2024 BOC Approved Provider Annual Report Highlights

Each year, BOC Approved Providers demonstrate their dedication to high-quality continuing education that supports the evolving needs of Athletic Trainers. In the most recent BOC Approved Provider Annual Report, providers across the country shared how they’re innovating, adapting and improving programs to meet learners’ needs, maintaining compliance and delivering impact. Here’s what we learned from the results and how it can help you.

Six hundred-fourteen BOC Approved Providers reported administering continuing education activities in 2024.

What’s Changing in CE?
Top trends across Standards 1–6 and Summations

Standard 1 | Development and Structure

1. Shift to Active Learning & Hands-On Engagement

Description: Programs increasingly incorporate workshops, labs, simulations and practical exercises to support skill application and critical thinking.

2. Enhanced Focus on Practice Gaps & Needs Assessment

Description: Providers adopted formal processes such as surveys, committee reviews and self-inventories to identify knowledge/skill gaps and tailor programs accordingly.

3. Emphasis on Critical Thinking and Competency-Based Objectives

Description: Programs moved beyond knowledge recall to focus on competence, performance and critical reasoning, often using Bloom’s Taxonomy to frame objectives.

Additional noteworthy themes:

4. Hybrid & Flexible Delivery Models
5. Data-Driven Program Iteration
6. Improved Instructional Design and Support for Presenters
7. Greater Inclusion of Interdisciplinary & Soft Skill Content

“The program was designed to revalidate and advance clinical knowledge while focusing on skills through hands-on interactive learning.”

Noted Challenge: Some providers noted difficulty in developing clear, competency-based learning objectives that extend beyond knowledge and recall.

Tip: Focus on writing learning objectives that help learners use the information to make meaningful changes in their practice. Learning objectives should move learners from knowing to doing, encouraging a clear commitment to change.

Standard 2 | Assessment

1. Shift to Competency-Based Assessment

Description: Providers are moving from multiple-choice quizzes to competency-based assessments that test real-world application.

2. Improved Alignment of Assessments with Learning Objectives

Description: Providers developed assessment questions to better align with the learning objectives to ensure understanding and competence.

3. Introduction of Pre/Post Tests or Knowledge Quizzes

Description: Many providers incorporated pre/post-tests to measure knowledge gain and track learning outcomes more meaningfully.

Additional noteworthy themes:

4. Use of Digital Tools and Automation
5. Use of Immediate Feedback
6. Integration of Case-Based and Real-World Scenario Assessments

“We now use clinical scenarios with feedback rather than quizzes to measure true knowledge transfer.”

Noted Challenge: Some responses from providers leaned more toward programmatic evaluations rather than learning assessments.  Note, programmatic evaluations focus on organizational and delivery aspects of an activity, whereas learning assessments focus on learners progress.

Tip: Align learning assessments directly with learning objectives and offer pre/post-tests to show learning gains.

Standard 3 | Facilities and Faculty

1. Revised Faculty Selection Based on Subject Matter Expertise

Description: Faculty selection was based on recent subject matter expertise and focused on recent evidence-based practice or published research.

2. Facility Upgrades for Enhanced Technology and Accessibility

Description: Providers scoped out upgraded facilities to include new technology to support hybrid and in-person learning. These facilities were often equipped with audiovisual systems, microphones and projectors.

3. Added New Faculty to Expand Perspective or Expertise

Description: Providers added subject matter experts to address learning gaps and interdisciplinary care. Some providers added faculty resources that included guidelines, tech tips and content best practices to improve teaching quality.

Additional noteworthy themes:

4. Dedicated Hands-On or Simulation Spaces
5. Platform or LMS Upgrades to Support Virtual Learning
6. Improved Faculty Vetting and Onboarding

“We moved to a more tech-friendly space and trained speakers on accessibility and bias.”

Noted Challenge: Some providers reported a lack of interaction between the attendees and presenters. Also, sometimes faculty members viewed as experts showed occasional gaps in their understanding of aspects of the topic.

Tip: Include diverse voices and consider how instructional engagement strategies for physical and virtual environments support all learners. Ensure there is a shared understanding between the organization and faculty about the key content to be delivered. Schedule regular check-ins and offer support such as resources, additional faculty, etc. as needed to maintain alignment. Conduct faculty reviews and include inclusive training.

Standard 4 | Program Evaluation and Review

1. Shift from Paper to Digital Evaluation Tools

Description: A majority of providers switched from paper to digital forms to allow real-time feedback and easier data analysis.

