• 50 questions

BOC Practice Test

Unofficial test prep questions for the athletic trainer certification exam, in the board's five domains.

Which way of taking body temperature is the clinical gold standard when exertional heat stroke is suspected?

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Exam mode: 35 questions, 48 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. Bank checked October 7, 2026.

The real exam, as the board describes it

Questions
175
Time limit
240 minutes
Passing score
500, on a scale of 200 to 800.
Where
At proctored professional testing centers. You can move forward or back through the whole exam.
Outline
Practice Analysis, 8th Edition, in effect for the exam since March 2023.

Checked October 7, 2026 against Candidates page and Content Outline for Practice Analysis, 8th Edition, Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

The board's own page for exam candidates

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All 50 questions

Risk reduction, wellness and health literacy 10

  • A 160-lb wrestler wants to drop a weight class. Under the position statement on safe weight loss, what is the most weight he should lose in one week? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Safe Weight Loss and Maintenance Practices in Sport and Exercise (2011); outline Domain I, task 0104
  • A 180-lb runner weighs 4.5 lb less after a long run in the heat. What percent of body mass was lost, and why does it matter? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid Replacement for the Physically Active (2017); outline Domain I, task 0102
  • A football program plans its August preseason. Over how long should athletes be acclimatized to the heat, according to the athletic trainers' position statement on exertional heat illnesses? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses (2015), recommendation 2; outline Domain I, task 0102
  • A sprinter has known sickle cell trait. Which precaution does the position statement on preventing sudden death recommend? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), exertional sickling; outline Domain I, task 0102
Show all 50 questions (46 more)

Risk reduction, wellness and health literacy, continued

  • A storm is close and the school building is locked. Which of these is a safe location from lightning? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Lightning Safety for Athletics and Recreation (2013), recommendations 9 to 11; outline Domain I, task 0105
  • At a preseason meeting a parent asks whether a certified football helmet will prevent concussions. What should the athletic trainer teach? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Management of Sport Concussion (2014), recommendation 26; outline Domain I, task 0103
  • How often should a multicomponent training program to prevent anterior cruciate ligament injury be performed? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Prevention of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury (2018), training volume; outline Domain I, task 0102
  • Thunder is heard during a soccer match and play stops at 4:10 p.m. More thunder is heard at 4:25 p.m. and nothing after that. What is the earliest that activity may resume? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Lightning Safety for Athletics and Recreation (2013), recommendation 17; outline Domain I, task 0105
  • When may the preparticipation physical examination be scheduled so that there is time to follow up on findings? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preparticipation Physical Examinations and Disqualifying Conditions (2014), recommendation 23; outline Domain I, task 0101
  • Which measure should event guidelines for hot, humid weather be built on, together with the type of activity? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses (2015), recommendation 10; outline Domain I, task 0105

Assessment, evaluation and diagnosis 13

  • A basketball player rolls an ankle and cannot bear weight. Which clinical tool is valid for deciding whether radiographs are needed? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 7; outline Domain II, task 0202
  • A hockey player is knocked out briefly by a blow to the temple, wakes and talks normally, then becomes drowsy and loses consciousness again. Which injury fits this typical pattern? MedlinePlus, Epidural hematoma, symptoms; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • A lacrosse player takes a hit, never loses consciousness, but is slow to answer and cannot recall the play. How does the concussion position statement treat loss of consciousness? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Management of Sport Concussion (2014), definition; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • A linebacker is down after a head-first tackle. Which finding, by itself, heightens suspicion of a catastrophic cervical spine injury and starts the spine injury protocol? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Acute Management of the Cervical Spine-Injured Athlete (2009), recommendation 8; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • A marathon runner who drank water at every station is nauseated and confused. How does the fluid replacement statement define exercise-associated hyponatremia? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid Replacement for the Physically Active (2017), definitions; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • A runner collapses near the finish of a summer road race and is confused and combative. Which finding points to exertional heat stroke and not heat exhaustion? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses (2015), definitions; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • A skier feels a pop in the knee during a twisting fall. Which early finding does MedlinePlus list for an anterior cruciate ligament injury? MedlinePlus, Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, symptoms; outline Domain II, task 0201
  • A soccer player collapses with no contact, is unresponsive, and shows brief jerking of the arms and occasional gasps. What should the athletic trainer suspect first? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), sudden cardiac arrest, recognition; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • A wrestler has a sore near the nose that began as a thin-walled blister, broke open and is now covered by a honey-colored crust. Which condition does this describe? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Skin Diseases (2010), bacterial infections; outline Domain II, task 0203
  • An athlete has pain above the ankle joint after the foot was forced outward. The squeeze test and the external-rotation test are done to assess which structure? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 6; outline Domain II, task 0202
  • During a game there is time only for a rapid concussion check. What should a brief tool such as the Standardized Assessment of Concussion be combined with? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Management of Sport Concussion (2014), recommendation 16; outline Domain II, task 0202
  • When are the anterior drawer test and the inversion talar tilt test of an injured ankle more accurate diagnostically? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 4; outline Domain II, task 0202
  • Which way of taking body temperature is the clinical gold standard when exertional heat stroke is suspected? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses (2015), recommendation 8; outline Domain II, task 0202

