Pros:

• You can grab some good information from the forum.

Forums include useful data from the medical students, residents and staff physicians. You may find solutions that solve difficult problems you are facing right now. You can also check handy threads to get a better idea of USMLE Step 1 prep.

• Get to know about great resources from successful students.

Many students who have cleared the step 1 are members of the forums. You can thus share references and learn about critical resources. The successful students’ recommendations can prove to be helpful for your Usmle prep.

• Find study partners.

This forum is a regular platform for all discussions related to the Board exam. So, you may also find like-minded people who can mingle with you. Your can also motivate one another. You can thus find a like-minded friend to study!

• Insightful advice from experts in the medical field.

There are many forums where experts interact with students. Such forums are the best ones for you. You can clarify and get guidance on anything related to your prep from them. Even reading threads in this forum can be inspiring.

Cons:

• You may waste 25 – 30% of your study time.

Your time is precious, especially when you are preparing for USMLE Step 1. You could waste hours reading the posts and feeds in the forums. There are hundreds of threads in the forums which may link to each other. Thus, you will not realize how you ended up from an attractive post to the wasteful ones.

• Inaccurate information provided.

Some forums store old data or outdated links which can send you on the wrong path. Many forums have free registration giving access to anonymous people to post their views. Such information can misguide members.

• Some members may raise useless questions.

Forums will include competitive and anxious personalities who bother more about others. Such people are more interested in others than themselves. They may divert others by turning the informative forum into a chat group. Try to avoid such discussion as they will waste your time

Reading forums can be either an advantage or disadvantage depending on how you participate. There may be wrong information from an anonymous person or outdated posts. But if you think critically and pick the right points from these forms, they can be quite beneficial.

Good luck !!!