The Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) is a single exam assessed using a computer-based system. It is to be taken by individuals in their recruitment year who are applying into the following postgraduate medical training: General Practice, Surgery, Psychiatry, Radiology, Ophthalmology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Community and Sexual Reproductive Health, and Neurosurgery. MSRA revision is essential for many postgraduate medical students - why not read our blog; the Pastest complete guide to the MSRA for more!

If you want to pass medicine MSRA, you need to understand the exam format. The premise of the exam is to test the individual’s ability to apply their medical knowledge, not just recall their knowledge. It is split into two parts: Professional Dilemmas and Clinical Problem Solving, both independently timed. The Professional Dilemmas section is limited to 95 minutes and is a ranking test, consisting of 50 scenarios. For each situation presented, the candidate will have to rate the appropriateness of 4-5 independent actions (from 1=most to 5=least appropriate). Following a five-minute interval, the Clinical Problem Solving section will be undertaken, comprising 97 questions and lasting 75 minutes. It includes a mixture of two types of questions: Extended Matching Questions (EMQs) which involve 7-10 scenarios and require the candidate to select the single most appropriate option(s), and Single Best Answer questions (SBA), which ask the candidate to pick the most appropriate option for a single scenario. There is no negative marking; marks can still be rewarded for answers that are not entirely correct but unanswered questions will be given no marks. Our MSRA question bank can help you be prepared for all these different types of questions you will encounter on the day.

The MSRA takes around 170 minutes and there are 2 sections - a Professional Dilemmas (PD) paper and a Clinical Problem Solving (CPS) paper. It’s important to prepare properly so you can pass medicine MSRA and start training in your chosen medical discipline. At Pastest, you can access over 2015 exam questions in our MSRA question bank to help you prepare for the exam and take your MSRA revision to the next level. 

For both the PD and CPS sections the candidate will be given a standardised score that comes under a specific band (1-4). For example, those who score <180 in each exam are limited to Band 1, which represents a ‘very poor level of performance’. Scoring over 291 in the exam puts the candidate in Band 4, illustrating a ‘very good level of performance’ in the exam. Additionally, 181-230 is Band 2, representing a ‘below average performance’ and 231-290 puts the candidate in Band 3 or a ‘good level of performance’ in the exam. Our MSRA revision course helps you track your progress, so you can maximise your chances of getting a high score!

A good MSRA score depends on the type of medicine you want to go into, as each discipline has slightly different scoring requirements. It is best to check on the NHS website as well as other online sources to see what score you need for your chosen discipline. If you want to get an ideal score for your discipline, you need to begin your MSRA revision plan. When you pass medicine MSRA, you will be able to start training for your medical discipline. At Pastest, we have a huge MSRA question bank to help you prepare for the MSRA. 

One of the best things you can do to prepare for the MSRA is to revise according to your preferred learning style. At Pastest, we have a range of MSRA revision resources to help you prepare in the best way for you. We have a large searchable textbook so you can find the information you need, as well as a MSRA question bank with 2015 exam-style questions so you can practice. Our MSRA revision package also includes an app so you can track your progress, getting you one step closer to being able to pass medicine MSRA! If you have any questions about our Pastest revision materials, you can contact us here.