Short Term SICS and Phaco Training review @ HV Desai Eye Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra

Both are for 1 month each

Fees between 55-60k for SICS 

~76k for Phaco 

Hostel also is quite economical, about 5k a month.

Case allocation is one per day (Monday - Saturday)

Sunday off 

Public holidays off 

So between 23-26 cases a month 

They start and progress depending on how fast you learn but encourage you to do more steps 

5 Phaco trainees at a time

More trainees taken for SICS 

SICS training is little more haphazard. Sometimes fellows and residents may be there to assist especially if you are doing cases confidently.

For Phaco, one senior faculty will observe 2 trainees operating simultaneously on screen and help wherever necessary.

One day of observation (first day), then you start doing cases.

OT routine- 

Starts between 9 and 10 am and gets done easily before lunch time.

One OT with two tables reserved for the 5 Phaco trainees 

3-4 lectures are there

Wet lab is quite good and there is unlimited access for CCC, sutures and tunnel.

5 eyeballs for Phaco wet lab training

Trainers are good and constantly guiding and most of them are very patient. 

They say you shud have done minimum 100 SICS before joining Phaco 

Or they make you take their one month SICS training before joining Phaco 

If the trainee has a good hand, they will confidently perform Phaco by the 2nd week onwards. If not, definitely by the end .

First 3 weeks is tunnel (phaco done through corneo-scleral tunnel)

Fourth week is via clear corneal incision and we can purchase foldable lenses for ~250 rs each and implant it.

Only thing that is not taught here and probably anywhere else in a short course is complication management. 

Overall, one of the most economical and well structured programs I have come across among whichever I have read or heard about.