FELLOWSHIP DIRECTORY: VITREO-RETINAL SURGERY

NAME OF THE INSTITUTE

Sankara Eye Hospital, Shimoga, Karnataka

(A key regional unit under the Sankara Eye Foundation network, offering structured subspecialty clinical and surgical training).

STIPEND & SELECTION

• Duration: 2 Years.

• Intake Frequency: 1 fellow taken every 6 months.

• Selection Process: Entrance Exam followed by an Interview.

• Monthly Stipend: ₹40,000.

• Caution Deposit: ₹80,000 deducted across the first 2 months’ salary.

HONEST REVIEW

1. Rotations & Workload Breakdown

• Month 1 (Orientation): General rotational orientation across departments to understand internal hospital protocols.

• Months 2–6 (Diagnostics Phase): Posted in the VR department, primarily managing retinal investigation modalities (B-Scans, FFAs, and OCTs).

• Months 7–24 (Clinical & Consultant Rotations): Rotating 3-month postings under each VR consultant.

• Outpatient Exposure Limits: Outpatient time can be constrained early on as fellows frequently manage diagnostic rooms and OT flow simultaneously. Dedicated outpatient consultation time increases in the final 6 months during the Senior Resident phase.

2. Surgical Hands-On & ROP Exposure

• Surgical Step Progression: Surgical exposure begins with individual steps upon entering the VR department, with dedicated OT time twice a week.

• Laser & Injections: Liberal hands-on practice for intravitreal injections and retinal lasers.

• Major Surgeries: Fellows assist on complex cases. Opportunities for macular procedures (e.g., ILM peeling) are provided based on demonstrated surgical skill. Independent Retinal Detachment (RD) cases are infrequently allocated.

• ROP Training: Covers screening, ROP lasers, and anti-VEGF injections in the final 6 months. Surgical ROP cases (Stage 4/5) are not performed at this unit.

• Cataract Training: Strictly no Phaco training built into the VR fellowship curriculum. Occasional SICS/Phaco cases are permitted only if primary VR duties are completed and OT finishes early.

3. Work Culture & Schedule

• Work Timings: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (runs later on heavy OT days).

• Duties: Sunday duties twice a month (Sunday OPD or outreach camps). No peripheral station postings.

• Work Environment: Generally supportive and approachable faculty with a manageable, low-stress work pace.

PROS & CONS

SUMMARY COMPARISON TABLE