When to start MSRA revision
There is no official answer, and nobody can promise a result. Pick your sitting to see the weeks you have, then use them in three phases: cover, test, tighten. The plan is our suggestion.
Dates from the official GP recruitment timeline, last checked 7 October 2026. Your sitting is allocated, not chosen.
What is official, and what is ours
The dates are official: they are on the GP recruitment timeline and in MSRA 2027 dates and timeline. Your sitting is allocated, not chosen, and invitations for the first sitting are expected by 14 December 2026. Until then, plan for January.
The plan below is ours. It is a suggestion that fits around a full-time job, not official guidance, and it is no promise of an outcome.
Three phases: cover, test, tighten
| Phase | When | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | About half of your weeks, to begin with | Questions on each of the clinical paper's topic areas, weakest first. Read only around what you get wrong, and keep a list of your misses. |
| Test | Most of the rest | Mixed questions across all the topic areas, in both question types. One timed run of the official practice paper, in the real order. |
| Tighten | The last week or two | Your list of misses, in short sessions. Nothing new in the last few days. Check your booking and your ID. |
Starting late? Keep the order and shorten each phase. Questions still come before reading.
Why questions come before reading
The official description of the clinical paper says it tests your ability to synthesise and apply medical knowledge, not just your recall of it. Questions make you apply what you know and show you early what you do not. That is our reasoning; the method is yours to choose.
Two official resources to use whenever you start
- The practice paper. The exam team publishes a practice paper with answer key and rationales, and the official structure page says you may use it to help prepare.
- The demo. A generic demo lets you get used to the controls and screen layout before the day.
The same official page says none of the question writers take part in or endorse any preparation courses or books. That applies to every provider, including us.
If you only have short gaps
Most junior doctors revise in pieces: before a shift, on a commute, in a lunch that is actually taken. Give each piece one job: a set of questions on one weak area, or yesterday's misses. Audio can fill some gaps, with limits: see Revising for the MSRA by audio.
Dates and rules can change, and this page is not legal or careers advice. Confirm them on the official page before you rely on them: GP specialty training recruitment timeline (NHS England).