Featured BOC Approved Provider: Central Connecticut State University
Kathy Pirog, EdD, ATC
The BOC regularly features BOC Approved Providers for notable efforts to enhance its continuing education programs for Athletic Trainers (ATs). Featured organizations follow the guidelines set forth by the BOC. Kathy Pirog, EdD, ATC, from Central Connecticut State University, shares her organization’s experience.
Why does CCSU choose to participate in the BOC provider program?
Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) participates in the BOC Approved Provider program because it allows us to deliver high-quality continuing education (CE) that directly supports the professional growth of ATs and athletic training educators. Being a BOC Approved Provider ensures our educational offerings meet nationally recognized standards and remain aligned with current clinical practice expectations. It also gives us the opportunity to bring practitioners together for meaningful learning experiences that emphasize evidence-based practice, collaboration and practical skills that ATs can immediately apply in their clinical or educational settings.
How have the BOC standards and guidelines for BOC Approved Providers impacted on your activity development and administration processes to offer CEUs for ATs?
From a historical perspective, CCSU has been a BOC Approved Provider for over four decades and has experienced the evolution of the BOC Approved Provider program during this period. Changes from simply registering and maintaining a participant/CE roster for being a provider in earlier years to now providing evidence of compliance with current BOC Approved Provider standards and guidelines have strengthened the design and administration of our annual sports medicine symposium.
The current standards provide a clear framework for developing learning objectives, selecting qualified presenters and ensuring content is evidence-based and relevant to current athletic training practice. Administratively, the guidelines bring consistency to the processes for documentation, evaluation and quality improvement. As a result, our CE offerings are not only compliant, but also intentionally outcome focused.
Overall, the BOC standards have helped us create a more structured and meaningful CE process that supports ATs in maintaining certification and staying current within the profession.
How do you design CCSU’s annual symposium to help participants improve outcomes in patients they serve as ATs?
CCSU’s annual symposium is intentionally designed to translate current evidence into practical strategies that ATs can immediately apply in patient care. Our symposium’s core principle is that it is essential for ATs to stay current with best practices and continue professional development to ensure the enhancement and retention of their clinical skills. Regular review, hands-on practice, and exposure to real-world cases can help to mitigate the decay of clinical skills over time. Additionally, collaborating with colleagues in relevant discussions and training opportunities can contribute to skill retention and development.
Therefore, our symposium’s focus is on interactive learning including case discussions, hands-on labs and clinical problem-solving. This is so participants move beyond theory to real-world decision making. Sessions are selected to address common challenges ATs face across settings. By connecting research, clinical expertise, and shared experiences from the field, our symposium provides ATs with the tools they can use right away to improve the quality of care.
What advice do you have for organizations to be on the cutting edge and maintain compliance as they develop education activities?
It is important to build educational activities that are responsive to practice trends integrating new research, emerging technologies and interdisciplinary perspectives, all while maintaining clear learning objectives and outcome measures. Activities that are thoughtfully designed, regularly evaluated and focused on improving patient care can both meet the BOC requirements and meaningfully advance professional practice.
