Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA)

The Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) is a computer-based assessment. It assesses essential competences in the person specification through clinical scenarios.

The MSRA is a computer-based assessment which has been shown to be a strong predictor of performance in Psychiatry examinations.

Transferring scores

Successful applicants to Core Psychiatry training will be able to transfer their recruitment score (MSRA results) from one recruitment round to another recruitment round. This option will only be valid within a 12-month recruitment cycle and is conditional upon the recruitment and selection process being unchanged in subsequent rounds.

If you request to have your previous score transferred, you will be ranked with applicants in the current recruitment round. This means that your individual ranking may go up or down depending on the performance of the new cohort. Transferring a score does not mean that you are transferring any previous offers made.

Resitting the MSRA

If you choose to re-sit the MSRA, any determination of success and eventual appointment will be made solely on the outcome of the re-sit attempt. If you score lower in your second attempt it will not be possible to revert back to your original score. The re-sit outcome will supersede your earlier outcome.

The decision to re-sit the MSRA must be made at the point of application. Your decision cannot be amended after you have submitted your application.

Scoring

You will receive your MSRA score before initial offers are released.

The results will consist of your MSRA score in each paper, your overall score and your individual rank. The rank relates to MSRA performance for applicants to Core Psychiatry only.

You must score at least 186 (raw score) in each of the two MSRA papers to be considered 'appointable.'

Tied scores

If these are tied scores, the stations will be weighted in this order:

• MSRA Raw Score – Professional Dilemma Paper
• MSRA Raw Score – Clinical Problem Solving Paper

Appealing the outcome

The outcome is final and cannot be reviewed, remarked or disputed. There is no appeals process.

Taking the MSRA

If eligible, you will be invited to take the MSRA. 

Two sittings are planned for the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) for 2026 recruitment.

As there is an anticipated rise in the number of applications to medical speciality training recruitment Round 1 for 2026 which opens on Thursday 23 October 2025, additional capacity to deliver the MSRA has been secured and will be split across two windows: one in January and one in February.

• January 2026: Open to applicants for all specialties
• February 2026: Reserved for applicants who apply to Core Psychiatry and/or General Practice only

What's in the MSRA?

Both parts of the MSRA are designed to assess some of the essential competences outlined in the national person specification and are based around clinical scenarios.

• Documents to support your application

  Documents you may need for your application