Critical incident management 10

  • A gymnast has a suspected injury of the cervical spine. What should the first rescuer do with the head and neck? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Acute Management of the Cervical Spine-Injured Athlete (2009), recommendations 9 and 10; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • A swimmer collapses on the pool deck in cardiac arrest. What goal does the sudden death position statement set for time from collapse to the first shock? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), sudden cardiac arrest; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • A triathlete with suspected exertional hyponatremia becomes less and less responsive. Which treatment does the sudden death position statement indicate? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), exertional hyponatremia, recommendations 9 and 10; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • An athlete who may have a cervical spine injury is lying face up. Which transfer to the spine board produces less motion at the head and cervical spine than a log roll? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Acute Management of the Cervical Spine-Injured Athlete (2009), recommendation 19; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • An athlete with exertional heat stroke is in a cold-water immersion tub. At what core temperature should the athlete be taken out to prevent overcooling? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses (2015), recommendation 38; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • An athlete with sickle cell trait slumps to the ground during repeated sprints with weak, painful legs. After stopping activity, what does the position statement call for? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), exertional sickling, treatment; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • An athlete with type 1 diabetes is found unconscious at practice and cannot swallow. What does the position statement say about severe hypoglycemia? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), diabetes mellitus, recommendation 8; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • Lightning strikes near a cross-country course and four runners are down. The area is now safe. Which runner is treated first? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), lightning, recommendation 8; outline Domain III, task 0302
  • Medical staff are on site and an ambulance has arrived for an athlete with exertional heat stroke whose rectal temperature is 107°F. What is the right order of care? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Exertional Heat Illnesses (2015), recommendation 41; outline Domain III, task 0303
  • While the defibrillator is being brought, an athletic trainer gives CPR to an adult. Which pattern does MedlinePlus describe? MedlinePlus, CPR - adult and child after onset of puberty; outline Domain III, task 0303

Therapeutic intervention 13

  • A cyclist has a wide road-rash abrasion on the thigh with no exposed bone or tendon. Which cleansing agents does the skin trauma position statement recommend? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Management of Acute Skin Trauma (2016), recommendations 7 and 9; outline Domain IV, task 0401
  • A quarterback is diagnosed with a concussion in the first quarter and says he feels fine by halftime. When may he return to play? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Management of Sport Concussion (2014), recommendations 19 and 20; outline Domain IV, task 0406
  • A tennis player loses 1.2 kg of body mass in a morning match and plays again in three hours. About how much fluid should be replaced, by the fluid replacement position statement? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid Replacement for the Physically Active (2017), postexercise rehydration; outline Domain IV, task 0402
  • A wrestler has a first outbreak of herpes simplex on the face. How long must systemic antiviral therapy have been taken before a return to competition? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Skin Diseases (2010), herpes simplex, criteria for return to competition; outline Domain IV, task 0407
  • A wrestler is being treated for ringworm of the body (tinea corporis). What is the criterion for a return to competition? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Skin Diseases (2010), tinea corporis, criteria for return to competition; outline Domain IV, task 0407
  • An athlete with asthma wants to practice after an attack. What peak flow reading does the sudden death position statement look for before participation? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preventing Sudden Death in Sports (2012), asthma, recommendation 10; outline Domain IV, task 0407
  • Before a return to sport-specific tasks after an ankle sprain, how should the injured limb score on functional performance tests such as the single-legged hop? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 27; outline Domain IV, task 0406
  • For a grade I or grade II lateral ankle sprain, which approach does the position statement find more effective? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 18; outline Domain IV, task 0401
  • How should a grade III ankle sprain be managed at first, according to the ankle sprain position statement? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 19; outline Domain IV, task 0401
  • Three weeks after an ankle sprain, dorsiflexion is still limited. Which manual technique does the position statement recommend to increase it? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 25; outline Domain IV, task 0405
  • Two days after an ankle sprain an athlete asks for a hot pack before exercises. What does the ankle sprain position statement advise? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 21; outline Domain IV, task 0404
  • When may a concussed athlete begin a physical-exertion progression? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Management of Sport Concussion (2014), recommendation 22; outline Domain IV, task 0406
  • Which element should run through the whole rehabilitation and follow-up of an ankle sprain to lower reinjury rates? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Conservative Management and Prevention of Ankle Sprains in Athletes (2013), recommendation 24; outline Domain IV, task 0403

