BOC-SPRAT Board of Certification for Sports Rehabilitation & Athletic Therapy

What BOC-SPRAT Board of Certification for Sports Rehabilitation & Athletic Therapy does

The Board of Certification, Inc. (BOC) is a private, non-profit credentialing organization founded in 1969 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. BOC administers the only NCCA-accredited certification program for Athletic Trainers (ATs) in the United States, with its exam recognized by 49 states and the District of Columbia. The organization certifies an estimated 45,000-55,000 practicing ATs across secondary schools, colleges, professional sports, physician practices, hospitals, occupational health, and military settings, and supports their full professional lifecycle from candidate eligibility through annual renewal.

BOC's core product is the BOC Certification Exam, a 175-item internet-based assessment delivered at proctored testing centers and covering five domains: Risk Reduction/Wellness/Health Literacy, Assessment/Evaluation/Diagnosis, Critical Incident Management, Therapeutic Intervention, and Health Administration/Professional Responsibility. Supporting infrastructure includes the BOC360 credential management platform, the Pathfinder interactive professional development platform powering CPC Renewal, the Sync-CE automated continuing education data exchange with NATA, and the public Disciplinary Action Exchange (DAE) registry. Specialty offerings include the Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedics (BCS-O) credential, while the AT Compact extends multi-state practice privileges across seven enacted jurisdictions.

BOC's revenue model is anchored to recurring annual certification renewal fees ($50 for NATA members, $65 for non-members), supplemented by initial exam and reinstatement fees, certification verification fees ($30 per request), self-assessment exam vouchers, advertising and mailing list services, content products (Practice Analysis, CAMs, Quality Improvement Projects), and microcredentials. The organization operates with 11-50 employees and maintains core partnerships with NATA, CAATE, and the AT Compact Commission to sustain the credentialing ecosystem.

Name

BOC-SPRAT Board of Certification for Sports Rehabilitation & Athletic Therapy

Legal name

Board of Certification, Inc.

Website

https://bocatc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Board of Certification (BOC) is the sole NCCA-accredited certification body for Athletic Trainers in the United States, recognized by 49 states and DC. It administers the ATC certification exam, BOC360 credential management platform, CPC Renewal with Pathfinder, specialty credentials, and the AT Compact, serving an estimated 45,000-55,000 practicing Athletic Trainers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Healthcare Licensing, Accreditation & Credentialing Boards (HLAJACAC)

Keywords

• Professional certification services
• Athletic trainer credentialing
• Continuing education administration
• Professional licensing verification
• Specialty certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification and Renewal Fees: Annual certification renewal fees provide the primary revenue stream. NATA members pay $50 annually; non-NATA members pay $65 annually. Late fees of $20 apply for late renewals. The fee supports administrative, disciplinary, regulatory, and professional development activities required to retain NCCA accreditation.
2. Self-Assessment Exam Vouchers: Online self-assessment exam vouchers are sold for $35 each for individual purchase. Bulk discounts are available: 10+ vouchers receive 10% off; 15+ vouchers receive 15% off. Vouchers are valid for 365 days after purchase.
3. Continuing Education Administration: BOC administers and approves continuing education providers and programs. The organization maintains the Activity Directory for finding BOC Approved Providers. A $25 processing fee applies for paper CE reporting submissions.
4. Certification Verification Services: Official verification of AT certification status is processed for $30 per verification request. Verification is sent directly to state regulatory agencies or employers.
5. Advertising and Mailing List Services: BOC offers advertising opportunities including email blast services, mailing list leasing, 'Cert Update' newsletter advertising, and website advertising. Lists can be segmented by district, state, postal code, professional setting, or custom criteria.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Board of Certification (BOC) is a non-profit certification body that delivers the NCCA-accredited certification exam for Athletic Trainers, administers ongoing credential renewal (CPC Renewal and Legacy Renewal), issues specialty credentials such as the Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedics (BCS-O), and operates digital platforms (BOC360, Pathfinder, Sync-CE) for credential management, continuing education reporting, and verification. Its certification is recognized by all 49 states and the District of Columbia that regulate athletic training practice.

Product overview

The Board of Certification (BOC) is the sole accredited certification program for Athletic Trainers in the United States. The organization operates as a certification and standards body providing multiple interconnected credentialing products: the core BOC Certification Exam for initial credentialing, BOC360 as the central credentialing management portal, CPC Renewal and Legacy Renewal as the two certification maintenance pathways (with Pathfinder as the interactive CPC platform), Orthopedic Specialty Certification (BCS-O) as a specialty credential, and Self-Assessment Exams and Practice Analysis as exam preparation resources. Continuing education is supported through Category A-D CEU options, Quality Improvement Projects, Competence Assessment Modules (CAMs), and the NATA-BOC Microcredential. The AT Compact enables interstate practice, while the Disciplinary Action Exchange provides public access to disciplinary records. Supporting services include certification verification, mailing list services, and the Cert Update newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pathfinder: Interactive professional development platform that helps Athletic Trainers map out their growth through personalized dashboards, goal setting, and learning opportunities.
• Sync-CE
• BCS-O (Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedics)
• Cert Update
• Disciplinary Action Exchange (DAE)

