Official Verification
Basic Online Verification
Listing Credentials
The BOC offers a Board Certified Specialist in Orthopedics certificate with a blue embossed BOC specialty logo and seal. Each certificate is professionally personalized with the Athletic Trainer's name, BCS-O credential, certification number and date of certification. The certificate may be purchased on a 12 x 16 inch hardwood plaque protected by plexiglass or ordered as the certificate of certification only.
The Athletic Trainer's first name, middle initial, last name, and suffix will appear exactly as they appear in their BOC profile. If an update is needed a name change request can be submitted prior to ordering a certificate or plaque through your BOC profile.
The BOC will notify you once the name change has been made. You may then submit your certificate or plaque order once your BOC profile displays your correct information.
Certificate The certificate may be purchased alone, printed on fine paper. $35* |
Plaque The certificate can be mounted on a 12 x 16 inch hardwood plaque protected by Plexiglass. $100* |
| *Includes shipping and handling within the continental US (Alaska, Hawaii and international customers must call for a shipping quote). Nebraska residents add 7% sales tax. Allow 10 to 12 weeks for delivery once order is submitted. | |
Listing Credentials
Consistency in how Athletic Trainers identify themselves alleviates confusion and lends credibility to the profession. List academic degrees first, licenses second and credentials last. Here, credentials include BOC certification. For instance, a BOC Certified Athletic Trainer holding a master’s degree and working in a state where licensure is not required should write, “Sally Snow, MS, ATC” – not “BCS-O, ATC, MS.” The same BOC Certified Athletic Trainer working in a state with licensure would correctly write, “Sally Snow, MS, LAT, ATC, BCS-O.” See the illustration for an example.
What do these qualifications mean? Licensure provides a legal right to practice, while certification, which is voluntary, states that a professional body – in this case, the BOC – has determined that your knowledge and skills have met a pre-determined standard. If you use more than one credential, list them in order of difficulty of obtaining them. With credentials of similar difficulty, such as ATC and PT, list them in chronological order.
Toolkit
Specialty Resources FAQs
Toolkit
We have created a tool kit that includes marketing resources just for you.
Your tool kit includes:
- Flyer to communicate the value of your certification to your employer.
- Social media post graphics to share the news of this achievement with your network.
- Press release to customize and share with your employer and/or local media.
- Template for a new business card that you can customize and print.
These tools are available through your BOC profile to help you share the news that you have earned the BCS-O credential and to promote your value to current and future employers.
Specialty Resources FAQs
FAQs
Q. Do Athletic Trainers need to have the orthopedic specialty certification before being a manager/supervisor of other Athletic Trainers?
A: Specialty certification is not required to manage/supervise other Athletic Trainers. That decision would be dependent on the employer’s criteria.
Q: Do states have certifications/specializations (e.g. ortho tech) that we could encourage Athletic Trainers to earn different credentials instead?
A: Because states do not have certifications in specialties or regulate specializations, the BOC is creating athletic training specializations. The BOC wants to keep specialty certifications within the profession so that the physician the Athletic Trainer works under can bill and receive reimbursement.
Q: Will this new orthopedic specialty certification be compliant with state laws or will this be up to the practitioner to find out for their state?
A: Athletic Trainers should refer to their state practice act that regulates athletic training to determine compliance.