The Bridge Officer's Test, also known as the Starfleet bridge officer examination or BOT, is a series of tests in stages, allowing the Starfleet officer who passes the ability to stand-in for command officers on the bridge of a starship.
Commanding officers, such as the captain, first officer, second officer and third officer, undertake the Command Officer's Test to determine their ability to command a starship.
The candidate must pass all stages, including the final examination where he or she must order a subordinate to their death to save the ship.
USS Enterprise-D chief medical officer Dr. Beverly Crusher passed the exam in 2362 as a result of her desire to contribute to more than just sickbay. Enterprise counselor Deanna Troi undertook the test in 2370, reacting to both her reaction to command in 2368 and the number of her Starfleet Academy classmates who had risen to command status. Troi passed after several failed attempts. (TNG: "Thine Own Self", "Disaster")
In the same year, USS Shabonee counselor Daniel Radke took the test and passed to give him more options, progressing on to the Command Officer's Bridge test and a brief stint at command. (Star Trek: Shabonee; Star Trek: The Prospect Chronicles; Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions)
In order to qualify for the Bridge Officer's Test in the 25th century, candidates were required to hold or have held at least a section chief position on a combatant starship. For this reason Lieutenant Commander Quataris sh'Thash requested and been granted a transfer to USS Bajor, a Galaxy-class starship. She had previously commanded a Rhode Island-class science vessel. (Bait and Switch: "Shortest War Ever")
In 2410, Dr. Nath Behal told Captain Radescu that she had not taken the Bridge Officer's Test as of that time. (Chronicle: "Best Laid Plans")
Successful candidates gain the Bridge Officer Certification to prove they passed.(Citation needed)
Romulan version[]
The Romulan Bridge Officer's Test was the final exam of the Romulan Naval Academy. It had no incidence on whether a cadet could graduate or not; however, if one failed the Bridge Officer's Test had to retake it at any time prior to promotion to a command-level rank. Rather than merely allowing those who succeeded standing in it to take the command on emergency situations, its success allowed one to take the command of a starship for shifts.
To the insistence of the Tal Prai'ex, Annika Hansen took the Bridge Officer's Test so she could follow the standard protocol of the Romulan Naval Academy. (RIS Bouteina)
External link[]
- Bridge Officer's Test article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.