Prerequisite

The applicant must have completed post-graduation (M.S/ M.D/ D.N.B) in ophthalmology prior to beginning the Fellowship.

Age Limit: Upto 40 years

Other Requirements

Medical license- The applicant must be registered with Medical Council of India

Stipend

Current stipend is 30,000 INR per month (subject to change)
Annually, 14 days of paid vacation

Parent Department or Academic Unit:

Orbit, Oculoplasty, Reconstructive, & Aesthetics Services

Address:
Sankara Nethralaya
Old no.18, New no. 41, College Road
Chennai - 600006.
Telephone: 91-44-28271616

Ancillary training sites

Jaslok Community Ophthalmology Center, Dr. V.G Appukutty Campus,
No 8, GST Road, ST. Thomas Mount, Chennai – 600 016
VRR Scan Center, Habibullah Road, Chennai.

Faculty

Dr. Bipasha Mukherjee, M.S., D.N.B., FICO.

Dr. Mukherjee is from Kolkata, India. After completing her under-graduation she attained MS (Ophthalmology) from Aligarh Muslim University, U.P. and Diplomate of National Board (DNB). She did Fellowship in Orbit & Oculoplasty in Aravind Eye Hospital and Post Graduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Madurai. She worked as Senior consultant and Deputy Medical Superintendent in M.P.Birla Eye Clinic, Kolkata, in collaboration with Aravind Eye Hospitals. She was awarded the International Council of Ophthalmology fellowship in France, under Prof. Jean-Paul Adenis, former President of European Society of Oculoplastic & Reconstructive Surgeons. She has undergone further training and observerships in the field of Orbit and Oculoplasty in Moorfields Eye Hospital, London; University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Jules Stein Eye Institute, Los Angeles, CA and several other places. She joined Sankara Nethralaya in 2005 and currently heads the department of Orbit, Oculoplasty, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Services. She has many international presentations & publications to her credit. Her areas of continued interest include orbital tumors, decompression, complex trauma, & lacrimal surgeries.
E-Mail: drbpm@snmail.org

Dr. Nirmala Subramanian, M.S., M.Ch.

Senior Plastic Surgeon associated with Sankara Nethralaya from 1981. M.B.B.S. & M.S. (Gen Surg.) from AIIMS, New Delhi and M.Ch (Plastic Surgery) from Madras Medical College. Extensive experience in Plastic Surgery, Burns, Hand Surgery and Micro vascular Surgery. Retired from Tamil Nadu Government Services as a Professor & Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery at Kilpauk Medical College & Hospital. Held the post of President of All India Oculoplastic Association. Areas of Interest include Orbital Surgery, Ptosis Surgery & Esthetic Periocular Surgery.
E-Mail: drns@snmail.org

Dr. Md Shahid Alam, M.S., FICO, FAICO.

Completed MBBS from Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital and M.S from the prestigious Institute of Ophthalmology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Did 2 years fellowship in Orbit and Oculoplasty from Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai followed by 2 months of fellowship in Phacoemulsification surgery at the same institute. Worked as Associate consultant for 3 years in the department of Orbit and Oculoplasty at Sankara Nethrlaya, Chennai, and currently working and heading the department at its Kolkata branch. His area of interest is Orbital and adnexal oncology.
E-Mail: drmsa@snmail.org

Dr. Kirthi Koka, M.S.

She has completed her MBBS from Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, Chennai and M.S (Ophthalmology) from Stanley Medical College, Chennai. She completed a 2 year clinical fellowship in Orbit & Oculoplasty from Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. She has completed observeships at the Moran eye center, Utah and in orbital oncology under Dr. Bita Esmaeli at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Her areas of interest include orbital and eyelid tumors, eyelid reconstruction, and eyelid surgeries. She is in charge of the oculoplasty fellowship training program at Sankara Nethralaya.
E-Mail: drkka@snmail.org

Dr. Nisar Sonam Poonam, M.S.

