Vitreo-Retinal Surgery Fellowship review @ Sankara Eye Hospital, Shimoga, Karnataka

Duration 2 yrs

1 fellow taken every 6 months

Selection- Exam+ interview 

Stipend 40k

(Caution deposit of 80k taken from first 2 months' salary)

No phaco training. 

First month is orientation period, you are posted in diff depts to understand how the system works.

Second month onwards you're posted in VR dept.

Initial 6 months you're mostly in the retinal investigations room doing B scans, FFAs, OCTs.

Thereafter you're posted in OP and can see cases and manage them on your own or in consultation with seniors.

You are posted for 3 months with each VR consultant.

Surgical hands-on starts with steps from the time you enter VR dept.

Fellows get OT twice a week.

Liberal hands-on for retinal lasers and intravit injections.

ROP training in last 6 months.

You learn screening and also get hands-on for ROP lasers and injections in last 3 months.

No ROP surgeries done here.

You get to assist and see all kinds of retinal surgeries done here... RD surgeries are not commonly given.

You do get chances for macular surgeries though, ILM peelings are given if the consultant thinks you can do it. 

One shortcoming of this program is that even when you're posted in OP, you don't spend much time in OP seeing patients, you're running around either for investigations or OT.. so clinical exposure can be limited in that way.

Last 6 months as SR, you're given your own cabin and you see more OP pts that way.

Independent cases for surgery also given at the end but again, numbers vary based on your ability to handle them.

Dept is not hectic, consultants are friendly.

Work timings 9- 6pm, can end late on OT days.

You have Sunday duties twice in a month (either Sunday OP or else sunday camp)

No peripheral postings for VR fellows.

You may also get chances to do SICS or phacos once in a while (if you know how to operate).. but that is only after all your dept work is done, like on those rare days where retina OT gets over early.

Overall, a decent fellowship that provides basic foundation. 

Limited OP exposure is a concern. Plus, you get mostly steps in surgery till the end- unless you are exceptionally skilled and pick up unusually quickly... which is not the norm with VR training, which is why even 2 yrs is not adequate for most fellowships. Will need more clinical and surgical experience post fellowship.