Thirty years ago, Birmingham radiologist Dr. Bernard Schencker had an idea for keeping up with the overwhelming amount of information in his medical journals. He launched an audio-publishing company from his home, and like any good idea, it grew. Today, Oakstone Medical Publishing provides continuing education materials for doctors in over 20 medical and dental specialties in more than 60 countries. "All physicians and dentists read or speak English," says Nancy McMeekin, president and CEO, "so the products we provide are accessible by physicians around the world." The idea behind Practical Reviews, their primary product, is a simple one. A team of scholar-practitioners reviews the journals in their specialty, choosing the articles of most value to a practicing physician. They record the essence of each article in three to five minute segments, adding commentary and insight from their own experience. Subscribers get a one-hour audio CD each month that they can listen to during commutes, during workouts, or at other convenient times. Practitioners may choose to look up the complete article if it is of particular interest, but at the very least, they get a general overview of the key articles in their specialty. Variations of the product include Quickscan Reviews (the summaries of the articles are on 4x6 cards) and MultiMedia Reviews (the summaries are on audio and can also be accessed via computer, using the CD). All programs offer CME or CDE credit, and most are sponsored for credit by the prestigious Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Other products receive credit through various associations. "We partner with a variety of societies in order to provide the content that is very targeted to the needs of specialists," says McMeekin. Oakstone is also accredited as a provider, but they prefer to team up with others whenever possible. "It's a challenging job," she admits. "Societies are very picky about who they work with, and we have to perform at a level that meets their criteria and that of the ACCME. Being self-accredited as a provider is confirmation that we know what we're doing, even though most of our credit comes through societies. It's an indication of how seriously we take the work that we do." Although Practical Reviews was their first product, a newer program has become the highest selling product: MKSAP Audio Companion. "Practical Reviews is a journal review service and news update. MKSAP is more intensive and gets deeper into topical discussions on the specifics of diseases and conditions and how to approach them with good, practical advice," explains Dean Celia, vice president and editor. "It helps internists stay current with key areas. It's also for doctors preparing to take their board exams for the first time, or to recertify." A new audio program for MP3 players is now in the works. DOCPOD will start with a program for hospitalists, but they have plans to roll out with other specialties fairly quickly. "DOCPOD is a fast-paced radio-style program that is designed to be downloaded to MP3 players but can also be listened to on compact disk. It morphs the journal review segments with topic-based discussions," says Celia. "Two people will discuss the top five journal articles of that month, with a deeper discussion of a key clinical issue facing hospitalists." Subscribers can earn up to two credits per issue, up to 24 per year. In-Service Reviews, a series of programs for technologists, is also available in Clinical Laboratory Science, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Radiation Technology, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Dr. Schencker retired and sold the company several years ago to Haights Cross Communications, a New York company, but Oakstone remains in Birmingham, continuing their reach well beyond this community.