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NAME OF THE INSTITUTE
Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital (AJEH), Mastichak, Saran (Bihar)
STIPEND
- Year 1: ₹60,000 (Months 1–3) → ₹80,000 (Months 4–12)
- Year 2: Incremental increase (Contact institute for specific second-year scales).
DURATION
24 Months (2 Years)
HONEST REVIEW
- Initial Orientation: The first trimester is dedicated to clinical observation across general, specialty, and tele-ophthalmology departments. This period also includes intensive wet-lab training on virtual simulators and suture practice.
- Surgical Staggering: Operative training is purposefully delayed and staggered. While four fellows may join simultaneously, their OT start dates are spaced out weekly, beginning from the third month (or fourth month for the final fellow in a batch).
- High-Volume SICS: The program is an outlier for surgical volume. Training begins with 30 ECCE cases before transitioning to SICS. Fellows can expect between 150–200 SICS cases in their first year, with cumulative volumes reaching 1,500–2,000+ cases by the 18-month mark.
- Phacoemulsification Curve: Phaco training is back-loaded, starting after 18 months. The curriculum mandates 100 cases using sclero-corneal tunnels with rigid IOLs before progressing to 30 clear corneal cases with foldable IOLs.
- Clinical Schedule: Standard OPD runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. First-year fellows have alternate-day evening “camp” duties within the hospital premises until 11:00 PM.
- Work-Life Balance: There are no mandatory night duties. Compensatory offs are only granted for Sunday camp duties. The environment is high-intensity but structured.
PERSONAL OPINION
This fellowship is the ultimate “surgical bootcamp” for those who want to master high-volume SICS. The sheer volume (potentially over 2,000 cases) is unmatched in most Indian programs. It is best suited for surgeons who are comfortable with a delayed start to Phaco in exchange for achieving absolute mastery and speed in manual cataract surgery.
