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NAME OF THE INSTITUTE
Bangalore West Lions Super Speciality Eye Hospital, Bengaluru
STIPEND
- Monthly Remuneration: ₹50,000
- Note: This is an RGUHS-affiliated fellowship. If the two primary university seats are not filled, the hospital recruits “House Fellows” for a 12-month tenure with similar clinical exposure.
DURATION
18 Months (1.5 Years)
HONEST REVIEW
- Selection & Accreditation: Admission is determined by an MCQ examination and a personal interview. As a formal RGUHS (Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences) program, it features a structured curriculum and concludes with a mandatory university exit examination.
- Distinct Program Track: Note that this is a specialized Cataract/Phaco track, distinct from their “General Ophthalmology” fellowship. This program is strictly focused on cataract surgery and does not include refractive training.
- Surgical Quota: The program formally commits to providing a minimum of 250 SICS and 100 Phacoemulsification cases.
- Surgical Progression: Training begins with SICS (approx. 1–2 cases per OT session). As the fellow’s speed and proficiency improve, the volume scales up to 5–6 cases per session. OT frequency is typically once per week.
- Clinical Workflow: Standard hours are 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM.
- Night & Sunday Duties: Night calls occur roughly every 10 days; while the fellow is the first point of contact, emergency volumes are generally light. Sundays are typically off, with the exception of one mandatory Sunday duty or outreach camp per month.
- Peripheral Postings: Fellows rotate through two branch clinics for durations of 3 days to a full week. While these are OPD-only sites, the hospital ensures surgical numbers are balanced by increasing cases in the weeks following a peripheral posting.
- Limitations: Training is focused on standard cataracts. Exposure to advanced cases (brown cataracts, PXF) or formal complication management is limited for fellows, though these are available to those who choose to continue at the institute post-fellowship.
PERSONAL OPINION
This is a high-quality “Pure Cataract” fellowship for those who want a strong, recognized university credential. It is ideal for candidates who want to master SICS first and then transition into a reliable Phaco curve. The 50k stipend and structured RGUHS academic framework make it a stable and professional environment for early-career surgeons. However, if your goal is to graduate with 500+ Phaco cases or to learn Refractive surgery simultaneously, this may feel too restrictive.
