NATA-BOC Trivia 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: In what year was the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) established?

1940
1950 (Correct answer)
1960
1970

Correct answer: 1950

NATA was established in 1950 at a meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. The organization was founded to advance the athletic training profession and improve the quality of healthcare for athletes.

The National Athletic Trainers' Association was founded in 1950 when approximately 200 athletic trainers gathered in Kansas City, Missouri. The founding was led by athletic trainers who recognized the need for a professional organization to establish standards, promote education, and advocate for the profession. The first president was William E. 'Pinky' Newell. Key milestones in NATA history: 1959 — first NATA curriculum developed; 1969 — NATA certification program established; 1990 — AMA recognized athletic training as an allied health profession; 2004 — professional education standard raised to master's degree recommendation; 2015 — strategic alliance with the American Medical Association reaffirmed.

Question 2: Which Greek physician, known as the 'Father of Medicine,' first documented the use of cold therapy for treating injuries?

Aristotle
Hippocrates (Correct answer)
Galen
Asclepius

Correct answer: Hippocrates

Hippocrates (460-370 BC) documented the use of cold therapy (ice and snow) for reducing swelling and pain in musculoskeletal injuries. His work laid the foundation for modern cryotherapy practices.

Hippocrates of Kos (c. 460-370 BC) made numerous contributions to medicine and sports medicine specifically. He documented cold therapy for treating pain and inflammation, wound management techniques, and even described the technique of reducing a dislocated shoulder (which became the basis for the Hippocratic method). His observations about the relationship between exercise, diet, and health were remarkably advanced for his time. Galen (129-216 AD) later expanded on sports medicine, serving as physician to Roman gladiators. Aristotle was a philosopher, not primarily a physician. Asclepius was a mythological god of medicine, not a historical figure. The Hippocratic Oath, while not written by Hippocrates himself, embodies his principles of ethical medical practice.

Question 3: What does the acronym 'BOC' stand for in the context of athletic training certification?

Board of Competitive Athletics
Bureau of Clinical Standards
Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (Correct answer)
Board of Compliance

Correct answer: Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer

BOC stands for the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer. It is the only accredited certification program for athletic trainers in the United States, responsible for administering the certification exam and maintaining professional standards.

The Board of Certification (BOC), Inc. was established as an independent certification agency in 1989 (previously it operated under NATA). The BOC's mission is to provide exceptional credentialing programs for healthcare professionals to assure protection of the public. Functions include: developing and administering the BOC certification examination, establishing continuing education requirements (currently 50 CEUs per 2-year reporting period), maintaining the Standards of Professional Practice, investigating complaints against certified athletic trainers, and taking disciplinary action when standards are violated. The ATC (Athletic Trainer, Certified) credential can only be obtained by passing the BOC examination. The exam covers five content areas based on the Practice Analysis: injury/illness prevention, clinical evaluation and diagnosis, immediate/emergency care, treatment/rehabilitation/reconditioning, and organizational/professional health/well-being.

Question 4: Which sport historically had the first team-employed athletic trainer in the United States?

Football (Correct answer)
Baseball
Boxing
Track and field

Correct answer: Football

College football teams were among the first to employ athletic trainers in the early 1900s. The physical nature of the sport and the high injury rate created an early demand for on-field medical personnel.

The history of athletic training in the United States is closely tied to college football. In the early 1900s, as football grew in popularity and injuries (including deaths) became a public concern, universities began employing 'trainers' to care for their athletes. James Robinson, often credited as one of the first modern athletic trainers, worked at Harvard in the early 1900s. The high injury rate in football, including a crisis of player deaths in 1905 that led to the formation of the NCAA, drove the development of the profession. Chuck Cramer and the Cramer family were instrumental in establishing athletic training as a profession through their company (now Cramer Products) and their advocacy for proper athletic healthcare.

Question 5: The term 'RICE' (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for acute injury management was coined by which physician?

James Andrews
Gabe Mirkin (Correct answer)
Frank Jobe
Robert Kerlan

Correct answer: Gabe Mirkin

Dr. Gabe Mirkin coined the acronym RICE in his 1978 book 'The Sportsmedicine Book.' Interestingly, Dr. Mirkin later revised his position on the rest and ice components based on newer evidence regarding inflammation's role in healing.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin introduced the RICE protocol in 1978, and it became the standard of care for acute injury management for decades. However, in 2014, Dr. Mirkin himself acknowledged that the evidence supporting rest and ice in acute injury management had evolved. He noted that the inflammatory response, rather than being purely harmful, is essential for tissue healing, and that suppressing it with ice and complete rest may actually delay recovery. This led to the evolution of acute injury management acronyms: ICE to RICE to PRICE (Protection added) to POLICE (Protection, Optimal Loading, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to PEACE & LOVE (Protection, Elevation, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compression, Education & Load, Optimism, Vascularization, Exercise). The shift from rest to optimal loading reflects the understanding that controlled mechanical stress promotes tissue healing.

Question 6: Approximately how many certified athletic trainers (ATCs) are there in the United States as of recent data?

15,000
30,000
50,000 (Correct answer)
100,000

Correct answer: 50,000

There are approximately 50,000 certified athletic trainers in the United States. The profession has grown significantly since the BOC was established, with athletic trainers working in settings beyond traditional sports including hospitals, clinics, military, and performing arts.

The athletic training profession has experienced significant growth, with approximately 50,000+ BOC-certified athletic trainers in the United States. Practice settings have diversified well beyond the traditional sports team model: secondary schools (the largest employment setting by number), colleges and universities, professional sports, hospitals and clinics, industrial/occupational settings, military, performing arts, physician offices, and public safety (police, fire). This diversification reflects the recognition of athletic trainers as multi-skilled healthcare providers capable of serving any physically active population. The profession continues to evolve with the transition to the master's degree entry level, ongoing legislative efforts for licensure/regulation in all 50 states, and expansion into emerging practice settings such as esports and tactical medicine.

NATA-BOC Trivia 2

In what year was the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) established?