CRJ900 flight crew reported receiving a GPWS alert during approach.

Narrative

Aircraft X Day 0; during arrival into ZZZ a terrain pull up aural occurred. CA was flying; I was pm conditions were vmc. We were given 3000 ft by atc and called field in sight. CA asked to cancel ifr which I had no problem with and relayed to atc. We flew the left downwind at 3k ft offset approximately 7 miles from the field for a visual XX backed up by ils XX. A base turn was initiated about midway between the faf" ZZZZZ and the straight in "if" ZZZZZ1. Towers at the ZZZZZ1 fix were a considering in turning on prior to that fix. During the base turn VS mode was activated to descend to 2500; descent rate was low at 400-500 fpm. A dog leg turn was initiated in heading mode to intercept well outside of the faf and we received the aural terrain pull up warning. I believe we were level at 2500ft at the time. After a very brief startle period ca initiated a climb and the aural ended before reaching 2800 ft. After the recovery I checked the msa and found that we were complying with it at 2800ft. I selected heading mode and 3000ft as a starting point to reset flight director guidance to go around for another approach attempt. While doing this Ca verbalized that we were still outside of the faf at a safe altitude with field in sight and that the approach could be made while remaining stabilized. After verifying this was true I didn't challenge the decision to continue. Appr mode was reactivated and we continued for a normal landing. Cause: We never had visual contact with the terrain or obstacle that triggered the gpws so trusting that it was not erroneous; I believe the cause was not maintaining msa until fully established on the final approach course. Suggestions: Maintaining msa until fully established on approach course would likely have prevented this. I think normalizing going further out to join the approach while allowing time to descend from msa would be a helpful mindset change to accomplish this."