the slides describe the curriculum which ophthalmology residents need to study and learn in order to pass the examination successfully. It is a mere guideline and not strict rules.

1. DNB CURRICULUM :
OPHTHALMOLOGY
DR. ANURADHA CHANDRA
SUSRUT EYE FOUNDATION & RESEARCH CENTRE

2. CURRICULUM FLOWCHART:
ENTRANCE TEST CENTRALISED
COUNSELLING
3 OR 2 YEAR TRAINING ADMISSION
THESIS SUBMISSION FINAL THEORY
DNB DEGREE FINAL
PRACTICAL

3. ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
CONDUCTED BY NBE
 DNB CET – FOR OPHTHALMOLOGY 3 YEAR
DNB COURSE (PRIMARY DNB AFTER MBBS)
 DNB PDCET – FOR OPHTHALMOLOGY 2 YEAR COURSE
(SECONDARY DNB AFTER DIPLOMA IN
OPHTHALMOLOGY)
 BOTH EXAMS HELD TWICE A YEAR – JANUARY SESSION
AND JULY SESSION
 ONLINE EXAMINATION,MULTIPLE SESSIONS,MULTIPLE
CENTRES

4. CENTRALISED COUNSELLING:
 CONDUCTED BY NATIONAL BOARD OF EXAMINATIONS
 HELD AT NBE OFFICE IN DWARKA,NEW DELHI
 TRAVEL AND STAY ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY CANDIDATE
 ADMISSION LETTER GIVEN TO CANDIDATES WHO OPTS FOR DNB COURSE IN AN
INSTITUTE
 CANDIDATE CAN CHOOSE TO OPT-OUT AND REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR NEXT ROUND OF
COUNSELLING
 ONCE SEAT TAKEN,ONE IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO UPGRADE/PARTICIPATE IN NEXT ROUND OF
COUNSELLING
 TOTAL OF THREE TO FOUR ROUNDS OF COUNSELLING TAKE PLACE,ALL AT NEW DELHI
 ONLY COUNSELLING BY PERSONAL ATTENDANCE; NO PROVISION OF ONLINE
COUNSELLING

5. ADMISSION:
 CANDIDATE GIVEN 7 DAYS TO JOIN AND GET ADMITTED INTO
INSTITUTE OPTED FOR
 IN CASE OF NON-JOINING AFTER OPTING SEAT, CANDIDATE
DEBARRED FROM APPEARING IN FUTURE ENTRANCE EXAMS FOR A
STIPULATED TIME PERIOD
 ADMISSION PROCEDURE VARIES FROM INSTITUTE TO INSTITUTE
 COURSE FEES AND STIPEND VARIES; BUT UNDER STRICT
GUIDELINES/REGULATIONS FROM NBE

6. TRAINING MODULE: AN
OVERVIEW
Goal
The DNB training programme is intended at developing a clinical
specialist with adequate current knowledge and skills in
ophthalmology so that at the end of three years/two years the
candidate is able to work as Senior Resident/ Junior Consultant.

7. OBJECTIVES TO BE ACHIEVED AT END
OF TENURE:
 Basic Sciences
 Clinical Knowledge
 Environment and Health
 Community Ophthalmology
 Current Developments
 Teaching
 Research
 Scientific Method
 Refraction
 Medical & Surgical Management
 Ophthalmic Sub Specialities (on a rotational basis)

8. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE FOR THREE
YEARS OF DNB TRAINING
 Teaching in Clinical Applied Basic and Paraclinical Sciences-
didactic courses (Lecture & Demonstration) minimum 24 sessions per year
 Symposia- exposed to minimum
of 14 symposia in different subspecialties
over 1 year.
 Journal Clubs- minimum of 24
different recent journals issues reviewed
 Case presentation and then discussion by residents- minimum of 24
cases per year; a log book will be maintained.

9. Clinical Ophthalmology-The DNB
student must be posted in Out-patient,
Wards, Speciality clinics and Operation
Theatre for proportionate periods
OT-The resident should be provided with
an opportunity to perform surgery both
extra-ocular & Intra-ocular, with assistance
of the Senior Residents and/or under the
direct supervision of a faculty member
plus post-operative care of these cases
besides their earlier work up & pre-
operative preparations.

10. SKILLS TO BE ACQUIRED DURING THE
TRAINING PERIOD
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
 Lids - Entropion different methods,Tarsorrhaphy,
Ectropion (uncomplicated),Chalazion,Electrolysis
 Sac – Dacryocystorhinostomy
 Muscle - Horizontal Muscle Surgery - i) Recession
ii) Resection
iii) Other Shortening & Lengthening process
 Cornea and Conjuctiva - Cyst removal , Pterygium , Paracentesis
 Lens - Cataract Extraction and IOL

11.  Iris and clilarybody & Glaucoma - Yag laser
Iridotomies, Trabeculectomy, Cyclodestructive
procedures
 Retina & Vitreous - Intravitreal Injection
 Orbit and globe - Enucleation with and without
implants , Evisceration
 Injuries - Repair of wounds ,Removal of extra
ocular foreign bodies

