Sharing a recent experience as a heads-up to colleagues using online CME platforms, particularly StatPearls.
I recently had an unexpected renewal charge that I did not realize was set to recur. In my case, I did not clearly appreciate that I was enrolling in an automatically renewing subscription at the time of sign-up.
A few observations from my experience:
• The “billed annually” language was not prominently displayed and could be easy to miss
• There was no clear, separate acknowledgment step confirming enrollment in a recurring subscription
• I did not see an option for a one-time annual purchase without auto-renewal
• My payment method was retained and later used for renewal
• When I requested a refund, most of the charge was returned, but a 4% fee was retained
Separately, from a learning standpoint, I personally found the content to be more text-heavy and less interactive than I prefer. Others may find it useful, but if you tend to learn better with more dynamic or question-based formats, it may not align with your style.
To be clear, this may not be everyone’s experience. I’m simply sharing what occurred in my case so others can be aware.
Takeaways:
• Double-check whether CME subscriptions are set to auto-renew
• Look closely at billing language during sign-up
• Consider setting reminders for renewal dates
• Review refund policies carefully
Given how many of us rely on CME platforms regularly, it’s worth taking an extra minute to confirm how subscriptions are structured.
If others have had similar or different experiences, would be interested to hear.
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