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NAME OF THE INSTITUTE
Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya (SSDN), Guwahati (Assam)
STIPEND
- Monthly Remuneration: ₹40,000
- Financial Policy: No caution deposit required.
DURATION
24 Months (2 Years)
HONEST REVIEW
- Selection & Intake: Inducts only one fellow per year via an interview process. The program begins with a one-month orientation phase to integrate the fellow into the clinical workflow.
- Clinical Rotation: From the second month onwards, the fellow is rotated among different consultants for 2–3 month periods. This ensures exposure to various clinical approaches in managing corneal pathologies.
- Surgical Hands-on: Surgical training starts early (second month) with a “steps-based” approach. Fellows progress from therapeutic Keratoplasties (KPs) to optical KPs. However, independent full-case volumes are limited by low local tissue donor availability (averaging approx. 3 KPs per month for the entire department).
- Ancillary Procedures: Robust hands-on exposure is provided for pterygium surgeries, C3R, Amniotic Membrane Grafting (AMG), and Mucous Membrane Grafting (MMG). Lamellar surgery (DALK) exposure is minimal, typically restricted to 1–2 cases toward the end of the tenure.
- Refractive & Cataract: While PRK and Femto-LASIK are performed, fellows are limited to patient selection and workup; no hands-on refractive training is provided. Notably, there is no formal Phaco training, though fellows proficient in SICS may be called upon for cataract cases.
- Work Culture: Operating hours are 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM. The environment is described as busy but non-toxic, with approachable and supportive faculty.
- Academic & On-Call: Mandatory daily classes at 8:00 AM. On-call duties include one night shift per month and two Sundays (one for hospital coverage and one at a peripheral center). There are no outreach camp requirements.
PERSONAL OPINION
This is a “Clinical Cornea” heavy fellowship best suited for those who want to master ocular surface disorders and medical management of corneal disease. While the surgical volume for transplants is constrained by tissue availability, the one-on-one mentorship with a single fellow per year is a significant advantage. It is not recommended for candidates whose primary objective is to gain high-volume cataract or refractive surgery experience.