She is currently incharge of the Ocular Prosthetic Clinic and has a special interest in ocular trauma, aesthetics and management of thyroid eye disease. She completed her basic medical education from SDM College of Medical Sciences & Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka. She finished her masters in Ophthalmology from Mamata Medical College & Hospital, Khammam, Telangana. She did her research cum clinical fellowship in Orbit, Oculoplasty, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Services at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. Before joining Sankara Nethralaya she was incharge of the Department of Orbit and Oculoplasty at Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, Bangalore. Her areas of interest include trauma, socket reconstruction, orbit and eyelid surgeries and aesthetics.
E Mail: drnrs@snmail.org

Dr. Varsha Backiavathy, D.O., D.N.B, FICO

Dr.Varsha Backiavathy obtained her MBBS degree from CMC Vellore. She attained D.O. from CMC, Vellore and DNB from Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai . Following this she did her specialization in Orbit and Oculoplasty at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. She has also obtained the International council of ophthalmology fellowship in Ophthalmology. Her field of interests includes trauma, thyroid eye disease, orbit and eyelid surgeries. She is in charge of the residents’ training in this department.
E Mail: drvbt@snmail.org

Dr. Mrittika Sen, , M.D., FICO, MRCSEd, FAICO

Dr Mrittika Sen completed her medical education from Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital, Mumbai. She went on to do her post-graduation from Dr R. P.Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Long Term Clinical Fellowship in Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery and Ocular Oncology at the Centre for Sight Eye Hospital, Hyderabad under Dr. Santosh Honavar and Research Fellowship in Ocular Oncology from Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, USA under Drs. Carol and Jerry Shields. Her areas of interest include retinoblastoma, other ocular and adnexal tumours.
E Mail: drmrn@snmail.org

Dr. Debi Kundu, M.S.

Dr. Kundu has completed MBBS & M.D. (Anatomy) from Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College, Kolkata and M.S. (ophthalmology) from R. G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata. She did a fellowship in General Ophthalmology (2 years course with 14 months of Oculoplasty training) from Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai and Kolkata. Her areas of interest include Lid reconstruction, Ptosis surgeries, Trauma & Orbital tumor management.
E Mail: drdku@snmail.org

Description of the Fellowship

A fellow is expected to be well dressed, soft spoken and maintain utmost privacy about the clinical profile of the patients. Very high expectations for performance are balanced by a supportive and friendly environment.

The fellows are encouraged to develop clinical analytical skills in all aspects of functional and cosmetic ophthalmic facial plastic case work ups. Pre- and post-operative patient evaluation occurs largely during office sessions at the OPD setting. Outpatient department (OPD) responsibilities involve the appropriate evaluation of various disorders, like ptosis and proptosis -history taking, clinical examination. In patient department (IPD) involves pre-operative and post-operative care.

The fellowship begins with an exposure to the basic oculofacial reconstructive, aesthetic, ophthalmic plastic cases and surgery. After this core experience, exposure is possible in maxillo-facial surgery, ENT/facial plastic surgery, ocular surface diseases, strabismology, neuro-imaging and neuro-ophthalmology (optional). They will be posted once weekly in the community cataract center in the first six months. It is optional for the candidate to continue thereafter. Experience in radiology, pathology, and prosthetics is also provided.

The fellow assists the faculty in orbital, lacrimal and adnexal and oculofacial reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries in the operating room (OR). The fellows are supervised at first by their preceptors and then allowed independent surgeries when they are deemed to acquire a basic level of surgical skill. During the last six months as senior residents, the fellows have their independent lists in OPD and OR and work as adjunct faculties, with increased responsibilities. The fellows will have opportunity to perform various surgical procedures like DCR, eyelid and canalicular reconstructions, ptosis correction, entropion, ectropion, socket surgeries etc.

The fellows will attend all educational conferences offered by Sankara Nethralaya. There will be weekly academic meetings. The fellows will have to keep him/herself updated about the recent developments in the field by reading all the latest journals that are available in our library, and present interesting articles in the weekly departmental meetings.

The fellow is actively involved in resident teaching in the OPD, IP and in the OR. The fellow gives a number of presentations to the residents and staff. The Fellow does a significant portion of the oculoplastics teaching at the Community Ophthalmology Center. During their senior residency, they may also be required to take classes for optometry (B.Sc.) students in the Elite School of Optometry.

High surgical volume and a well-maintained database provide excellent opportunities for clinical studies. Fellows are expected to actively generate publications and chapters during the Fellowship. The preceptors emphasize clinical photography in their practices.

The preceptors are fully committed to the Fellow’s training and strive to produce the finest fellowship experience available in Oculofacial plastic surgery. Most Fellows go on to active participation in full-time academic positions.

Application for the Fellowship & Administrative questions may be directed to:
academic@snmail.org

The application should include your curriculum vitae, letters from your Department Chairperson, and testimonials from two other referees.

In an effort to get to know you better, we also request a handwritten essay to enable you to tell us more about yourself as a person. We review applications only after the above requirements have been met. An interview in Chennai will be requested of those applicants who seem to fit our program best.

Best Wishes!