Transcript Strategies for Preparing and Passing the NATABOC Examination

Current Perspective on the
BOC Certification
Examination
Dr. Jason Bennett, DA, ATC
[email protected]
Dr. Ky Kugler, EdD, ATC
[email protected]
Objectives
• Understand the transition of the BOC
exam from the current version to the
Computer Based Exam (CBE) version
• Understand the current format of the BOC
exam and techniques for preparing for the
exam
• Understand specific test-taking strategies
to demonstrate your true knowledge of
athletic training
Take Home Message
• Have confidence
– Your ATEPs have provided much more detail
in each domain of athletic training than the
BOC certification exam will test you on
– You have actually been studying for this exam
for the past 2-3 years in your ATEP
Transition to Computer Exam
• BOC is in the process of
transitioning delivery of the
current BOC exam to a
computer based exam
(CBE)
• A single exam to assess
cognitive skills, clinical
decision making and
practical skill applications as
outlined in the BOC Role
Delineation Study
Computer-Based Exam
• What will stay the same?
– It will still be a test of your
comprehension and critical
thinking of ATHLETIC
TRAINING knowledge and skills
– Based on the most current Role
Delineation Study and the
domains of athletic training
– Sample test online to become
familiar with the testing format
Computer-Based Exam
• What will be different?
– One exam without specific parts (i.e., written,
practical, written simulation)
– Decreased travel cost and travel time for
candidates
– Scheduling flexibility — the candidate
chooses their exam date within the prescribed
“testing window”
– Allowing international candidates to take the
exam in their home nation
FAQ of CBE
1. When will the CBE be administered?
– Unknown at this time. Original date was April, 2007
2. How do you measure if someone can tape an
ankle correctly with a CBE?
– New exam format will allow the BOC to assess the
candidate’s application of the knowledge and skill
required of them as entry-level practitioners (e.g.,
critical decision making).
– Responsibility of PD of accredited program
3. How is the practical exam going to be
integrated into the CBE?
– It’s not, the CBE version is more focused on critical
thinking and the examinee knowing the meaning of
specific skills.
FAQ of CBE
4. Can I re-take any part of the exam or will
it be only pass/fail?
– Pass/fail. Report shows passing point and
your score. No parts of the exam.
5. What happens if I fail a part of the exam
this upcoming year and then the exam
changes?
– There will be a specific transition date; if you
haven’t passed the exam by transition date,
then need to take CBE
FAQ of CBE
6. When will students be eligible to take the
exam?
– Eligibility requirements will stay the same.
Goal is to have more examination
opportunities earlier in the year.
7. What will be the time restriction in taking
the examination?
– There will be but not known right now until
final form is made
FAQ on CBE
8. Costs to take the exam going to change
– Board is trying to maintain the costs of the
exam, but not sure at this time - it may go up
a small amount
– Cost to re-take the exam will be the same as
the 1st time taking the exam
9. When will I know my results of the CBE?
– When test taking window is done, 1 week
later results will be posted online
10.How many times can you take the exam
– No limit at this time
Staying up to date
• There should be no surprises!
• BOC will communication changes with:
–
–
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Interactive Web casts (currently online)
Frequent updates on the BOC web site
Email: e-blasts
Direct Mailings
Meeting Presentations
Virtual meetings and conference calls with program
directors
– Sample exam items available via BOC web site in
computer delivery format
– Beta testing by Program Directors
Final Transition Time
• Once information has been shared with all
current and potential candidates, the BOC
will begin the process of delivering part of
the exam via computer
• BOC will follow the same process as when
they added the written simulation items to
the exam
– Candidates will take the new exam format in
combination with the current exam to
determine the reliability and validity of the
CBE
Current BOC Examination
Ethical Behavior with the Exam
• Soliciting questions from candidates who
have previously taken the examination is
unethical for several reasons:
– Candidates are expected to pass the exams
based on their own merit without assistance.
– The purpose of the BOC exam is to protect
the public by ensuring that candidates for
certification have achieved entry-level
competence.
Exam Description
•
Developed to assess the
candidate’s knowledge on
subject matter from the six
domains of athletic training:
1. Prevention
2. Clinical Evaluation and
Diagnosis
3. Immediate Care
4. Treatment, Rehabilitation
and Reconditioning
5. Organization and
Administration
6. Professional Responsibility
Written Exam
Key Points
• Review what you have (notes, quizzes,
exams, and homework) from your courses
• Better to be good at every domain than
excellent at a few domains
Number of Items
Number of Examination
Items per Domain
1.
2.
3.
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
34
32
33
23
15
13
Domain I Domain II Domain III Domain IV Domain V Domain VI
4. Treatment, Rehabilitation
Prevention
and Reconditioning
Clinical Evaluation &
5. Organization and
Diagnosis
Administration
Acute Care
6. Professional Responsibility
NATABOC 2006 Textbook List
• All items must have at least two verifiable
references
• List available on BOC website
BOC Self Assessment Exam
• We STRONGLY suggest you take the selfassessment exam online:
http://www.bocatc.org/becomeatc/SELF/
– Cost = $27.00
• Advantages:
– Content experts who develop the BOC Certification
Examination wrote the questions in this selfassessment examination
– Receive a report that is broken down by domains.
Written Preparation
1. Take online self-assessment from BOC
2. Take several multiple-choice tests from
study guides
3. Review your notes/homework/exams
•
•
•
Make a plan (be realistic)
Review 10-15 minutes a day for 3-4
days/week is better than 1 hour on
Saturday morning
Practice/Apply what you study
Practical Exam
Practical Exam
• The purpose of the practical examination
is to evaluate a candidate’s psychomotor
skills.