Health administration and professional responsibility 4

  • A college scout phones the athletic training room and asks for the results of a 17-year-old athlete's preparticipation examination. What must be on file before any private health information goes out? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Preparticipation Physical Examinations and Disqualifying Conditions (2014), recommendation 22; outline Domain V, task 0503
  • A newly hired athletic trainer will have occupational exposure to blood. After the required training, by when must the employer make the hepatitis B vaccination available? 29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(2)(i); outline Domain V, task 0503
  • An athletic training facility has a written Exposure Control Plan for bloodborne pathogens. How often must the plan be reviewed and updated under the OSHA standard? 29 CFR 1910.1030(c)(1)(iv); outline Domain V, task 0503
  • How often should the emergency action plan be rehearsed with hands-on, scenario-based practice, and what should be kept afterward? National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Emergency Action Plan Development and Implementation in Sport (2024), implementation; outline Domain V, task 0502

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the five domains of the Content Outline for Practice Analysis, 8th Edition, of the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (https://bocatc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/boc-pa8-content-outline-20230109.pdf, read 2026-10-07): Risk Reduction, Wellness and Health Literacy 20.0%; Assessment, Evaluation and Diagnosis 25.6%; Critical Incident Management 20.8%; Therapeutic Intervention 25.6%; Health Administration and Professional Responsibility 8.0%. The bank holds 10, 13, 10, 13 and 4. Every clinical fact was read on 2026-10-07 in a position statement of the National Athletic Trainers' Association published in the Journal of Athletic Training and free to read at PubMed Central (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), in MedlinePlus (medlineplus.gov) or in 29 CFR 1910.1030 at ecfr.gov, each named with its recommendation under the question. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

This free BOC practice test has 50 questions of our own for the athletic trainer exam, in the board's five domains. It is unofficial, not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer.

Read the full guide

What the exam covers

The BOC exam follows the Practice Analysis, 8th Edition: risk reduction, wellness and health literacy 20.0%; assessment, evaluation and diagnosis 25.6%; critical incident management 20.8%; therapeutic intervention 25.6%; health administration and professional responsibility 8.0%. Read October 7, 2026. This bank holds 10, 13, 10, 13 and 4.

Timing

Exam mode asks 35 questions in 48 minutes, a fifth of the real exam at the same pace.

Where the answers come from

Each answer names the recommendation it was read in, most often a position statement of the National Athletic Trainers' Association that is free to read at PubMed Central.

  • The real exam also has multi-select, drag-and-drop and hot spot items and focused testlets. Every question here is multiple choice with one right answer.

Questions and answers

Is this BOC practice test free?

Yes. There is no charge and no sign-up. Every question shows the right answer, a short reason and the public source it was read in, and Print, on the score card, makes a paper copy, with its answer key if you tick the box.

Are these the board's own practice questions?

No. The board sells self-assessment exams and posts sample items. These BOC practice tests are a separate bank of our own. No question repeats or rewords a board item, and a result here is not a forecast of a score.

How many questions are on the BOC exam?

175 items, scored and unscored (experimental) together, with four hours to finish. Candidates are not told which items are experimental, by the board's page for candidates.

What is a passing score on the BOC exam?

500, on a scale of 200 to 800, by the board's page for candidates. That is a scaled score, not a percent, so this page reports the number right and gives no verdict.

What does BOC stand for here?

The Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. Other boards use the same letters, and this page practices the athletic trainer exam only.

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