The MFPHMI Part I examination tests your knowledge of public health medicine, including basic skills in research methods, data analysis, problem solving and communications. The exam Syllabus may be found in the Regulations document below. The exam is held once a year and consists of 4 written papers. Papers 1 and 2 are designed to test your knowledge. Papers 3 and 4 are designed to test your skills. You have two hours to answer each paper.

Paper 1

You must answer five questions covering the following subjects:

• Epidemiology, statistics and research methods
• Health and wellbeing
• Health protection

Paper 2

You must answer five questions covering the following subjects:

• Health intelligence
• Social policy and health economics
• Medical sociology and health psychology
• Organisation and management of health care

Paper 3

Paper 3 tests your critical appraisal skills. You will be asked for commentary on and application of material in a scientific/medical article from a peer-reviewed journal. The article will be provided at the start of the exam paper.

Paper 4

Paper 4 tests your communication skills in relation to preparing a memorandum to the press, health authority, chief executive, Director of Public Health or a similar person on a local situation or problem. You are expected to demonstrate your ability to apply the basic skills of public health medicine to a set problem. This may include data manipulation and interpretation.

Entry requirements

• There must be at least 12 months between the date of your primary medical degree graduation and the date of the exam.
• Candidates for the MFPHMI Part I examination are not required to be on a register of medical practitioners. Those whose names do not appear on the Register of Medical Practitioners in Ireland or in the United Kingdom must submit certified copies of their original diplomas of medical qualification which must be adjudged to be satisfactory.

Skills needed for this exam

To be successful in this exam, you need basic data handling skills and the ability to perform basic statistical techniques. You will also need to understand and interpret results from more complex statistical techniques and be able to extract and manipulate data. Other skills required for this exam include the ability to criticise research evidence and communicate in writing to a non-medical audience. You are expected to be familiar with recent theoretical developments in Public Health Medicine.

If you haven't worked in Ireland

The MFPHMI Part I examination is designed to accommodate candidates with experience outside the Irish healthcare system. We set generic questions that allow you to relate answers to your particular healthcare system.

Are you exempt?

You can apply for exemption from this exam if you have passed the Diplomate Examination of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (DFPH), formerly Part A.

Repeat attempts

There is a limit of six attempts for MFPHMI Part I, including attempts at DFPH in the United Kingdom. You have seven years from the date of passing Part I to pass Part III.

What to include with your application

This is an online application process. When you apply you will need to upload a scanned attested copy of your primary medical degree. Your medical degree can be attested by:

• An Garda Siochana (Irish police force)
• The issuing University or Medical School
• A solicitor/ notary public/ lawyer
• A Commissioner for oaths
• An Irish or British Consulate
• Your Embassy or High Commissioner

Official translations will only be accepted if they have been prepared and/or authenticated by:

• The issuing University or Medical School
• An Irish or British Consulate
• Your Embassy or High Commissioner

Application fee

The fee to apply to this exam is €800. The method of payment is credit or debit card, taken at the end of the online application process. Don't forget, if you're in Ireland you can claim a refund under the HSE Clinical Course and Examination Refund Scheme.

How to prepare

It's important to prepare for MFPHMI exams and not to underestimate how long it takes to get ready to sit Part I. Having an understanding of how each exam is formatted and how questions are constructed will help you prepare and develop good answering strategies. 

When you're preparing your study plan, make sure to refer to the syllabus for the Part I examination which is available below. You may also read the Higher Specialist Training in Public Health Medicine handbook, also available below.