• These skills have been defined as being
necessary for competent entry-level
practice.
Practical Exam Set-up
• Exam model escorts
you to exam room
• Room Set-Up
– Two examiners
– One model
– Table with athletic
training supplies
Practical Exam Administration
• After you enter the room the examiners
will ask you to sit for a couple of minutes
while they record some information on the
answer sheets.
– Use this time to your advantage:
• Take deep breaths – TRY to relax
• Look across room at supply table
• Examiners will then ask you to follow
along with their instruction from the
candidate booklet
Practical Exam Administration
• Examiners will also use a tape recorder
– The tape recorder is there to record the
examiners, and is not used to score your
exam
• Demographic and site information is
recorded
Practical Exam Preparation
• Understand the terms used by the
examiners.
Demonstrate means
“perform the task”.
• It does not mean “discuss the task”
• General Rule: Unless you are asked to
Interpret a Positive Test, there is no need
to speak during the practical exam.
Practical Scoring
• You are scored only on your first
performance
• Timing begins with the candidate’s
response or twenty seconds after the
examiner completes the reading of the
instructions.
• The candidate may ask to have the
question re-read one time.
Practical Scoring
• Each task within a problem is weighted
according to its importance, criticality and
relevance to that specific problem
– Each task within a problem may not be worth the
same amount
• A task statement may also be a “disqualifier”
– A “disqualifier” is a task that has been identified as
critical to the proper performance of a skill. Failure to
perform this task has the potential for serious harm to
the athlete/patient/client
Example Practical Question
•
With the athlete prone, perform a concentric
manual muscle test of the model’s biceps
femoris. Please do not perform a break test.
You have 1 minute to complete this skill.
–
Example examiner form:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Positioned patient prone
Positioned patient’s lower leg in external rotation
One hand stabilized mid-thigh
One hand applied resistance at distal lower leg
Resisted model’s knee flexion through entire range of
motion
Practical Exam Preparation
• Review clinical proficiencies
– There are many more Clinical Proficiencies that you
have demonstrated in your ATEPs than you will see
on the exam
• The skills you must demonstrate on the exam
are hopefully skills you have done to a patient
during your clinical rotation experiences
• For example:
– General Medical Skills
•
•
•
•
•
Blood pressure, pulse, respiration, etc.
Taking a temperature
Use of a stethoscope for heart, lung, bowel sounds
Ability to palpate for abdominal rigidity
Etc.
Practical Exam Preparation
• Perform tasks
– Perform tasks on a real patient in your clinical rotation
– Videotape yourself to see how you are actually
performing skills
• Things to remember for the Practical Exam
– Relax, don’t rush, you have plenty of time to finish
each skill.
– You are reading the practical question as the
examiners state it out loud
– 20 seconds is a LONG time
– Ask the examiners to repeat the question if necessary
Written Simulation
Purpose of Written Simulation
• To assess candidates’ ability in decision
making and solving problems similar to
those frequently encountered by athletic
trainers in real-life situations.
• You will have two booklets and a latentimage (“magic”) pen
– Question booklet
– Answer booklet
Written Simulation Description
• The question booklet contains 8 problems
• Each problem has:
– An introduction with a description of the
circumstances which proceeds to other sections
– The average number of sections per problem is 5
– The average number of total items
(actions/decisions for candidates to consider) per
problem based on the current question bank is 73
items per question, with a range of 62-109.
• Answer Booklet
– Use latent image pen to “reveal” answers
Exam Development - Sim
• Each section has scrambled responses,
so no sequence can be established (read
all responses first before highlighting
any responses)
• Each section provides you information
that is needed for the next section
Written Simulation Example
• See Written Simulation PowerPoint from
BOC website
– http://www.bocatc.org/becomeatc/EXAMDEV/
Written Simulation Keys
• Key Reminders:
– Read all items in a section before highlighting any
responses
– Do not look in advance at a section
– Do not return to a previous section and add any
responses (only increases the chance for neutral,
contraindicated, and clearly contraindicated)
– Don’t get “pen happy”
– Make small mark in question book for those you feel
are appropriate
– Be careful in making marks in answer book
Written Simulation Preparation
• Various study-guide
textbooks have practice
written simulation:
– Kleiner, D. (2001). Study Guide
for the NATA Board of
Certification Inc. Entry-Level
Athletic Trainer Certification
Examination, 3rd Ed. F.A. Davis.
$39.95
– Van Ost, et al. (2003). Athletic
Training Exam Review: A Student
Guide to Success. Slack, Inc.
$26.95
Top 10 Mistakes for BOC exam
10. Studying the morning of the test
9. Not having directions to the test site
8. Skipping ahead or going back in
written simulation
7. Not listening to the practical
questions
6. Not having confidence in what you
do know
Top 10 Mistakes for BOC exam
5. Trying to “cram” for the exam
4. Not reading candidate booklet before
attending the exam
3. Hope to pass 1 or 2 parts of the exam
2. Stressing over practical while still
taking the written
1. Not taking the self-assessment exam
from the BOC
Take Home Message
• Have Confidence
References
• Board of Certification-MATS (2005). BOC
Webcasts on Exam Redesign. Retrieved April, 2006 from
http://www.bocatc.org/resources/ EXREDESIGN/
• Board of Certification (2006). BOC Online Self Assessment.
Retrieved April, 2006 from http://www.bocatc.org/BecomeATC/SELF/
• Board of Certification (2006)