Products and services

• BOC Certification Exam Internet-based certification exam containing 175 scored and unscored items across five domains (Risk Reduction/Wellness/Health Literacy; Assessment/Evaluation/Diagnosis; Critical Incident Management; Therapeutic Intervention; Health Administration/Professional Responsibility), administered at proctored professional testing centers for candidates from CAATE-accredited programs.
• Continuing Professional Certification (CPC) Renewal Ongoing individualized certification renewal program that ensures continued competence for Athletic Trainers through the Pathfinder interactive platform, goal setting, evidence-based challenge questions, and continuing education completion.
• Legacy Renewal

Quantifiable outcome

• Studies demonstrate that for each $1 invested in preventive care from an Athletic Trainer, there is up to a $7 return on investment.

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOC works closely with NATA to elevate the perception of Athletic Trainers and advocate for the profession. NATA membership discount on BOC certification maintenance fee ($50 vs $65 annually). NATA and BOC jointly developed the Secondary School Mental Health Preparedness Microcredential. NATA-Cast podcast collaboration features BOC leadership discussing certification topics. Sync-CE platform enables automatic CE data transfer from NATA to BOC profiles.
• NATA FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOC shares information with NATA Foundation to assist with education, research, and fundraising initiatives. Collaboration supports athletic training education and research advancement.
• Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAATE is the accrediting body for athletic training education programs. BOC shares candidate exam pass-fail records with program directors to assist CAATE in monitoring accredited program's compliance with accreditation standards. CAATE accreditation required for BOC exam eligibility. Crosswalk documents compare BOC Practice Analysis to CAATE 2020 Standards.
• AT Compact (Interstate Compact)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-state agreement enabling Athletic Trainers to practice across state lines. 7 states enacted legislation (Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, South Dakota, Virginia) - minimum threshold reached. Commission will be formed to create rules and implement data system for compact privilege applications. Operationalization expected 18-24 months.
• International ECC ProvidersminorOthersBOC accepts ECC certifications from multiple international providers including American Heart Association affiliates, Red Cross societies (Canadian, Australian, German, Japanese), Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Ireland), Heart & Stroke (Canada), Australia Wide First Aid, and SEMICYUC (Spain).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA): Non-profit credentialing body for CRNAs that issues initial certification plus CPC Program (Continuing Professional Certification) recertification — structurally very similar to BOC's CPC Renewal powered by Pathfinder. Comparable scope-of-practice regulatory moat and specialty credential lineup.
• National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC): Independent non-profit credentialing body that administers NCCA-accredited exams and credentials for respiratory therapists. Closest analog to BOC: same regulatory moat (state licensure linkage), same recurring renewal model, and similar product suite (entry-level exam + specialty credentials + continuing competency).
• National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT): National certification body for EMTs and Paramedics whose credential is required by most states for practice. Closest peer to BOC in terms of operating geography (US-wide state recognition), revenue model (exam + biennial recertification), and stakeholder ecosystem (state agencies, training programs).
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB): Non-profit credentialing organization for pharmacy technicians offering NCCA-accredited CPhT certification plus specialty credentials (CSPT, CPhT-Adv). Comparable size, governance, and product architecture to BOC, including employer verification services.
• American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): Certifies and registers radiologic technologists with state-recognized credentials and structured CE requirements. Mirrors BOC's GTM (must-have credential for practice), revenue mix (annual renewal + exam fees + specialty credentials), and continuing competency framework.

Emerging players

• Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE): Accreditor for AT education programs; sits upstream of BOC since CAATE accreditation is a prerequisite for BOC exam eligibility. Sister organization within the AT ecosystem with shared data flows (exam pass-fail records, crosswalk documents).

Others

• National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA): Accreditor of certification programs and the body that grants BOC its NCCA accreditation. Functions as an ecosystem-level standards setter — not a competitor, but a critical dependency that defines the technical bar BOC must maintain to retain its regulatory moat.

Broad incumbents

• American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS): Umbrella organization for 24 physician specialty boards (e.g., orthopedics). Relevant as the gold-standard model of layered specialty credentialing — the BCS-O specialty certification for ATs follows the same continuing-certification pattern ABMS member boards deploy for physicians.
• National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA): Largest professional membership association for Athletic Trainers. Strategic partner to BOC (NATA membership discount on renewals, joint microcredentials, Sync-CE integration) and the de facto labor-market gatekeeper, but not a credentialing competitor.
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) / NCLEX: Administers the NCLEX nursing licensure exam used across all US states. Larger, multi-product credentialing body with similar state-recognition model; useful benchmark for AT Compact-style multi-jurisdiction governance and platform scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bocatc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/bocatc
• Facebookfacebook.com/bocatc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bocatc
• Instagraminstagram.com/bocatc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BOC-SPRAT Board of Certification for Sports Rehabilitation & Athletic Therapy