Maintain Certification

BOC recertification requires compliance with the following:
Adherence to BOC Standards of Professional Practice (SOP)	Continuous certification in emergency cardiac care (ECC)	Completion of continuing education (CE)	Payment of recertification fees

What’s New

Download 2013 Recertification Requirements
Download 2014-2015 Certification Maintenance Requirements

Summary

BOC Central™ Updates:
The BOC has completed software updates to BOC Central™. Your suggestions have helped design the new BOC Central™, and we are confident you will find the updates have been designed to simplify your online experience.

Recertification Deadline:
Current ATs have a 12/31/2013 expiration date. If you log in to BOC Central™, you can find personalized information regarding your total CEUs due and your CE accumulation period on your CE203 form.

Certification Statuses:
Four simplified statuses replaced the nine previous certification statuses. Click the “Certification Statuses” tab for details.

CE Reporting Form:
The CE reporting form was simplified considerably. Click here for Easy Steps for Entering CE in BOC Central™.

2014-2015 Changes

The BOC reviews requirements for an AT to maintain certification periodically. The changes described will be effective January 1, 2014.

Certification Maintenance Period
The Certification Maintenance Period (currently known as “Reporting Period”) is currently a 3-year period. Beginning January 1, 2014, it will be a 2-year period. Compliance with the BOC Standards of Professional Practice, emergency cardiac care (ECC), maintenance fees and CE are still required. The number of CEUs required will be reduced to 50 CEUs. ATs certified in the even years will have their number of CEUs prorated for their first certification maintenance period.

New Certification Maintenance Period
(Begins 1/1/2014)

Current Reporting Period
(Ends 12/31/2013)

50 CEUs, ECC, maintenance fees and compliance with BOC Standards of Professional Practice/2 years

ATs certified prior to 2013 will have 50 CEUs due 12/31/2015
(January 1, 2014 – December 31, 2015)
ATs certified in 2013 will have 50 CEUs due 12/31/2015
(Date Certified – 12/31/2015)
ATs certified in 2014 will have 25 CEUs due 12/31/2015
(Date Certified – 12/31/2015)
ATs certified in 2015 will have 50 CEUs due 12/31/2017
(Date Certified – 12/31/2017)

75 CEUs, ECC, recertification fees and compliance with BOC Standards of Professional Practice/3 years

Definition of Continuing Education (CE)
The definition of CE will be modified by eliminating the phrase “beyond the levels required for entry-level practice.” Entry-level practice is dynamic and eliminating the phrase allows an AT to participate in CE that enhances competence at entry-level or beyond.

New Definition of CE (Begins 1/1/2014)	Current Definition of CE (Ends 12/31/2013)
Continuing education (CE) requirements are intended to promote continued competence, development of current knowledge and skills and enhancement of professional skills and judgment. CE activities must focus on increasing knowledge, skills and abilities related to the practice of athletic training.	Continuing education (CE) requirements are intended to promote continued competence, development of current knowledge and skills and enhancement of professional skills and judgment beyond the levels required for entry-level practice. CE activities must focus on increasing knowledge, skills and abilities related to the practice of athletic training.

CE Classification System
The CE classification system will be slightly modified. There will be two levels of CE with different categories in each level. Level I categories are for competence activities and programs that require a level of BOC approval. Level II categories are competence activities and programs that do not require BOC approval. All categories continue to require that the content of the activity or program fall within the domains of athletic training based on the Role Delineation Study/Practice Analysis, Sixth Edition.

LEVEL I – EBP (Evidence Based Practice) Category
A new category will be added and is considered a Level I category; EBP (evidence based practice) requires a minimum of 10 CEUs (based on 50 CEUs due) each certification maintenance period. EBP programs will be approved on an individual basis and must meet specific content and quality requirements. The BOC has announced the new category to BOC Approved Providers and will work with them to get qualified programs eligible for the EBP Category. The BOC will post a list of eligible EBP programs in late 2013 and will continue to update the list as courses are made available.

New EBP Category
(Begins 1/1/2014)

LEVEL I – EBP: Qualified/Enhanced Competence Programs
Pre-approved programs (live events or home study courses) that meet specific content and quality requirements and include evidence based practice (EBP).

Programs must adhere to one of the following formats:

Clinical: A clinically oriented topic structured and delivered in a manner consistent with the principles of EBP
EBP: An EBP specific topic: about EBP or a topic relevant to EBP

Clinical
A clinically oriented topic must be designed in a way that reflects the basic principles of EBP. Examples of appropriate clinical topics include glenohumeral assessment, ACL rehabilitation and sport-related concussion. The presentation must take an approach similar to that described by Steves and Hootman (2004)1 and include the following components:

A focused and clinically relevant question structured in PICO format
A detailed search strategy including search terms
Identification of databases used in literature search
A critical appraisal of resultant literature including the determination of levels of evidence and/or strength of recommendations
A clinical application of the evidence
An appraisal of the outcome gained through the application of the evidence-based intervention

1Steves R, Hootman JM. Evidence-based medicine: What is it and how does it apply to athletic training. Journal of Athletic Training, 2004; 39(1)83-87.

EBP
The topic of EBP should address theoretic or practical aspects of EBP, EBP knowledge gaps or the application of topics relevant to EBP such as critical appraisal or statistical analysis. Programming in this category is intended to promote EBP within the profession by enhancing a clinician’s ability to find and evaluate evidence and apply it to their clinical practice. Diversity among topics is encouraged in order to provide appropriate content for all clinicians relative to their level of expertise with BP.