2. Enhanced Feedback for Faculty & Continuous Improvement

Description: A large percentage of providers are using QR codes, structured feedback loops and follow-up surveys to shape future programming.

3. Refined Evaluation Questions for Relevance and Clarity

Description: Evaluation forms better align with learning objectives and open-ended questions were added to get actionable input.

Additional noteworthy themes:

4. Increased Frequency & Timeliness of Review
5. QR Codes & Real-Time Evaluations
6. Integration of Longitudinal or Follow-Up Surveys

“Participant feedback led to added labs and a new emergency preparedness session.”

Noted Challenge: Some providers indicated challenges tracking evaluations.

Tip: Consider the use of QR codes to more easily access and track electronic evaluations. Review feedback regularly and close the loop by acting on participant input.

Standard 5 | Professional Conduct

1. Affirmed Full Compliance with BOC Principles

Description: Majority of organizations and programs complied with the principles of professional conduct.

2. Conflict of Interest (COI) Disclosures Reinforced

Description: Speakers are required to declare any conflict of interest and include a slide within their presentation for transparency to learners.

3. Speaker and Content Compliance Processes Strengthened

Description: Many providers utilize administrative checklists to include a Speaker Release that highlights copyright and intellectual property responsibilities.

Additional noteworthy themes:

4. Enhanced Accessibility Measures Implemented
5. Data Confidentiality and Participant Privacy Emphasized
6. Inclusive Language and Cultural Sensitivity Training Added

“All faculty are required to disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence educational content.”

Noted Challenge: BOC Approved Providers that offered programs infrequently, reported challenges in recalling and maintaining alignment with BOC professional conduct standards.

Tip: Stay proactive, review your policies annually and maintain clear communication channels for concerns.

Standard 6 | Administration

1. Updates to BOC Program Directory Processes (esp. 10-day compliance)

Description: Providers implemented checklists and trained staff to ensure all courses are entered into the BOC Program Directory at least 10 days prior to the event.

2. Operations Manual Revisions & Policy Additions

Description: Operations manuals are updated to include processes for developing, administering, delivering and documenting programs.

3. Improved Promotional Materials (clarity, compliance, design)

Description: Providers confirmed flyers and emails include CEU information, objectives, cancellation policy, fees, program faculty, sponsors and updated BOC Approved Provider logo for better transparency.

Additional noteworthy themes:

4. Automation of Certificate Generation and Distribution
5. Enhanced Record Keeping Systems & Digitization
6. New Administrative Staff or Reorganization of CE Teams

“We digitized evaluations, certificates, and CEU tracking—cutting processing time in half.”

Noted Challenge: Some providers reported that the information they received from learners was too narrow and focused on logistical details such as meals or technical issues and did not address other important components including program organization, content quality and overall program impact.

Tip: Administration is more than logistics. Connect your planning efforts (such as meals, or tech setup) to the bigger picture of program quality, content, and learner impact. Ask more targeted questions in your program evaluations and consider ways to collect broader information from learners to capture the full effectiveness of your program.

Results Summary | From Planning to Progress: Your Goals in Action

Overall, the annual review was widely viewed by BOC Approved Providers as a powerful tool for strategic planning, growth and continuous quality improvement.

What You Planned

• Launching new courses (e.g., mental health, gait analysis, crisis response)
• Expanding hybrid and asynchronous offerings
• Upgrading tech and streamlining internal processes
• Enhancing learning objectives and hands-on delivery

What You Achieved

• Increased participant satisfaction and knowledge gains
• Broader reach via virtual and regional access
• Better faculty performance through mentorship and training
• Streamlined planning and certificate issuance

What’s Driving It

The annual review process played a key role in helping providers reflect plan and evolve strategically.

“Our review process shaped goals, improved our CE flow and helped us grow attendance.”

“Our annual review drove collaboration across departments and helped set clear priorities for the coming year.”

Noted Challenge: Some providers have yet to take advantage of the benefits of goal setting and measuring.

Tip: Set aside time to establish measurable goals focused on continuous improvement of your continuing education program development and delivery.

Thank You for Advancing the Profession

Your efforts are driving measurable improvement in CE delivery, relevance and access. The BOC applauds your work and remains committed to supporting you with resources, guidance and collaboration.

Questions or need support? Contact us at Provider@bocatc.org or visit the BOC website for more tools and updates.