Exam Preparation

Ophthalmology Subspecialty Fellowship Preparation

Ophthalmology Subspecialty Fellowship. Syllabus-mapped MCQ bank, handwritten notes and past paper patterns to help you pass on the first attempt.

Fellowship Exam Overview

Format, duration and pass criteria broken down per part.

Theory / Long Case

Format
Essays + clinical
Duration
Institution specific
Pass mark
Examiner panel

Subspecialty depth in chosen fellowship area

Viva + Imaging

Format
Oral + image interpretation
Duration
30–45 min
Pass mark
Examiner panel

OCT, FFA, angiography, surgical decision making

Fellowship High-Yield Syllabus Topics

The topics that pull the most marks. Drill these first.

Retina fellowship

  • Anti-VEGF protocols and switching
  • Macular hole staging and surgery
  • OCT and OCTA interpretation
  • Vitreoretinal surgical principles

Glaucoma fellowship

  • MIGS techniques and patient selection
  • Trabeculectomy refinements
  • Tube shunt surgery
  • Childhood glaucoma

Cornea fellowship

  • Keratoplasty: PK, DSAEK, DMEK
  • Refractive surgery selection
  • Ocular surface tumours
  • Keratoconus management

Oculoplasty & Paeds

  • Lid malpositions and tumours
  • Lacrimal drainage surgery
  • Strabismus and amblyopia
  • Paediatric cataract and glaucoma

Suggested study plan and timeline

A phased plan used by recent passers. Adjust to your own runway.

  1. 1

    Fellowship year 1

    Months 1–6

    Clinic-driven reading. Build a personal case log with images.

  2. 2

    Topic deep dives

    Months 7–12

    Handwritten notes per subspecialty. Image interpretation drills weekly.

  3. 3

    Exam prep

    Final 3 months

    Mock vivas, essay practice, image-based MCQs under time pressure.

Common pitfalls

  • !
    Relying only on clinic exposure — examiners test guideline knowledge too
  • !
    Neglecting OCT and FFA interpretation practice
  • !
    Skipping image-based MCQs
  • !
    Not rehearsing viva answers out loud

Pro tips from recent passers

  • Build a portfolio of 20–30 of your own cases with imaging
  • Practise explaining OCTs and FFAs in 60 seconds per image
  • Review subspecialty PPPs and ESCRS/EuRetina guidelines monthly
  • Mock viva with seniors who passed in the last 12 months

Recommended textbooks and references

The references the exam is actually written from.

Ryan — Retina

Reference for retina fellowships.

Shields — Textbook of Glaucoma

Glaucoma fellowship depth.

Cornea (Krachmer)

Cornea fellowship reference.

Subspecialty PPPs / AIOS Guidelines

Current guidelines that examiners draw from.

Past papers and question patterns

Subspecialty fellowship exams vary by institution. Our handwritten notes and image bank cover the topics and image patterns most commonly tested across Indian and international fellowships.

From doctors who passed Fellowship

"The best distillation of Ryan, Kanski and Elkington you will ever find. Passed FRCOphth Part 1 with 72%."
Dr. Umer Shaikh
FRCOphth, Moorfields Eye Hospital UK
"Topic-wise MCQs mapped exactly to the FAICO syllabus. Could not have passed without them."
Dr. Ritu Sharma
FAICO, Aravind Eye Hospital

Fellowship FAQ

Answers to the questions residents actually ask.

Which subspecialty fellowships do you cover?
Retina, glaucoma, cornea, oculoplasty and paediatric ophthalmology — with handwritten notes, MCQs and image banks for each.
Are these notes useful during fellowship clinics?
Yes. They are written by fellows who used them in clinic for quick recall on diagnosis and management.
Do you have past papers for fellowship exams?
Most fellowship exams are institution-specific and do not have published papers. We curate question patterns and viva topics from recent passers.
How long should I prepare for a subspecialty fellowship exam?
Plan a 3-month focused prep window in the final quarter of the fellowship year on top of clinic-driven daily reading.

Ready to prepare for Fellowship?
Unlock the full study kit.

MCQ banks, handwritten notes, and past papers — everything for Fellowship in one place on ophthamcq.com.

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