Essentials for Crushing the BOC Exam

You can almost feel it.

The clock is ticking. Someone coughs on the other side of the room. Out of the corner of your eye, the guy next to you seems to be fidgeting non-stop. The exam proctor slowly paces up and down each row, carefully scrutinizing you and your fellow students.

This is game day. This is the Board of Certification exam.

The BOC is the last major hurdle you have to clear before beginning your practice as an AT. This exam is a beast, and the pressure to perform doesn’t help.

You’ve studied for years. You know the material. You’ve worked through your clinicals and answered every question your CI put to you. You’ve studied, worked, sweated, and prayed that this day would go well.

So why is it still so hard?

The BOC is a 175-question exam that encompasses all of the entry-level material required to practice athletic training in the United States. The BOC works hard to make sure that each content area is tested fairly, accurately, and proportionately.

Answering questions can be a real challenge. Not only do you have to know the textbook information, but you also have to apply this information in a novel clinical scenario.