Online education provides remedy for time crunch.

For years, keeping up with continuing education requirements for doctors has meant shuttling off to exotic locations for seminars in the mornings and 18 holes after lunch.

The trips come with a price, however. They usually cost a few thousand dollars and they keep physicians away from the office for two or three days at a time.

This time away from the office stings doctors' earnings. Especially in these days of managed care, many doctors are reluctant to spend too much time away.

Gradually now, more doctors are taking their continuing education courses via the Internet, learning from the comfort of their offices or homes. The best part is that many Internet courses are offered free, or at least at a fairly minimal cost.

A search of the Internet reveals dozens of sites that offer continuing medical education. Medical experts expect more to spring up as time goes by.

"Self-study for continuing medical education is very popular and the Internet is the newest venue for that," says Cathy Wada, vice president of health services at Hill Physicians Medical Group Inc., based in San Ramon. "I'm a dental …