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115+ Free MFPHMI Part I Practice Questions

Pass your Membership of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine Part I (RCPI, Ireland) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Key Facts: MFPHMI Part I Exam

4 papers

Written examination format

RCPI MFPHMI Regulations 2025

2 hours

Time per paper

RCPI MFPHMI Regulations 2025

€845

Exam fee from January 2026

RCPI Examinations Schedule

6 attempts

Maximum Part I attempts (includes prior UK DFPH)

RCPI MFPHMI Regulations 2025

8–10 weeks

Results release timeframe

RCPI MFPHMI Regulations 2025

100

Free MCQ practice questions

OpenExamPrep

MFPHMI Part I (RCPI, Ireland) is four 2-hour written papers sat yearly online via TestReach, costing €845 from 2026. Papers 1–2 require 500 combined marks with per-paper minimums; Papers 3–4 require 500 combined. Max six attempts; DFPH UK exempt. This free 100-MCQ bank targets Paper 1 knowledge: epidemiology, research methods, data analysis, health protection, and public health medicine.

Sample MFPHMI Part I Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MFPHMI Part I exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 115+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In a population of 10,000 adults, 200 new cases of type 2 diabetes are diagnosed during one calendar year, and 800 people already have the disease at the start of the year. What is the annual incidence rate per 1,000 population?
A.80 per 1,000 per year.
B.20 per 1,000 per year.
C.100 per 1,000 per year.
D.8 per 1,000 per year.
Explanation: Incidence measures new cases occurring in a defined period. Here, 200 new cases in 10,000 people equals 20 per 1,000 per year. Prevalence at year start (800/10,000 = 80 per 1,000) counts existing cases and must not be used as the numerator for incidence.
2A cross-sectional survey finds that 15% of adults report current smoking. Which measure of disease frequency does this estimate represent?
A.Incidence density.
B.Point prevalence.
C.Cumulative incidence.
D.Attack rate.
Explanation: A cross-sectional survey captures the proportion with a condition (or behaviour) at a single time point, which estimates point prevalence. Incidence requires longitudinal follow-up to count new events over time.
3In a cohort study, 5% of exposed individuals develop lung cancer compared with 1% of unexposed individuals. What is the relative risk (RR)?
A.0.2.
B.4.0.
C.0.04.
D.5.0.
Explanation: Relative risk is the ratio of risk in the exposed group to risk in the unexposed group: 0.05 / 0.01 = 5.0. An RR of 5 means exposed individuals have five times the risk of the outcome compared with unexposed individuals.
4A case-control study reports an odds ratio (OR) of 3.0 for oral contraceptive use among women with venous thromboembolism compared with controls. When is the OR a reasonable approximation of the relative risk?
A.When the outcome is rare in the source population.
B.When the exposure is rare in the source population.
C.When the study uses individual matching of cases and controls.
D.When the outcome is common (prevalence above 10%).
Explanation: When an outcome is rare (<10%), the odds of disease approximate the risk of disease, so OR approximates RR. This is why case-control studies, which estimate OR directly, are often interpreted as RR for rare outcomes.
5Which study design is best suited to establish the temporal sequence between an exposure and a disease when the disease is rare and has a long induction period?
A.Cross-sectional survey.
B.Ecological study.
C.Prospective cohort study.
D.Case series.
Explanation: A prospective cohort study follows exposed and unexposed groups forward in time, establishing that exposure precedes outcome. It is appropriate for rare outcomes with long latency, though it may require large samples and long follow-up.
6In a randomised controlled trial (RCT), participants are allocated to treatment or placebo using concealed randomisation. What is the primary purpose of randomisation?
A.To ensure blinding of participants to their treatment allocation.
B.To guarantee that treatment and control groups are identical in size.
C.To distribute known and unknown confounders evenly between groups.
D.To eliminate the need for statistical analysis of results.
Explanation: Randomisation creates comparable groups by distributing both measured and unmeasured confounders across treatment arms, on average. This supports causal inference that differences in outcome are due to the intervention rather than baseline imbalances.
7A national colorectal cancer screening programme using faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) detects cancers earlier in their natural history. Which bias most commonly makes disease-specific survival appear improved even when the date of death is unchanged?
A.Length bias from detecting only aggressive tumours.
B.Lead-time bias from earlier diagnosis extending the apparent survival period.
C.Selection bias from excluding high-risk patients from screening.
D.Confounding by indication in treatment allocation.
Explanation: Lead-time bias occurs when screening advances the date of diagnosis without postponing death, so survival from diagnosis looks longer even when lifespan is unchanged. Length bias and selection bias are separate screening distortions.
8Standardisation of mortality rates is used to compare death rates between two populations with different age structures. Which method adjusts for differences in the age distribution of populations?
A.Calculating crude mortality rates without adjustment.
B.Using only age-specific rates without combining them.
C.Direct standardisation using a standard population.
D.Indirect standardisation using only the number of observed deaths.
Explanation: Direct standardisation applies age-specific death rates from each population to a common standard population age structure, producing comparable overall rates. This removes confounding by age when comparing populations with different demographic profiles.
9During investigation of a foodborne outbreak at a wedding, 45 of 60 guests who ate chicken salad became ill, compared with 3 of 40 who did not eat it. What is the attack rate among those who ate chicken salad?
A.75%.
B.45%.
C.60%.
D.93%.
Explanation: Attack rate is the proportion of an exposed group who develop illness during an outbreak: 45/60 = 0.75 or 75%. It is a form of cumulative incidence applied in outbreak settings to identify the implicated exposure.
10A hospital-based case-control study finds heavy alcohol use more common among pancreatitis cases than controls. Why might this association be biased?
A.Information bias because alcohol use cannot be measured in case-control studies.
B.Confounding by indication cannot occur in case-control designs.
C.The odds ratio is always biased upward in hospital-based studies.
D.Selection bias because cases were recruited from hospital inpatients who differ from community pancreatitis cases.
Explanation: Hospital-based case-control studies risk selection bias: cases admitted to hospital may differ systematically from community cases (severity, comorbidity, healthcare access). Controls selected from hospital may also not represent the source population that produced the cases.

