MSRA Essential MSRA 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The MSRA is primarily used to assess applicants for which stage of UK medical training?
- Medical school admission
- Specialty (ST1/CT1) training recruitment (Correct answer)
- Foundation Programme entry
- Consultant appointment
Correct answer: Specialty (ST1/CT1) training recruitment
The MSRA is a computer-based test used to recruit foundation doctors into a range of specialty training programmes.
Question 2: Which two main components make up the MSRA?
- Clinical Problem Solving and Professional Dilemmas (Correct answer)
- Anatomy and Pharmacology
- OSCE and Viva
- Written essay and Interview
Correct answer: Clinical Problem Solving and Professional Dilemmas
The MSRA consists of the Clinical Problem Solving (CPS) paper and the Professional Dilemmas (PD) paper.
Question 3: What is the typical format of questions in the Clinical Problem Solving paper?
- Long essay responses
- Best-of-five and extended matching questions (Correct answer)
- Spoken responses to an examiner
- Practical clinical demonstrations
Correct answer: Best-of-five and extended matching questions
The CPS paper uses single-best-answer and extended matching item formats focused on clinical scenarios.
Question 4: The Professional Dilemmas paper is designed to assess a candidate's:
- Memorised drug doses
- Professional judgement and integrity in workplace situations (Correct answer)
- Surgical technique
- Knowledge of medical history
Correct answer: Professional judgement and integrity in workplace situations
The PD paper evaluates situational judgement, professionalism, coping with pressure, and empathy.
Question 5: In the Professional Dilemmas paper, what are the two main question formats?
- True/false and matching
- Ranking and multiple-choice (most/least appropriate) (Correct answer)
- Essay and short answer
- Diagram labelling and calculation
Correct answer: Ranking and multiple-choice (most/least appropriate)
PD questions ask candidates to rank options in order of appropriateness or select the most/least appropriate actions.
Question 6: Which professional framework underpins the scenarios in the Professional Dilemmas paper?
- GMC's Good Medical Practice (Correct answer)
- The Highway Code
- NICE technology appraisals
- The Mental Capacity Act alone
Correct answer: GMC's Good Medical Practice
PD scenarios are based on the GMC's Good Medical Practice principles expected of all doctors.
Question 7: Why is time management considered critical in the MSRA?
- There is no time limit
- Both papers have a large number of questions within tight time constraints (Correct answer)
- Only one question is asked
- Marks are not affected by unanswered questions
Correct answer: Both papers have a large number of questions within tight time constraints
Both the CPS and PD papers contain many questions to be completed in limited time, making pacing essential.
MSRA Essential MSRA 2
The MSRA is primarily used to assess applicants for which stage of UK medical training?