FELLOWSHIP DIRECTORY: PHACO & REFRACTIVE SURGERY

NAME OF THE INSTITUTE

Sankara Eye Hospital, Marathahalli, Bengaluru

STIPEND & FEES

• Monthly Remuneration: ₹40,000
• Admission Fee: None.
• Caution Deposit: ₹80,000 (Equivalent to 2 months’ stipend).
  • Deduction Schedule: ₹40k in the 1st month, then ₹20k each in the 2nd and 3rd months.
  • Refund: Returned in full upon completion of the 2-year tenure.
• Complication Policy: Unlike some other private institutes in Bengaluru, there are no financial penalties for cataract surgery complications (e.g., nucleus drops).

DURATION

24 Months (2 Years)

(Split: 6 Months General Ophthalmology + 18 Months Phaco-Refractive Specialty)

HONEST REVIEW

• Selection & Intake: Usually 1–2 fellows are taken once or twice a year based on institutional requirements. Admission is via a competitive exam and interview, and the program concludes with a mandatory exit examination.
• Phase 1: General Ophthalmology (Months 1–6):
  • Fellows are assigned a senior consultant mentor (from any specialty) for one-on-one surgical guidance.
  • Training starts with SICS after the first month. Over the two-year tenure, you can expect a massive volume of 1,000+ SICS cases.
  • This phase includes learning complication management: CTR placement, iris hooks/claws, and anterior vitrectomies.
• Phase 2: Phaco-Refractive Specialty (Months 7–24):
  • Phacoemulsification: Phaco training typically starts around the 6–7 month mark. Once you demonstrate independence, supervision is tapered.
  • Volume: Fellows generally graduate with 200–300 Phaco cases. Note that surgeries are performed under anesthesia; no topical phaco is taught.
  • Refractive Surgery: Training starts with C3R (approx. 7–10 cases) to master epithelial scraping. This is followed by PRK (approx. 40–45 cases).
  • Limitations: There is no hands-on for LASIK, and the center does not currently utilize a SMILE machine.
• Work Culture & Duties:
  • Hours: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
  • The “Weekly Call”: During the first 6 months, fellows undergo 2–3 rotations of grueling week-long night calls (8 PM – 8 AM). You work the night, are off the following day, and return for the next night shift for the full week.
  • Camps: Mandatory Sunday outreach camp duties (typically once a month).

PERSONAL OPINION

Sankara Bengaluru is an elite “Surgical Finishing School” for Phaco. While the refractive side is limited to PRK and lacks LASIK/SMILE exposure, the trade-off is the sheer volume and diversity of cataract cases. It is one of the few places where you can master complex anterior segment repairs alongside high-volume Phaco. It is ideal for those who want to be “iron-handed” surgeons capable of handling any cataract complication independently.