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Exam References
Self-Assessment Exams
Sample Exam Questions
Exam Development & Scoring
Bulk Vouchers
Review of Exams & Appeal of Questions
The exam reference list represents the materials used to support the exam items, as determined by the subject matter experts of the BOC Exam Development Committee. Every item is referenced twice to ensure a consensus exists on each item.
Exam References 2022-2023
Online self-assessment exams are available to students preparing for the BOC exam or ATs seeking an assessment of their continuing education (CE) needs.
The BOC offers self-assessment exams in Study and Test modes. Each self-assessment exam includes 80 questions that are representative of the question types on the BOC exam, including multiple-choice, multi-select, drag-and-drop, hot spot and focused testlets.
Although the content areas of the self-assessment exams are comparable to those of the actual BOC exam, the questions included in the self-assessment exams will never appear on a future exam.
The self-assessment exams are available via the internet 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After purchasing a self-assessment exam voucher, you will have 365 days to start a self-assessment exam. Once a self-assessment exam has been started, you will have seven days to complete the self-assessment exam and 12 cumulative hours to view and answer questions within the self-assessment exam. When you are ready to take a self-assessment exam, simply create a BOC profile (or log into your existing account) and click Take Self-Assessment Exams. You will be prompted to fill out your self-assessment exam profile, and then you may begin purchasing vouchers to use on self-assessment exams.
Your performance on this self-assessment exam does not predict your performance on the certification exam.
The self-assessment exam items are copyrighted property of the BOC and may not be copied, reproduced, discussed or distributed in any manner. Unauthorized copying or distribution of any portion of these exams may be subject to civil liability for copyright infringement and disciplinary action pursuant to Code 3.9 of the "BOC Standards of Professional Practice."
If you have additional questions or experience technical difficulties with the self-assessment exam(s), please contact Credentialing Services at Exam@bocatc.org or (877) 262-3926.
Student SAE Tutorial (updated 2/9/2022)
Program Director SAE Tutorial (updated 2/9/2022)
In Study mode, you are provided with the correct answer and a reference by clicking on the "View Solution" link located on the bottom left-hand side of the screen for each question. Therefore, no final score is given and no report is available in Study Mode. This is due to the answer and reference being provided within each individual question.
After purchasing a self-assessment exam voucher, you will have 365 days to start a self-assessment exam. Once a self-assessment exam has been started, you will have seven days to complete the self-assessment exam and 12 cumulative hours to view and answer questions within the self-assessment exam.
The self-assessment exam items are copyrighted property of the BOC and may not be copied, reproduced or distributed in any manner. Unauthorized copying or distribution of any portion of these exams may be subject to civil liability for copyright infringement and disciplinary action pursuant to Code 3.9 of the "BOC Standards of Professional Practice."
NOTE: The questions within each version in Study mode are identical to the questions within the same version in Test mode.
Self-assessment exam voucher purchases are final. No refunds or exchanges will be given after purchase.
In Test mode, you will receive your score and brief descriptive report at the domain level immediately after you take a self-assessment exam.
You may edit the privacy settings on your self-assessment exam profile to determine if your program director has access to your results.
Candidates cannot re-enter the self-assessment exam once it has been submitted for scoring.
NOTE: The questions within each version in Test mode are identical to the questions within the same version in Study mode.
Sample Results Page
Bulk vouchers can be purchased at a discount. Program directors have the ability to assign vouchers to students directly within the system.
Single Voucher (Study or Test Mode)
Bulk Vouchers Pricing
10+ vouchers: 10% off
Order Vouchers
The BOC has prepared sample items that represent each exam question type to familiarize candidates with the look and feel of the computer interface and its navigation tools. You will not receive scores for the sample questions. If you have any questions, please contact the BOC at Exam@bocatc.org or (877) 262-3926.
The BOC recommends using the latest version of Chrome or Firefox. If you are currently running Internet Explorer 10 on Windows 8, then you must first switch to Desktop Mode before accessing any self-assessment exams.
Please note: You may need to load additional plug-ins (Java, Flash) and allow pop-ups.
The sample questions are a tool to familiarize you with how these questions will work and appear on the certification exam. This is not a study guide.
The sample questions are 25 multiple-choice, multi-select, drag-and-drop and hot spot as well as one focused testlet comprised of five questions that reference a common scenario. Make sure to utilize the help button located on the left menu.
View Sample Exam Questions
The purpose of the BOC certification program is to establish that individuals have the knowledge and skills necessary to perform tasks critical for the safe and competent practice as an entry-level Athletic Trainer through the exam and continuing competence requirements. The BOC Practice Analysis identifies essential knowledge and skills for the athletic training profession and serves as a blueprint for exam development and continuing competence programming.
By purchasing a document from the BOC Store, you indicate your understanding of the product being purchased. The PA is an electronic file that will be available for download immediately upon completion of online payment. Purchasers must download and save the file using the link provided on the order completion page, as the document will not be sent via email or mail.
Practice Analysis, 7th Edition (PA7)
Full Version: $14.95 (non-refundable)
Purchase PA7
BOC Exam: PA7 is effective for BOC exams beginning April 2017.
Certification Maintenance: PA7 is effective for continuing education beginning January 1, 2018.
Free PA7 Documents:
The accompanying PA7 documents are available for download at no cost:
Content Outline for PA7
Comparison of PA7 to RD/PA6
How to Use PA7
Crosswalk Comparing BOC Practice Analysis and CAATE 2020 Standards
BOC Exam: PA8 is effective for BOC exams beginning March/April 2023.
