How to win a DNB Ophthalmology Gold Medal!

Dr. Palak Chirania-Agrawal, MBBS, DNB (Gold Medalist), FICO, FRS

Dr. Palak Chirania-Agrawal is currently working as a Cataract and Refractive Consultant at Rohit Eye Hospital and Child Care Center, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
She completed her MBBS from Government Medical College, Akola, Maharashtra and went on to pursue her DNB in Ophthalmology from the prestigious Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya, Guwahati, Assam.
She won the Dr. G. Venkataswamy Gold Medal for Ophthalmology in DNB Final Examination December 2020 Session – National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS).
She has completed her Fellowship in Refractive surgery from Narayana Nethralaya, Bangalore.

Interview

Q1. Elaborate on the books you referred.

A1. The books which I mainly referred are:

Yanoff & Duker Ophthalmology (Mainly for Retina, Glaucoma)
American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (Mainly for Cornea, Neuro-ophthalmology)
Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology
Anatomy and Optics by AK Khurana
Postgraduate Ophthalmology by Zia Chaudhuri (especially for Cornea)
Pradeep Sharma (for Strabismus).

I also read a few topics from Shield’s Textbook of Glaucoma, Ryan’s retina, Cornea by Krachmer.

Along with the standard textbooks, I also went through a lot of articles from reputed journals like:

Indian Journal of Ophthalmology 🔗
DOS Times 🔗 – a great asset. A lot of questions; the answers to which you cannot find, you will find them here.
Eyewiki 🔗
AIOS CME series 🔗 (Management of Endophthalmitis, Dacryocystorhinostomy, A Guide to Phacoemulsification, etc).

All of the above sources helped me to compile my notes. Everytime I revise one topic, I used to add points in it from a different source. My aim was just to compile everything so that my revision becomes easy.

Q2. Tell us about your study plan.

A2. I had fixed certain things in my mind which I tried my level best to adhere to. It included completing Anatomy and Optics thoroughly by first year of residency and then starting Clinical Ophthalmology. I knew I won’t get time to study the basics once I am in 2^nd/3^rd year. So, after completing that I started studying Clinical Ophthalmology from 2^nd year onwards. My aim was to read the same subject in which I am posted for my clinical postings. We had rotation postings of one month each. During that one month, I tried to complete atleast 2/3^rd of that subject. Also we had academic sessions in our hospital everyday. I made it a point to always prepare the topic of discussion before attending the session which makes it more beneficial. I had also decided to learn atleast one new thing everyday, however small it may be. I even went through the last 10 years question papers and tried to have the answers for all of them.

Q3. How did you juggle between your study plan and hectic residency?

A3. I am a morning person especially when it comes to studies. I used to wake up early, complete 1-2 topics and then go to hospital at 8 am. Utilizing those precious 2 hours in the morning gave me so much of relief that even if I don’t get time to study later in the day, I felt comfortable that I did not waste my entire day. After returning from work at around 5.30-6 pm, I used to study for more 2-3 hours and then sleep at around 10-11 pm. Some Sundays when we didn’t have to attend the hospital, were also very helpful. I also tried to read about the cases which I see in hospital on daily basis, the very same day so that I develop a clinical picture of the condition.

Q4. Ideal number of revisions to write the exam confidently?

A4. This varies from person to person. Ideally minimum 3-4 revisions are quite essential. The more the number of revisions, the more confidence you’ll gain on the topic and you will be able to retain it well.

Q5. Tell us your preparatory leave time-table?

A5. During preparatory leave, my aim was to revise everything what I had studied so far. So, 3/4^th of the time I got was for revision and remaining 1/4^th was for studying the new topics which were left. Since Ophthalmology is a very vast subject, there are always few topics left even till exams. In between breaks were very essential to refresh my mood and prevent boredom.

Q6. Practical exam – important tips and your study plan.

A6.

My preparation for practical exams started almost along with theory.
I used to search for name of different instruments, their functions; steps of various surgeries, procedures; information about the drugs used in Ophthalmology; and interpreting various investigation reports from the very beginning.
Practicing what you have read, on daily basis during OPD hours gives us that confidence which is required during actual practical examinations. There will be nothing new for you during exams if you have interpreted the same report multiple times or if you have revised the name, functions of the instruments in your mind while seeing the surgeries being performed.
Corneal and Retinal colour coding is very important. Try to remember the colours by practicing it every day while seeing patients.
For practicals, I referred to Maharana both part 1 and 2 along with FAQ by Aravind. Both were very helpful.

Q7. Quick checklist to follow in order to be a gold medalist.

A7.

Try to be focused. You can gain a lot of knowledge about Ophthalmology in these 3 years.
Try to utilize the time and not waste it. Time is precious.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of a study time table. This was actually the backbone for my success. Day-wise time-table may be difficult to adhere to, but you can prepare a time table on a weekly basis. Only when you write the topics down, you’ll know how much is remaining and the time left.
Also, here I would like to highlight the importance of frequent short breaks from study. Have an evening outing for 1-2 hours with friends/family on a weekend. You’ll regain all the lost motivation/energy to study with new zeal for the coming week.
Lastly, try not to procrastinate. If you want to know about something new what you have seen in hospital/ heard from colleagues, search about it the very same day.

Q8. How does securing a gold medal give you an edge after your residency?

A8. Securing a gold medal does help to boost your confidence. It is the recognition of all the dedication and hard-work that you have done during your residency. Learning clinical skills is very essential no doubt but having the confidence that you will be able to do it if you use the same dedication and hardwork that you had used to obtain a gold medal, is very essential. Applying the knowledge that you gained during residency on your patients during your practice helps in better diagnosis and providing better services to the patient.

Q9. Mantra that kept you going!

A9. I always believe in the saying, ‘Never dream for success but work for it’. Work in silence, let the success make noise. Hardwork and determination will take you long.

Q10. Role of www.eyelearn.in in your pursuit for gold medal.

A10. www.eyelearn.in does helped me in a lot of ways. This is a website developed by my seniors at Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya – Dr. Saurabh and Dr. Krati. It was developed when I was in second year of my residency. I took a printout of the previous 10 years question sets provided on the website during my preparation. I used to tick mark the questions once I found their answers. Also, the website provides notes of various topics. You’ll find the answers to most of the questions in a very systematic manner on the website. Also, the notes are very concise and point wise which makes it easier to read. I thank both of them for helping the postgraduates by developing such a useful website.