. After a couple of weeks, you will know them back and forth.

4. Prepare Ahead

Since you cannot take the BOC exam until you are in your final semester or have graduated from an athletic training program, you have plenty of time beforehand to prep yourself. Taking copious notes in class, and cross-referencing information you are learning with BOC exam study guides and practice tests can help you prep yourself years in advance of the actual test.

If you are getting close to taking the BOC exam currently, your instruction and notes will still be the foundation of your studying. Remember your training and you will do fine.

5. Be Rested and Ready

Lastly, remember to take care of yourself. You do not want to do less than your best on the BOC exam simply because you stayed up late the night before cramming.

Get your prep in early, then relax. If you have taken the right steps, you will do fine on the exam. Good luck!

Have Questions? Contact Us!

If you have questions about 5XÉçÇø’s athletic training program, be sure to reach out to our team today. We will be in touch shortly!