Comparison of PA8 to PA7
Questions for the certification exam are prepared by a committee made up of BOC Certified Athletic Trainers (ATs). Each question is validated by a panel of independent judges in item writing groups, referenced to current resources from the literature on or related to athletic training and repeatedly edited by ATs for clarity and content. Questions satisfy the exam specifications of the current BOC Practice Analysis.
Questions are developed to assess your knowledge on subject matter from the five domains of athletic training. Each question is also subjected to editing for grammar and technical adequacy by experts from the BOC's testing agency. Thus, content experts write the questions and validate their appropriateness for the exam, and experts in testing review the questions to ensure that the questions perform as intended.
The purpose of the BOC exam is to assess your knowledge in the five domains of athletic training as defined by the current BOC Practice Analysis:
Domain 1: Injury and Illness Prevention and Wellness Promotion
Domain 2: Examination, Assessment, and Diagnosis
Domain 3: Immediate and Emergency Response
Domain 4: Therapeutic Intervention
Domain 5: Health Care Administration and Professional Responsibility
The questions are written, validated and reviewed by a panel of content experts in coordination with psychometricians. Each question is referenced to at least two textbooks that can be found in the "BOC Exam References."
The BOC certification exam is an internet-based exam administered in secure and proctored professional testing centers. The exam contains a combination of 175 scored and unscored (experimental) items including:
Stand-Alone Items
multi-select
Focused Testlets
A focused testlet consists of a scenario followed by key/critical items related to that scenario
Each focused testlet may include multiple choice items and/or any of the previous types.
You will not know which questions are experimental.
Following login, you are presented with an entry screen in to the exam. You can select to view a demo or enter the exam. When you have completed the exam, you will submit it for scoring.
You have the ability to move forward or back throughout the entire exam.
You have a total of four hours to complete the exam.
Exams are scored by Meazure Learning, a professional testing service that specializes in certification and licensure exams.
Each form of the exam includes experimental items that do not count in scoring. Candidates are scored only on those items that have been aligned to the exam specifications of the current BOC Practice Analysis and validated for scoring. The exact point value for each question is determined as a function of the weight assigned to its content category as well as the number of questions in that content category. In addition, individual items cannot earn a negative point value. Items that ask for multiple correct answers (i.e., multi-select and drag-and-drop items) are eligible for partial credit. Scores will be reported on a scale from 200 to 800, and the minimum passing score for the exam is 500.
Exam results are posted in the candidate's BOC profile within two-four weeks from the last day of the exam window. Once exam results have been posted, candidates are sent an email with directions for accessing their electronic exam results.
Scores for candidates who are unsuccessful on the exam are reported on a scale from 200 to 800, and the minimum passing score for the exam is 500. Score reports include a basic descriptive report of domain level performance in comparison to a reference group of candidates receiving a passing score.
Candidates who pass the BOC exam will not receive an exam score on their exam result letter. Once the passing standard (score of 500) has been met, the score becomes irrelevant. The exam is designed to identify individuals who have met a specific threshold, therefore; it would be inappropriate to use an exam score to compare passing candidates (e.g., a candidate who scores a 600 is not necessarily more qualified or competent than a candidate who scores a 550 when the passing standard is 500).
Candidates who were successful on the BOC exam will see a status of "Certified" or "Certification Eligible" in their BOC profile. If a candidate's status is "Certification Eligible," use of the ATC® credential is strictly prohibited until a candidate's file is complete and the BOC has granted certification.
Candidates who were unsuccessful on the BOC exam will see a status of "Exam Eligible" in their BOC profile. The BOC recommends candidates register for the next exam window as soon as possible.
Passing Point
The passing point used for the BOC certification exam is a criterion-referenced approach called the Angoff Modified Technique. This technique is currently considered by testing professionals to be one of the most defensible criterion referenced methods available for setting passing points. It relies on the pooled judgments of content experts. For example, in this approach, a group of BOC Certified Athletic Trainers (judges) is asked to judge each item on the exam. The criterion used to judge each item is, "What is the probability that a minimally acceptable candidate will answer this item correctly?" This question prompts the judges to consider a group of minimally acceptable candidates and what proportion of that group will answer each item correctly.
The average of the proportions, or probabilities, is multiplied by the total number of questions on the exam. The result then represents the "minimally acceptable" score. The final passing point for the exam is based on this pooled judgment and the calculation of the standard error of the mean. Item analysis for each question and reliability indexes are also calculated for each section of the exam. Each new exam version is equated to the initial or anchor version to ensure that candidates are not rewarded or penalized for taking different versions of the exam.
The exam score is confidential and will not be disclosed to anyone other than the candidate who has taken the exam unless the BOC receives a written request to do so from a candidate or is directed to do so by subpoena or court order. A candidate wanting scores released to another entity must indicate in writing which particular scores may be disclosed and identify specifically the person or organization to which the scores should be revealed.
For security reasons, exam material is not available for review. Candidates who have comments about an exam question should mail their comments to:
Omaha NE 68102
When item writing committees meet to revise the exam, they will have available to them information provided by candidates. The BOC, however, will not respond to comments individually.
BOC Exam Style Guide
The style guide was developed to assist BOC item writers and other stakeholder.
Item Analysis Explanation
This statistics primer summarizes the qualifying criteria for an exam item.
BOC Practice Analysis & 5th Edition Competencies Crosswalk
The crosswalk analysis serves to illustrate that the content for the BOC exam is incorporated into accredited athletic training programs.
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