MSRA 2027 guides

Round 1 opens on 22 October and closes on 19 November; the MSRA runs from 5 to 20 January, with a 10 to 18 February window for GP and Core Psychiatry applicants only.

Priority now applies to interview offers as well as place offers. The September 2026 regulations added no route based on NHS experience.

Eligibility, likely priority status and your specialty's use of the MSRA determine whether sitting it is worth the time and cost.

Trust-grade and LAT jobs offer alternatives to a training number, while the Portfolio Pathway can still lead to the Specialist Register. The value of a year outside training depends on whether it leaves you better placed for the next round.

A score around 500 sits near the cohort mean; the scale does not represent 500 marks. Each specialty then applies its own selection rules.

FOI cut-offs, GP score bands and competition ratios are tied to their year and recruitment stage.

The 2024 and 2027 versions are both accepted this round; the signatory must have current registration and at least three months of continuous supervision.

Applications open on the morning of 22 October; successful applicants face 48-hour offer decisions in April.

GP and Core Psychiatry publish different rules for resits and score transfer. No published blanket rule covers the other specialties.

GP ST1 has no interview or portfolio score: the MSRA sets the rank, and a Band 1 in either paper ends the application.

Applications rose from 4,650 to 10,677 in a year. Posts stayed near 490. You need at least 186 in each paper to remain appointable.

The MSRA sets a floor of 201 in each paper and decides interview places when applicants exceed capacity. Final rank is 30% portfolio and 70% interview.

MSRA rank makes the first 2027 cut. A self-assessment score of 19 or less stops the application. Only the top 350 reach verification.