How to Use the BOC Practice Analysis as a Resource

The BOC Practice Analysis (PA) identifies essential knowledge and skills entry-level Athletic Trainers (ATs) possess within defined domains and tasks. In addition to being the blueprint and guide for the BOC exam, the practice analysis is a great resource that has many other useful applications, integrating into many facets of the athletic training profession.

Listed below are examples of how different audiences can effectively use the full practice analysis and accompanying content outline.

CANDIDATES

• Develop and narrow an exam preparation plan.
  • The PA defines that exam questions have a weighted distribution across all five domains of athletic training. For example: combined, domains two and four of the PA make up over half of the questions presented during the BOC exam, so focusing part of a candidate’s exam preparation on domains two and four could be beneficial.
  • The full version of the PA includes “knowledge of” and “skill in” statements for each task statement.As candidates navigate the PA, they can identify which statements they are strong or weak in subjectively (or objectively using the SAE exams).By understanding this information, a candidate’s study plan could incorporate strategies to fill gaps and address weak areas. For example: A candidate may identify that they are lacking knowledge of “environmental conditions that pose risk (e.g. heat).” Candidates could fill this knowledge gap by scheduling time to review heat-related illnesses.
• Develop an athletic training education curriculum (in conjunction with the CAATE curricular content (standards).
  • The PA serves as the validated basis of knowledge and skills for an entry-level AT and is the blueprint for the BOC AT certification exam. CAATE curricular content (standards) defines the educational content that is expected of students within an accredited athletic training program. Although these are two distinct documents, both hold a major role in the preparation and evaluation of entry-level ATs.

PROGRAM DIRECTORS/ FACULTY/ PRECEPTORS

• Guide candidates to use the PA as described above.
• Support the AT scope of practice (in conjunction with a state’s practice act).
  • The PA outlines the knowledge and skills by which entry-level ATs have been evaluated.

ATHLETIC TRAINERS

• Identify possible gaps in their athletic training knowledge and skills.
• Promote the profession of athletic training by highlighting the knowledge and skills possessed by ATs.
• Determine the knowledge and skills entry-level ATs have acquired through education and certification exam for the purpose of writing state and federal legislation.

CE PROVIDERS

• Develop targeted CE activities for ATs to maintain continued competence.

EMPLOYERS

• Support the AT scope of practice (in conjunction with a state’s practice act).
  • The PA outlines the knowledge and skills by which entry-level ATs have been evaluated.

STATE REGULATORS/STATE ASSOCIATIONS/LEGISLATORS

• Determine the knowledge and skills entry-level ATs have acquired through education and certification exam for the purpose of writing state and federal legislation.

GET YOUR COPY OF THE PA8

“BOC Practice Analysis, 8^th Edition” (PA8), which is effective for BOC exams beginning March/April 2023 and effective for certification maintenance beginning Jan. 1, 2024, was recently released. PA8 can be purchased for on the BOC website. PA8 includes the report of findings and contains the initial development and evaluation, validation study, validation of the domains and tasks, domain ratings, reliability analysis for domains and task, knowledge and skill statements and more.

The accompanying “Content Outline for PA8” provides domain and task level information only and is available at no charge. It can be downloaded on the BOC website.

“BOC Practice Analysis, 7^th Edition” and “Content Outline for PA7” are available on the BOC website is effective for BOC exams from May/June 2017- February 2023 and effective for certification maintenance January 2018 – December 2023.