The MSRA is worth 15% of the anaesthetics CT1 selection score for 2027, split 7.5% Professional Dilemmas and 7.5% Clinical Problem Solving, with the interview worth the other 85%.
There is no MSRA cut-off for anaesthetics: the score allocates interview capacity and ranks the Shortlist Reserve. The 2027 test window is not yet published; in 2026 it ran from 6 to 19 January.
Reviewed and updated 10 September 2026. Every interview mark below is taken from ANRO's August 2026 applicant guidance and is the 2026 position; ANRO publishes the 2027 guidance before applications open on 22 October 2026. The 2027 Round 1 dates are confirmed by NHS England.
Key takeaways
- MSRA 15%, interview 85%: the anaesthetics weighting in ANRO's August 2026 guidance, with the 15% split equally between the two papers.
- There is no cut-off score. Applicants not invited to interview in the first pass form a ranked Shortlist Reserve and are called as slots free up.
- The MSRA is a 170-minute computer-based assessment in two parts, Professional Dilemmas and Clinical Problem Solving, sat at Pearson VUE centres, according to NHS England.
- 2026 reference window: 6 to 19 January 2026. The 2027 window is not yet published; ANRO's February 2027 start round used 3 to 10 September 2026.
- Arithmetic of the weighting: a 10-mark swing in the 100-mark interview moves your selection score by 8.5 points; a 10% swing on the MSRA moves it by 1.5.
How much is the MSRA worth for anaesthetics CT1 in 2027?
The MSRA is worth 15% of the anaesthetics CT1 selection score, and the interview 85%, according to ANRO's August 2026 applicant guidance, which is the 2026 position ANRO's February 2027 guidance repeats.
| Component | Share of selection score | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MSRA: Professional Dilemmas | 7.5% | ANRO guidance, August 2026 |
| MSRA: Clinical Problem Solving | 7.5% | ANRO guidance, August 2026 |
| Interview: Clinical Judgement station (50 marks) | 42.5% | ANRO guidance, August 2026 |
| Interview: General Interview station (50 marks) | 42.5% | ANRO guidance, August 2026 |
| Total | 100% |
The station shares are our arithmetic from the published 85%, not a figure ANRO states. How the raw MSRA score is scaled into the 15% is not set out in the guidance, so no formula is given here.
What is the MSRA?
The MSRA is the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment, a 170-minute computer-based test in two parts used by several specialties to shortlist or score applicants, sat at Pearson VUE test centres.
NHS England's MSRA page describes Professional Dilemmas as a situational judgement test of how you would act in workplace scenarios, and Clinical Problem Solving as a test of applying clinical knowledge at the level of a doctor at the end of foundation training.
You receive an invitation to book through your Pearson VUE account after applying, and you can reschedule within the window through the same account, according to NHS England.
Is there an MSRA cut-off score for anaesthetics?
No. ANRO's guidance states there is no MSRA cut-off for anaesthetics; the MSRA is used to allocate interview capacity, and applicants not invited initially join a Shortlist Reserve called in rank order.
That makes anaesthetics different from Core Surgical Training, where NHS England's guidance for the 2026 round invited only the top 1,200 MSRA scorers to interview, and from Clinical Radiology, which used a 201 cut-off on each paper in 2026.
However, "no cut-off" does not mean "no consequence". A low score can leave you on the reserve list, invited late or not at all if capacity is filled.
When is the MSRA for the 2027 anaesthetics round?
The 2027 MSRA window for anaesthetics is not yet published. In the 2026 round it ran from 6 to 19 January 2026, and ANRO publishes the sub-dates before applications open on 22 October 2026.
| Round | MSRA window | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Round 1 (August 2026 start) | 6 to 19 January 2026 | 2026 reference, ANRO guidance |
| February 2027 start round | 3 to 10 September 2026 | ANRO website, read 11 September 2026 |
| 2027 Round 1 (August 2027 start) | Not yet published | Applications 22 October to 19 November 2026 (NHS England, confirmed) |
In practice, plan for early January and adjust when ANRO publishes. Booking slots fill quickly, so book on the day the invitation arrives.
How does the MSRA combine with the interview score?
The MSRA and interview combine as 15% and 85% of one selection score, so the interview's 100 marks dominate: 10 interview marks are worth 8.5 points of selection score, while 10% of the MSRA is worth 1.5.
Put another way, the gap between an average and a strong MSRA performance is worth less than one domain mark from one assessor in one station. anaestheticinterview's interview format guide sets out the 100-mark scheme.
That said, the MSRA is what gets you into the room first. Rank order in the first pass is MSRA order.
How does the anaesthetics weighting compare with other specialties?
Anaesthetics' 15% MSRA weighting sits between Core Surgical Training's 10% and Obstetrics and Gynaecology's roughly one third, while Internal Medicine Training does not use the MSRA at all.
| Specialty (2026 published position) | MSRA share of selection score | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Anaesthetics CT1 and ACCS Anaesthetics | 15% | Score and shortlist; no cut-off |
| Core Surgical Training | 10% | Score; top 1,200 invited to interview |
| Obstetrics and Gynaecology ST1 | About 33% | Score; top 75 bypass interview |
| Clinical Radiology ST1 | 0% | Shortlist only; 201 cut-off per paper |
| Internal Medicine Training | Not used | Interview alone ranks |
Every row is the 2026 published position from the relevant national recruitment office; 2027 weightings are expected before October.
What is the Shortlist Reserve?
The Shortlist Reserve is the ranked list of anaesthetics applicants not invited to interview in the first allocation, who are then invited in MSRA rank order as interview slots become available.
ANRO's guidance describes it as the mechanism that replaces a cut-off. If you are on it, keep the interview window free and keep practising; invitations can arrive at short notice, and anaestheticinterview's spoken practice can be picked up the same day.
How should you prepare for the MSRA in three weeks?
Prepare for the MSRA in three weeks by splitting time between the papers, practising Professional Dilemmas under time because it punishes slow readers, and revising Clinical Problem Solving by system with a question bank.
- Week one: sit one timed paper of each type to find your weaker paper.
- Week two: Professional Dilemmas ranking and multiple-choice practice daily; GMC Good Medical Practice is the reference.
- Week three: Clinical Problem Solving by system, focusing on the areas you scored lowest.
- Throughout: keep spoken interview practice going, because 85% of the score is still ahead of you.
The anaestheticinterview site covers the MSRA's role in its free interview guides; the question bank, 340 questions for £97, is interview practice rather than MSRA practice, and the two should not be confused.
Does a poor MSRA sink an anaesthetics application?
A poor MSRA rarely sinks an anaesthetics application on score alone, because it is 15% of the total, but it can cost you an early interview slot or leave you on the Shortlist Reserve.
In practice, a candidate with a middling MSRA and a 75 out of 100 interview will outrank one with a strong MSRA and a 65. The interview is where anaesthetics is won.
So treat the MSRA as the entry ticket and the interview as the exam. Read our MSRA overview page and the two station guides in that order.