The original posting reminded me of the Groucho Marx line "I wouldn't join
any club that would have me as a member." (Yes, Woody Allen said it too...)
Postings like this one I read, delete, undelete, re-read, keep, delete,
undelete, read again, and finally decide that something needs to be said about
it.

After dissecting the intent of the posting, 4 points are raised:

- The BOC as gatekeeper for entry into our profession
- The competence of certified and licensed athletic trainers
- The manner in which we present ourselves to each other and the public
- Professionalism and ethics

Receiving certification from the BOC is no more of a guarantee of competence
than passing a driving test, the physical therapy licensing examination, or
the medical boards. If this were the case, there would be no car accidents,
malpractice lawsuits, or lawyers. Any certification or licensing examination
only demonstrates that the individual (a) met the prerequisites to sit for the
examination and (b) on that day and time performed at a certain level and
met certain performance standards. It is a "snapshot in time."�

No matter how high the passing point is set, there will always be a few
individuals at each end of the spectrum and the bulk as highly competent
professionals. As George Carlin once said, "Somewhere there is the worst doctor
in the world." That statement holds true for all professions today as it did
yesterday and as it will tomorrow. My first thought was that "competence"
falls on the program that prepares the individual to enter the profession. In
light of the recent discussion regarding the BOC's practical exam, I hold that
a program is better positioned to determine a student's competence over 2 to 4
years than the BOC is capable of in 30 minutes. That's not a reflection on the
quality of the BOC practical examination. It is a reflection of repeated
measures in real-life situations. However, after thinking more about being
truly competent, I think I changed my mind about this one (and I reserve the
right to change it again). Ultimately, it is up to the individual to become
competent and remain competent.

Regarding passing the examination after not studying for it... Is that
REALLY a bad thing? I would hope that it was a reflection of your dedication
as a student and the quality of the classroom and clinical education you
received. I've always held that the Certification Examination isn't something
that one "studies" for. During your matriculation students have covered all of
the information needed to successfully challenge each part of the examination
(and more). I tell my students that the preparation for the exam is one of
"refreshing" than anything else.

I am very concerned about the manner in which the competence of other
athletic trainers was questioned/attacked. Professional ethics is also a sign
of professional competency; one that is much more powerful in earning public
respect and recognition than taping an ankle. When we speak about how we
present ourselves to the public and other professions, unconstructive, and
possibly malicious remarks about the competence of other profession will
quickly circulate through the internet and come back and bite us in an
otherwise unbiteable place. (I am wondering who else has gotten a hold of
that posting and has started an email chain.)

If these are graduate students, then teach them. If they are inappropriately
dispensing drugs (I think the implication was that it more than just
Ibuprofen), then report them. If you see problems in their educational
preparedness, then contact someone from their undergraduate institution and
provide some constructive feedback. The last group to point a finger at
in any of these circumstances is the BOC.

I also hope that you take the time to read and re-read your posting and see
how it could be taken out of context (I hope that the intended message was
different from the actual message). Regardless of workplace, professional
views, career aspirations, or yes, competence, we "athletic trainers" are
all in this together. When the competence of a few is questioned, we are
all questioned.

Respectfully Submitted,

chad starkey
northeastern university
MTV is to music what KFC is to chicken
- Lewis Black