"What is a good MSRA score?" is one of the most common questions in specialty recruitment, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you are applying for, and on how everyone else does that year. There is no fixed pass mark and no maximum score — the MSRA is normalised against the whole cohort — so a good score is best understood relative to the average and to your specialty's competition. This guide explains how the scoring works, what the bands mean, and what counts as competitive. Figures are indicative as of mid-2026 and vary by cohort each year — always confirm against current official guidance.
How the MSRA is scored
The MSRA has two papers — Clinical Problem Solving (CPS) and Professional Dilemmas (PD) — and your overall score combines the two. Rather than a raw percentage, scores are normalised against everyone sitting in that cohort. For GP applicants, the official position is that scores in each paper are normalised around a mean of 250 with a standard deviation of 40, and each paper is also placed into a band from 1 to 4. A band of 1 in either paper means the minimum standard has not been met, and the applicant does not progress.
Because of normalisation, there is no maximum achievable score, and your number reflects where you stand relative to your peers rather than a fixed target. Most specialties other than GP use the combined numerical total to rank or shortlist candidates, while GP also uses the bands. A consequence of normalisation worth understanding is that your score depends partly on the cohort you sit with: the same level of knowledge can produce a slightly different scaled score and band from one sitting to the next, because the figures are re-calculated each time. With two sittings now running each year — one for Round 1 and one for Round 2 — the relevant comparison is always the people who sat when you did, not a historical benchmark, which is why chasing a specific number from a previous year is less useful than aiming comfortably above the cohort average.
What the bands mean
Exact boundaries shift year to year, but the commonly reported structure is roughly as follows: Band 1 is below the minimum acceptable level; Band 2, around 186 to 230, is below average but meets basic standards; Band 3, around 231 to 290, is a good to very good performance; and Band 4, above roughly 291 to 310, is an exceptional performance, typically the top 1 to 2% of candidates. The CPS and PD papers have slightly different ranges, and the figures are re-set with each cohort, so treat these as a guide rather than fixed thresholds.
So what is a "good" score?
A few practical benchmarks. Scoring around the mean — roughly 250 per paper — places you in the middle of the cohort, which is safe for less competitive routes but not for the most sought-after specialties or locations. A good score is comfortably above average, in Band 3 or 4. A genuinely competitive score — the level that secures top GP locations or shortlisting for the most competitive specialties — sits well into Band 3 and ideally Band 4. Because the most competitive specialties rank on the total, every additional mark can matter, so the goal there is to maximise the score rather than simply clear a threshold.
The key nuance is that a score that is good for one specialty may be only average for another. The same number could comfortably secure one route and fall short for radiology or another high-demand specialty in the same year. The most useful thing to do with your score is to read it against your specialty's recent cut-offs rather than in isolation. A band or total that looks strong on its own can still be below the line for a high-demand specialty, and a seemingly modest score can be comfortable for a less competitive one. If your score comes back lower than hoped and you have the option to resit, the question is not whether the number is good in the abstract, but whether it is competitive for the specific route and locations you want.
How to push your score higher
The MSRA rewards two distinct skills, and the candidates who score well prepare for both. For the Clinical Problem Solving paper, broad clinical knowledge at foundation level, practised under time pressure, is what counts — and because the paper spans every common presentation, the most efficient route is to find and fix your weak areas rather than re-revise what you already know. For the Professional Dilemmas paper, format-specific practice against the expected professional behaviours matters more than clinical knowledge.
For the clinical paper, an adaptive bank concentrates your revision where you are losing marks. iatroX offers an adaptive engine that targets your weakest clinical topics, a Socratic tutor that rebuilds the reasoning behind each wrong answer, spaced repetition and blueprint-mapped questions, with explanations grounded in NICE and CKS. Its MSRA bank sits on one subscription at £29 a month or £99 a year, with free sample questions to try first; the same subscription also covers PLAB, the UKMLA and more. Because iatroX focuses on the clinical paper, pair it with dedicated Professional Dilemmas material for the SJT side.
A few common questions
Is there a pass mark for the MSRA? Not a fixed one — scores are normalised against the cohort, and only a band of 1 in either paper rules you out; otherwise specialties set their own cut-offs.
What is the average MSRA score? For GP, scores are normalised around a mean of 250 per paper with a standard deviation of 40; the average shifts slightly each year.
What is a competitive MSRA score? Comfortably above average — Band 3 or 4 — with the most competitive specialties effectively requiring a top-end total.
Is there a maximum MSRA score? No — because of normalisation, there is no fixed ceiling; your score reflects your standing relative to other candidates.