Oct 2, 2019
In 1995, Dr Alan Sherman, DPM founded the first online community and website for podiatry, Podiatry Online, which grew to become the largest internet community for podiatrists in the world. At its peak, two-thirds of licensed podiatrists in the United States were members.
Podiatry Online was acquired by Moore Medical, in 2000, and Alan was employed along with partner Michael Shore, DPM as a consultant to continue running the site. Moore Medical was eventually acquired by McKesson in 2002.
After this acquisition Drs. Sherman and Shore were let go by the company and they went on to found PRESENT e-Learning Systems, a Medical Education and Communications Company in 2003, which has grown to be the largest provider of online CME education services for podiatrists.
PRESENT e-Learning Systems entered the live conferences business in 2007 and now puts on 6 live medical conferences a year, serving over 3000 attendees.
On this episode we discuss:
- His first computer purchase in 1982
- Getting into publishing in 1995 with Podiatry Online
- Moving away from practice management and focusing on medical education
- Weekly NewsFlash
- Starting their own conferences in 2007
- Why it's important to attend conferences both in and outside of podiatry
- Looking for trends
- Narrowcasting (Bill Gates), publish to small interest groups (3000 versus 300,000)
- Creating a niche and finding a niche
- Practice Management and Biomechanics two most popular subjects
"You’re well served to find a small pond and be a big fish."
Final words
E-Learning is an efficient way to educate yourself because you'll always have that half-hour spare during the day when you can watch a video and educate yourself. When you join PRESENT Podiatry at podiatry.com, you receive a $40 Site Credit toward viewing your first lectures and earning CME credit.
If you have any questions about the podcast episode, please send me an email at If you want to know more about my upcoming Marketing Workshops in Australia and overseas, please visit my EVENTS page.
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Thank you!
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