Academic & Training

The Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology (TI0) in Kathmandu is  globally renowned as an education and training facility.

TIO’s education and training department is dedicated to the ongoing development of all levels of eye health. TIO believes that continuous medical education maintains improvements in patient health care by supporting medical education programs that inform ophthalmologists of the most current and advanced levels of medical knowledge.

Since TIO established its education and training program, doctors and students have flown in not just from neighboring Asian countries, but also from Africa, Australia, the United States and Europe.

Trainees come from all over the world to avail themselves of the high quality facilities and Tilganga’s unsurpassed academic record.

This enhances an ophthalmologist’s expertise and competence to deliver the highest possible level of medical care to patients.

Periodically, expert international professionals are invited for workshops in different specialties. Ophthalmologists, not only from TIO, but from other eye hospitals throughout Nepal are invited to attend.

The department runs three types of programs, including academic, modular and exposure training.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
1. MD RESIDENCY PROGRAM

TIO’s MD Residency Program in ophthalmology is coordinated in affiliation with the National Academy of Medical Sciences.

It’s a fully accredited three year program designed to provide intensive clinical training in an academic environment which encourages close interaction between residents and the faculty.

The objective of the program is to produce comprehensive and community oriented ophthalmologists with the ability to exercise sound clinical judgement in dealing with ophthalmic medical, surgical and optical problems.

Each year about 8 residents are accepted and are rotationally posted at various eye hospitals throughout Nepal.

Certificate in Health Science (Ophthalmology)

Optometry is a unique primary eye care profession. TIO offers a four-year professional undergraduate degree in Optometry, (Bachelor of Optometry and Vision Science) and two-year post graduate degree, (Master of Optometry: M Optom) in collaboration with National Academy Of Medical Sciences (NAMS), Bir Hospital Kathmandu and Pokhara University. TIO is a pioneer in the field of optometry education and is one of the first colleges in Nepal to offer a Master in Optometry course.

In association with CTEVT, TIO has formulated the Ophthalmic Assistant curriculum.

Ophthalmic Assistants (OAs) make up the very important mid-level tier of eye care professionals.

In the final year, students are posted to peripheral eye hospitals and Community Eye Centres for clinical and community based practice.

Upon completion of the three-year course, students are eligible for registration as Grade 2 health professionals with the Nepal Professional Council.

2. MODULAR TRAINING PROGRAMS

Training for Ophthalmologists

Qualified eye surgeons, from and abroad, are trained in different fields of ophthalmology, such as modern cataract extraction with IOL implantation, diagnosis and management of glaucoma, cornea and keratoplasty, orbit and plastics, uvea etc.

Together with the technical aspects of training, they attend classes in conducting community based eye care delivery programs, cost recovery and sustainability. Depending on the surgeon’s previous experience, the training package ranges from four weeks to three months.

Fellowship

From January 2011, TIO began offering a Fellowship in  Vitreoretinal, Cornea, oculoplastic, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology, uvea, neuro-ophthalmology, comprehensive eye cure etc.

All courses are of over 12 months.

Short Term Training Course for Allied Health Personnel

Training sessions have been organised at TIO for nurses, medical practitioners, public eye health personnel, heath instructors, social workers and other health workers.

TIO has provided training in different fields such as theatre assisting, ocular regional anesthesia, refraction, ocular investigations and ophthalmic photography just to name a few.

Training follows a hands-on approach and certificates are awarded to successful participants.

3. EXPOSURE TRAINING PROGRAM

TIO offers clinical exposure as an elective for paramedical students from different national and international colleges and universities. More than 130 students have completed the course.

Elective Medical Students

TIO is involved in taking medical students as part of their regular curriculum. Medical students from overseas, mainly Australia, Europe and the United States come for an elective period of one to three months. They participate in general work around the Surgi-centre as well as surgical eye camps in remote locations in Nepal.

Mid-level Medical Students

Health assistant and nursing faculty students from nursing colleges and the Health Sciences Institute have been given clinical exposure practice. Students have attended theoretical classes and clinical exposure courses to learn about common eye health problems and services at a hospital level.

Short Term Modular Courses

The Education and Training Department has been conducting short term modular training courses for all levels of health care personnel and other key members of the community from TIO’s inception.

Such training includes primary eye care training for community health workers, short term courses for ophthalmic assistants, school teachers, drug retailers, community health volunteers and traditional healers.

The duration of the course is flexible from one day to one week to one year. Approximately 2000 nursing students have completed training along with over 260 medical students.