12. SKILLS TO BE ACQUIRED
DURING THE TRAINING PERIOD
DESIRABLE (AS 1ST ASSISTANT)
 Lids -Ptosis ,Lid repair
 Sac - Fistula repair ,Complicated sac Surgery
 Muscle - a) Horizontal Muscle Surgery - Vertical Recti , Faden ,Adjustable, Transplantation of
muscles
 Cornea and Conjuctiva- Keratoplasty -a) Lamellar b) Penetrating c) Therapeutic d) LASIK
 Lens - Combined operation for Glaucoma & Cataract ,Surgery on subluxated lens
 Iris and clilarybody & Glaucoma - Microsurgery for glaucoma like goniotomy , Laser
trabeculotomy
 Retina & Vitreous - Vitreoretinal surgery
 Orbit and globe – Orbitotomies,Exenteration
 Injuries - Removal of Intraocular Foreign body

13. CLINICAL PROCEDURES which the
candidates MUST KNOW
Diagnostic :
 Perimetry
 Ultrasonograph
 Retinoscopy
 PBCT
 Hess and Leesí screen
 Diplopia charting
 Synoptophore Examination
 Syringing
 Tonometry (Schiotz &
Applanation)
 Corneal Staining
 Indirect Opthalmoscopy
 Post Segment Biomicroscopy
 Keratometry
 Gonioscopy
 Gold man 3 mirror examination
 Subconjunctival/subtenon
injection
 Conjuctival/corneal F.B. removal
 Lensometry

14. CLINICAL PROCEDURES which are
DESIRABLE to be learnt by candidate:
USG (B Scan)
Fluorescein angiography
Indocyanine green Angiography
Pachymetry
 NCT (Non contact tonometry)
 Contact lens trial
 Collection of donor corneal tissue

15. INVESTIGATIONS/TESTS
which the candidates must
know to INTERPRET
ERG
EOG
VEP
Dark adaptometry
 OCT
 Topography
 Aberrometry
 Nerve fiber layer analysis
techniques
 CT Scan
 MRI
 Specular
Microscopy

16. GUIDELINES FOR WRITING
THESIS/DISSERTATION:
 Title - Should be brief, clear and focus
on the relevance of the topic.
 Introduction-Should state the purpose of study, mention lacunae in
current knowledge and enunciate the Hypothesis, if any.
 Specific Objectives
 Review of Literature - Should be relevant, complete and current to date.
 Material and Methods- Should include the type of study (prospective,
retrospective, controlled double blind) details of material & experimental
design procedure used for data collection & statistical methods employed;
statement of limitations ethical issues involved.

17.  Observations- Should be Organized in readily
identifiable sections having correct analysis of
data presented in appropriate charts, tables,
graphs & diagram etc. These should be
statistically interpreted.
 Discussion- Observations of the study should be
discussed and compared with other research
studies. The discussion should highlight original
findings and should also include suggestion for
future.
 Summary and Conclusion
 Bibliography - Should be correctly arranged in
Vancouver pattern.
 Appendix- All tools used for data collection such
as questionnaire, interview schedules,
observation check lists etc should be put in the
annexure.

18. FORMATIVE
ASSESSMENT TEST(FAT) Purpose of the concurrent assessment is to give
regular feed back to the DNB candidates about their
performance and to prepare them for the final terminal
examination by giving them exposure to the
examination pattern
 DNB candidates will be assessed every SIX months
 Include theory examination ( TWO PAPERS of 100
marks of three hours duration each)
 Practical examination (300 marks) will include long
case, short case, spots, ward round, viva voce

19. FINAL EXAMINATION
THEORY:
 PAPER I
General Ophthalmology including Ocular Pathology
& Medical Ophthalmology
 PAPER II
General Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Surgery
 PAPER III
Ophthalmic Specialties
 PAPER IV
Recent advances,Basic Sciences as applied to
Ophthalmology
 Distribution not strictly followed
 10 Short Answer questions (10 marks each)

20. FINAL EXAMINATION
Practical Examination:
 Long & short cases and OSCE should be given to
the students for history taking and examination.
 Spot case should be given to the candidate in the
presence of the examiner/s, to be examined
(including history taking by the candidate) and
assessed by the examiners
 Viva Voce on-Instruments, Pathology specimens,
Drugs & X-rays, Sonography etc.

21. REGULATIONS OF FINAL
EXAMINATION PASS MARK IN THEORY – 50% OF TOTAL
200/400 MARKS
GRACE MARKS AWARDED
(UPTO 8 MARKS)
 PASS MARK IN PRACTICAL – 50% OF TOTAL
150/300 MARKS
NO GRACE MARKS
AWARDED
 THREE ATTEMPTS TO PASS PRACTICAL AFTER
CLEARING THEORY
 IF NOT SUCCESSFUL EVEN AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS, TO
APPEAR IN THEORY EXAM AGAIN

22. DRAWBACKS:
 POOR COMMUNICATION WITH NATIONAL
BOARD REPRESENTATIVES
 COMMUNICATION GAP
 TRAINING MODULE NOT UNIFORMLY
FOLLOWED
 LACUNAE IN SURGICAL SKILL
ATTAINMENT IN MOST INSTITUTES
 DIFFICULT TO CLEAR FINAL
EXAMINATIONS
 POOR PASS RATE
 NO REGULATED SYLLABUS
 EXTERNAL EXAMINATION CENTRES

23. ALL IN ALL…
A DEGREE HARD EARNED…!!!