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Free MSRA Questions

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The team at Quesmed.com have created a free MSRA mock paper to help doctors preparing for the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment. Our practice paper is designed to reflect the format, difficulty, and question style of the real exam across both assessed sections. To try our free MSRA mock paper, click the button above!

What is the MSRA?

The Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) is a computer-based exam that forms an important part of the application process for medical specialty training in the UK. It is used across a range of specialties to assess whether candidates have the clinical knowledge, professional judgment, and aptitude required for specialty training.

Because MSRA scores are used directly by training programmes to shortlist candidates, performance in this exam can have a significant influence on where you are offered a training post. For full guidance on the exam and how it is used in recruitment, visit the NHS Health Education England MSRA page.

MSRA Exam Format

The MSRA consists of two sections, both in multiple choice format and sat electronically at a designated test centre.

The Clinical Problem Solving (CPS) section assesses your clinical knowledge and ability to apply it in realistic scenarios. Questions cover diagnosis, investigation, management, and emergency treatment across a broad range of clinical presentations. The Professional Dilemmas (PD) section assesses your situational judgment, focusing on professional attributes including integrity, empathy, and teamwork. Candidates are presented with workplace scenarios and asked to select the most appropriate response.

There is no negative marking in either section. Scores from both sections are used by training programmes to shortlist candidates for interview or, in some specialties, to make direct offers.

How to Prepare for the MSRA

Preparation for the MSRA needs to be structured and sustained, and requires a different approach to most clinical exams.

For the CPS section, the priority is breadth of clinical knowledge and the ability to apply it to realistic scenarios. Engage with a high volume of practice questions covering diagnosis, investigation, and management across all major clinical areas. Review explanations carefully for both correct and incorrect answers, as this is where the most learning happens. Supplement your question practice with targeted reading of relevant NICE guidelines to reinforce the evidence base behind the correct answers.

For the PD section, regular practice with situational judgment scenarios is the most effective preparation. The reasoning behind correct responses is not always intuitive, particularly early in your preparation, and improves considerably with exposure. Pay close attention to explained answers and reflect on why certain responses are ranked more highly than others. Familiarising yourself with the professional principles that underpin medical practice in the UK will help you approach dilemmas more confidently.

Taking timed mock papers under exam conditions is one of the most valuable things you can do in the weeks leading up to the exam. It builds pacing, reduces anxiety on the day, and highlights areas that need further attention. Because MSRA scores directly influence shortlisting, even modest improvements in performance can make a meaningful difference to your training outcomes.

An Advanced Question Bank for the MSRA

Quesmed offers an advanced question bank for the MSRA, covering both the Clinical Problem Solving and Professional Dilemmas sections in depth.

This includes:

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  A large bank of CPS questions across all major clinical presentations

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  Dedicated PD scenario practice with detailed explained answers

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  Targeted content aligned to NICE guidelines and UK clinical practice

Click here to sign up and get started with your revision.