Quick Links Menu Exam Candidates--BOC Exam Preparation and Analysis Program Directors--ATEP Assessment Workshop Format Registration Fees and Discounts Lodging and Meals Workshop Dates and Locations Links to NATA BOC Workshop Coordinators CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION This file is in .pdf format.  If you need a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, click here

Who should attend ACES Preparatory Workshop?
     If you plan to take the Board of Certification (BOC) exam for athletic training certification within the next nine months, this workshop could be your ticket to successfully completing the exam. Prior to attending the ACES Preparatory Workshop, you should have completed the required academic course work (or currently enrolled).

     An experienced staff of professional educators offer a weekend-long workshop designed to identify an athletic training student's specific strong and weak areas. Each domain of the BOC Role Delineation Study, 5th Edition--the "blueprint" for the BOC exam--will be closely investigated, with review of the most recent changes. Various resources (textbooks, videos, etc.) will be available for the participants to utilize for studying throughout the workshop. Every participant will leave the workshop with an individualized action plan to enhance their preparation for the BOC certification exam. With this knowledge, the student may properly prepare in the most efficient manner by focusing their efforts toward the appropriate areas. <>

How will the ACES Workshop change with regards to the new BOC exam format?


     As in the past, the primary goals of the ACES workshops were to help students focus on areas of weakness and to develop a “Study Plan of Action” as they prepare for the BOC exam.  We believe that, even with the changes to the BOC exam, students attending our workshops will still have a positive experience and are better prepared going into the exam.

 

     The ACES staff is working hard to update all materials used in our workshops.  We take great pride in presenting accurate and current information.  In the past eleven years, we have been able to design the workshop to allow students to mimic the BOC exam in two of the three testing areas.  However, with the move to a single exam in June of 2007, it will be very difficult for the ACES workshops to simulate exactly the new Computer Base Test developed by the BOC.  As the BOC website is updated, the 6^th edition of the Role Delineation Study is published, and a complete transition to the Computer Base Exam, the ACES staff will continue to update and revise all workshop materials.

 

     Over the next year, we plan to embed simulated-type questions into our presentation and require students to bring laptop computers with them to the workshops.  By having students use laptops, testing will move away from a pencil and paper exam to a linear type Computer-Base Test.  The difficulty is not in the delivering of the presentation, but in allowing students to mimic the Computer-Based Test.   The “Hybrid Type” questions that the BOC is planning to use are next to impossible for our Workshops to duplicate due to hardware and software restraints. 

 

ACES Preparatory Workshop Sessions Entail:
• Test Taking Strategies
• Multiple Choice
• Hybrid
  
• Mock Multiple Choice Exams
• Individual Study with Selected Textbooks and other Resources


Upon Completion of the ACES Preparatory Workshop, the Student Will:

• Possess a firm understanding of the various components of the BOC certification exam
• Be aware of their strong and weak areas
• Possess an awareness of the specific areas to concentrate on for further preparation
• Be familiar with various resources to utilize when preparing for the certification exam
• Have an individualized plan of action to enhance their exam preparation

Identifying Your Students' Strengths and Weaknesses
     The majority of our participants come from accredited programs.  In fact, several programs use the ACES Preparatory Workshop as an external evaluation of their curricula.  If an institution sends 4 or more students to a workshop, we will send a report back to the program director that identifies the group's strengths and weaknesses based on the Role Delineation Study.  In this way, program directors can find out which topics they cover well and which topics might need further instruction in order to best prepare the students.  Therefore, the ACES Preparartory Workshop can benefit the supervising athletic trainer, as well as the athletic training students who he or she supervises.

Hosting an ACES Preparatory Workshop
     If you are interested in hosting an ACES Preparatory Workshop at your institution, please email Steve Cole at slcole@wm.edu to inquire about site requirements and possible dates and download the site requirements by clicking here:

Host Site Requirements

Day One (5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.)

• Registration
• Introduction: Review of Goals and Objectives
• Lecture:
• Understanding the testing process, question selection, and the BOC Role Delineation Study, Fifth Edition
• Test taking strategies - Written Exam
• Take Mock Written Exam A
• Help Session:
• Resource library

Morning Session(8:30 a.m. to 12:30 noon)

• Review of Mock Written Exam A, with reference to specific tasks within the BOC Role Delineation Study, Fifth Edition

Lunch (12:30 noon to 1:30 p.m.) Provided on site

Afternoon Session(1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.)

• Lecture
• Test taking strategies - Understanding the Hybrid Format
  
• Test taking strategies - Hybrid question types
  
• Take Mock Written Exam B

• Preparing for the Exam
• The Application Process
• Testing Accomodations for Persons with disabilities
• Delaing with "The Day"
• Review Mock Written Exam B Results
• Development of Individualized Plan of Action
• Focus on Specific Needs
• Identify Study Aids and Resources
• Wrap-up and Evaluation

Registration Fee
The cost for the ACES Preparatory Workshop is $185.00 (not including lodging). A $50.00 non-refundable deposit is required with the application and will be applied to the registration fee. Packets with additional information will be sent to you upon receipt of your application and deposit.

Early Registration Discount
If one person signs up for a workshop at least three (3) weeks prior to the scheduled workshop, the cost will be reduced to $165.00.

Cancellation Policy
ACES is not responsible if a workshop is cancelled due weather conditions. 

Accommodations
     Discounted rooms at a local hotel are blocked at each workshop site. Participants make reservations directly with the hotel. Confirmation emails with additional information will be sent upon receipt of application and payment.

Meals
     Lunch is provided on the second day as part of the workshop.  Efforts are made to book a hotel that provides breakfast.

Board of Certification (BOC)

     Follow the link above to the BOC web page for invaluable information regarding the certification exam including test dates and sites, application procedures, and travel information to test locations.

Role Delineation Study

     Follow the link above to order a copy of the The BOC Role Delineation Study, Fifth Edition which defines the current entry-level knowledge, skills, and abilities required for practice in the profession of athletic training and serves as the "blueprint" for the BOC Certification Exam.

Practical Exam Preparation Guide of Clinical Skills for Athletic Training

     This text, written by ACES Workshop Coordinators Herb Amato and Steve Cole, is a resource to help athletic training students practice psychomotor skills.  For athletic training educators, this book breaks down clinical skills into their component parts to help evaluate proficiency.

Herbert K. Amato, DA, ATC Associate Dean, University Studies James Madison University  Harrisonburg, VA E-mail: amatohk@jmu.edu	Steven L. Cole, MEd, ATC, CSCS  Director of Sports Medicine  College of William and Mary  Williamsburg, VA  E-mail: slcole@wm.edu