The MSRA
Anaesthetics uses the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment: a computer-based exam of two papers — Professional Dilemmas and Clinical Problem Solving — sat at Pearson VUE test centres.
Format and marks below are taken from ANRO's published applicant guidance. ANRO publishes each round's guidance and scoring matrix before the application window opens.
How it counts
- It contributes 15% of your selection score — 7.5% from each paper — with the interview making up the other 85%
- There is no cut-off score. It is used to allocate interview capacity, not to exclude
- Applicants not invited in the first pass join a Shortlist Reserve and are called in rank order as slots free up
That makes the MSRA less decisive here than in Core Surgical Training, where only the top 1200 are interviewed at all. It still determines whether you are invited early or left waiting, so it is worth preparing properly.
The 2027 MSRA test window had not been published as of August 2026. In the 2026 round it ran in early January.
Top Tips
- Practise both papers under time. Professional Dilemmas punishes slow readers more than weak knowledge.
- No cut-off does not mean no consequence — a poor score can leave you on the reserve list.
More interview info
Practise both stations
The question bank covers every station with model answers and AI-marked spoken practice.
Register for the question bank