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NAME OF THE INSTITUTE
K.B.H. Bachooali Charitable Ophthalmic & ENT Hospital, Parel, Mumbai
(A long-standing charitable landmark in Mumbai, known for its high-volume community services and specialty clinics.)
STIPEND & LOGISTICS
- Monthly Remuneration: Approximately ₹22,000 – ₹25,000 (Subject to the 2026-27 update).
- Accommodation: Not provided. Fellows must self-fund housing in the Parel/South Mumbai area, which is a significant factor given the stipend.
- Leave Policy: Strict regarding “continuous chutti” (long leaves), as Sundays and public holidays are already granted as off-days.
DURATION
18 Months (1.5 Years)
HONEST REVIEW
- Intake: Highly focused training with only one fellow per session.
- Surgical Hands-on (Specialty):
- Timeline: Specialty hands-on typically starts around Month 5 or 6.
- Note: Surgical volume fluctuates seasonally; expect fewer cases in March and April due to school examinations.
- Strabismus: Good volume for rectus muscles. Reviewers report performing 35+ muscle surgeries. Complex cases like Superior Oblique are rare and skill/case-flow dependent.
- Paediatric Cataract: Moderate exposure. Expect roughly 10 cases, including advanced maneuvers like posterior capsulorrhexis and anterior vitrectomy.
- ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity):
- This is a strong suit of the program. Fellows get extensive hands-on for ROP Lasers and have reported performing roughly 4 intravitreal injections in ROP babies.
- Cataract Training (Adult):
- Strict Policy: Unlike many other institutes, no adult cataract cases are given to specialty fellows (or even specialty consultants). Adult cataracts are strictly the domain of the General Ophthalmology/IOL department.
- Clinical Exposure: Excellent. The fellow is responsible for measuring squints and evaluating complex pediatric cases independently, which builds strong diagnostic “muscle memory.”
- Work Culture & Duties:
- Hours: Very reasonable for a fellowship—roughly 7.5 to 8 hours a day.
- Environment: Noted for being non-toxic with approachable junior and senior consultants.
- Calls & Camps: Currently (as of 2025/26), specialty fellows have zero night calls and very few outreach camp duties.
PERSONAL OPINION
KBH Bachooali’s Paediatric fellowship is a “Specialty Purist” program. It is ideal for someone who wants to focus 100% on Squint and ROP without the distraction of adult cataract lists. The work-life balance is superior to most Mumbai fellowships (Sundays off, no nights), making it sustainable for the full 18 months. However, if you are looking to keep your Phaco/SICS skills sharp, you will need to look elsewhere, as you won’t touch an adult cataract here.