Other Possible Activities2

Post professional graduate of an NATA accredited AT graduate level program
Post professional graduate of a PhD/EdD program may qualify if dissertation has a narrow focus of athletic training

2Must have graduated within the certification maintenance period and must be able to provide an official transcript indicating as such.

Based on 2-year period (50 CEUs):

Minimum = 10

Maximum = 50

LEVEL I – Category A
Category A: Approved Competence Programs (currently known as Category A – Approved Provider Programs) will continue to be live events and home study courses that are from BOC Approved Providers.

New Category A Requirements (Begins 1/1/2014)	Current Category A Requirements (Ends 12/31/2013)
LEVEL I – Category A: Approved Competence Programs Based on 2-year period (50 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 40	Category A – Approved Provider Programs Based on 3-year period (75 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 75

LEVEL II – Categories B, C and D
Categories B and C have only minor modifications. The maximum number of CEUs allowed in Category D – Non-Approved Competence Programs will increase to 28 CEUs (based on 50 CEUs due).

New Category B, C and D Requirements (Begins 1/1/2014)	Current Category B, C and D Requirements (Ends 12/31/2013)
LEVEL II – Category B: Professional and Scholarly Activities Three changes from previous Category B: Remove EMT initial training (can be used in Category D) Remove BOC qualified examiner or model Add member of clinical research study team (10 CEUs/research project) Based on 2-year period (50 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 33	Category B – Professional Development Includes EMT initial Includes BOC qualified examiner or model Does not include member of clinical research study team Based on 3-year period (75 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 50
LEVEL II – Category C: Post-Certification College/University Coursework Two changes from previous Category C: Add accredited AT residency/fellowship (20 CEUs/year) Remove medical residency Based on 2-year period (50 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 40	Category C – Post-Certification College/University Coursework Does not include AT residency or fellowships Includes medical residency Based on 3-year period (75 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 75
LEVEL II – Category D: Non-Approved Competence Programs Two changes from previous Category D: Videos/DVDs/Audiotapes/Multimedia - independent verification (from an immediate supervisor that details title, length, date of activity and successful completion of an exam) The maximum number of CEUs allowed increased to 56% of the total CEUs due Based on 2-year period (50 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 28	Category D – Individualized Options Videos/DVDs/Audiotapes/Multimedia – receipt of purchase and independent verification (from an immediate supervisor that details title, length and date of activity) The maximum number of CEUs allowed is 27% of the total CEUs due Based on 3-year period (75 CEUs): Minimum = 0 Maximum = 20

Certification Statuses

The BOC has completed a nearly year-long review of various policies, procedures, guidelines and feedback from ATs. As a result, the nine current certification statuses that were established in 2006 were replaced by four simplified statuses. The BOC Professional Practice and Discipline Guidelines and Procedures were updated to reflect the following changes.

New Status (2012)	New Definition (2012)	Old Status (2006-2011)	What does this mean for you?
Certified	Certification is in good standing. Individuals may practice as authorized by the BOC.	Active	No change other than nomenclature
Expired	Certification is voluntarily resigned for reasons unrelated to disciplinary proceedings, or certification is forfeited due to non-compliance with BOC recertification fee and/or continuing education requirements. Individuals with an “Expired” status may not represent themselves as BOC Certified Athletic Trainers or use the “ATC” certification mark.	Administrative Suspension	No change other than nomenclature
		Delinquent	The “Delinquent” period will be eliminated. Once a CE or fee deadline passes, the individual’s status will be “Expired.” ATs that have CEUs due 12/31/11 and fail to report by the deadline will have a status of “Delinquent” until the status transition takes place prior to the end of first quarter 2012. Once the transition is complete, the individual’s status will be “Expired.”
		Inactive	The Inactive Status Policy will be eliminated. Individuals that are currently “Inactive” will be contacted and provided the option to reinstate by the end of 2011 or have their status changed to “Expired” in 2012. The BOC no longer accepts inactive status application.
		Resigned	ATs will be able to resign their certification by completing a resignation form in BOC Central™. The NATA will be notified when an AT resigns. The individual's status will be “Expired.”
		Revoked (prior to 2006 for non-disciplinary reasons)	Prior to 2006, ATs were revoked for administrative reasons. The status will be updated to “Expired” in 2012.
Suspended	Certification is not in good standing as a result of the imposition of a disciplinary action or the BOC Executive Director’s decision that there is cause to believe that a threat of immediate and irreparable injury to the health of the public exists. Individuals with a “Suspended” status may not represent themselves as BOC Certified Athletic Trainers or use the “ATC” certification mark.	Disciplinary Suspension	No change other than nomenclature
		Emergency Suspension	No change other than nomenclature
		Revoked (for disciplinary reasons)	Individuals that are currently “Revoked” will be changed to "Suspended" and provided the opportunity to petition for reinstatement. If the individual’s petition for reinstatement is denied twice, the individual's status will return to “Revoked.”
Revoked	Certification is permanently revoked after individual is “Suspended” and has two petitions for reinstatement denied. Individuals with a “Revoked” status may not represent themselves as BOC Certified Athletic Trainers or use the “ATC” certification mark.	not applicable	An individual who is “Suspended” will be provided the opportunity to petition for reinstatement upon the completion of their suspension period. If the petition for reinstatement is denied twice, the individual's status will be “Revoked.”

Individuals that previously had a status of Resigned, Inactive, Administrative Suspension or Revoked (prior to 2006) now have a status of Expired. The reinstatement process will remain the same. Due to the elimination of the Inactive status, the BOC no longer accepts inactive status applications.

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