Surgent Acquires PharmCon to Expand into Healthcare Continuing Education with FreeCE.com Platform

On August 15, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that U.S.-based continuing education company Surgent Professional Education (“Surgent”) announced its acquisition of Pharmaceutical Education Consultants (“PharmCon”). Specific details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Upon completion of this acquisition, Surgent will integrate PharmCon’s medical continuing education service platform, FreeCE.com, expanding its training business into the healthcare education sector.

PharmCon, founded in 1990 and headquartered in South Carolina, USA, is a leading provider of continuing education (CE) services. The company primarily collaborates with the pharmaceutical industry, professional associations, and healthcare regulatory bodies to deliver specialized educational programs for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other healthcare professionals. PharmCon’s courses are delivered digitally, enabling healthcare professionals to learn conveniently and stay abreast of the latest trends in new drug development, disease management, and legal regulations within the healthcare industry.

PharmCon primarily delivers healthcare training through its online platform, FreeCE.com. The platform boasts tens of thousands of annual subscribers and offers a weekly series of continuing medical education (CME) programs covering a wide range of topics, allowing users to select courses based on their interests. The flexible and convenient remote learning model of FreeCE.com enables users to complete coursework from anywhere.

Josh Chesner, President of PharmCon, commented on the transaction: “We are delighted to partner with Surgent. This collaboration marks a milestone in our corporate history. Surgent will guide PharmCon into its next phase of development, helping us accelerate business growth, strengthen our infrastructure, and attract top talent.”

Surgent, founded in 1985 and headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA, has experienced rapid growth over the past five years to become a leading provider of end-to-end professional education services. Surgent offers professional education courses for practitioners in the accounting and healthcare sectors, helping them pass certification exams and providing career planning advice. Committed to building a robust core educational platform, Surgent assists candidates in passing exams, earning required continuing education credits, and staying abreast of the latest industry trends.

Surgent CEO Evan Kramer stated, “PharmCon has grown rapidly while maintaining a strong reputation. We are delighted to partner with PharmCon, as this collaboration represents a significant opportunity for Surgent to enter the healthcare industry and other sectors. Surgent will leverage its proprietary technology and service platform to support PharmCon’s growth.”

(Compiled by Hu Yifan)