About the MFPHMI Part I Exam

MFPHMI Part I is the first examination component for Membership of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine at RCPI, Ireland. The actual exam comprises four written papers sat once yearly under TestReach remote invigilation: Paper 1 covers epidemiology, statistics, research methods, health and wellbeing, and health protection; Paper 2 covers health intelligence, health economics, sociology/psychology, and management; Paper 3 is critical appraisal of a journal article; Paper 4 is a written communication memorandum. The fee from January 2026 is €845. Candidates are eligible 12 months after their primary medical degree. This free 100-question MCQ bank supports knowledge preparation for Paper 1 domains — the real exam uses written essay format.

Assessment

Four written papers (essay and critical appraisal format, not MCQs). This practice bank provides 100 MCQs covering knowledge domains from Paper 1: epidemiology, statistics, research methods, health and wellbeing, and health protection.

Time Limit

2 hours per paper (four papers total)

Passing Score

Papers 1 and 2: min 200/500 each and 500 combined; pass ≥2 questions per paper and ≥5 overall. Papers 3 and 4: min 500 combined.

Exam Fee

€845 from 1 January 2026 (Royal College of Physicians of Ireland — Faculty of Public Health Medicine)

MFPHMI Part I Exam Content Outline

25%

Epidemiology

Incidence, prevalence, RR/OR, cohort and case-control studies, RCTs, bias, confounding, standardisation, screening, outbreaks, Bradford Hill, NNT

20%

Research Methods

Evidence hierarchy, critical appraisal, ITT, systematic reviews, publication bias, qualitative methods, ethics

20%

Data Analysis

Sensitivity, specificity, PPV/NPV, likelihood ratios, CIs, hypothesis testing, t-test, chi-square, logistic regression, power, Bayes

20%

Health Protection

Surveillance, immunisation, infection control, environmental health, outbreak management, emergency planning, food/water safety

15%

Public Health Medicine

Health promotion, prevention paradox, QALY/CEA, health inequalities, demography, HSE context, policy, management

How to Pass the MFPHMI Part I Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Papers 1 and 2: min 200/500 each and 500 combined; pass ≥2 questions per paper and ≥5 overall. Papers 3 and 4: min 500 combined.
  • Assessment: Four written papers (essay and critical appraisal format, not MCQs). This practice bank provides 100 MCQs covering knowledge domains from Paper 1: epidemiology, statistics, research methods, health and wellbeing, and health protection.
  • Time limit: 2 hours per paper (four papers total)
  • Exam fee: €845 from 1 January 2026

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

MFPHMI Part I Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master epidemiological measures: incidence vs prevalence, RR, OR, ARR, NNT, and when each study design applies.
2Practice critical appraisal using CASP checklists for RCTs, cohort, and case-control studies.
3Work through diagnostic test calculations: sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and likelihood ratios with varying prevalence.
4Review Irish health protection structures: HPSC, notifiable diseases, NIAC immunisation schedules, and HSE public health departments.
5Understand health economics basics: QALYs, ICERs, and cost-effectiveness thresholds used in policy.
6Study outbreak investigation steps: case definition, descriptive epidemiology, analytical studies, and control measures.
7Familiarise yourself with MFPHMI regulations on pass rules, attempt limits, and paper structure before the exam diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of MFPHMI Part I?

Part I consists of four written papers, each lasting 2 hours, delivered online via TestReach remote invigilation once yearly. Papers 1 and 2 test knowledge domains; Paper 3 is critical appraisal; Paper 4 is a written memorandum. This practice bank uses MCQs for knowledge prep — the actual exam is not MCQ format.

What is the pass mark for MFPHMI Part I?

For Papers 1 and 2, candidates need at least 200 out of 500 per paper and 500 combined, and must pass at least two questions per paper and five overall between papers. Papers 3 and 4 require a minimum of 500 combined across both.

How much does MFPHMI Part I cost in 2026?

The examination fee is €845 from 1 January 2026, increased from €825.

When are MFPHMI Part I results released?

Results are typically released 8 to 10 weeks after the examination sitting.

How many attempts are allowed for Part I?

Candidates may attempt Part I a maximum of six times; this limit includes any prior UK DFPH (formerly Part A) attempts. Holders of DFPH (UK) may be exempt from Part I.

Who is eligible to sit MFPHMI Part I?

Doctors with a primary medical degree registrable with the Medical Council of Ireland are eligible from 12 months after graduation.