R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, SEPT 5
Can a postgraduate ophthalmology programme do more than help young doctors clear an examination? Can it actually change the way they think, diagnose and eventually care for patients? These questions lie at the heart of Kalpavriksha 2026, the 19th edition of Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital’s annual flagship postgraduate programme, which seeks to turn academic knowledge into sharper clinical reasoning and confident patient care.
- 19th edition of Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital’s flagship postgraduate CME brings 300+ young ophthalmologists and 30+ experts together in Chennai
- From clinical reasoning to hands-on learning, two-day programme bridges the gap between textbook knowledge and real-world patient care
- Uveitis, glaucoma, cornea, refractive surgery, cataract, squint, neuro-ophthalmology and oculoplasty take centre stage
- Wet labs, expert sessions and clinical case presentations sharpen examination readiness and decision-making skills
- Dr B L Sujatha Rathod calls focused academic initiatives vital to excellence in postgraduate medical education
- Dr Soosan Jacob: Structured, high-yield learning is helping shape competent and confident ophthalmologists
Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, in association with the Eye Research Centre Foundation, the research and educational wing of the healthcare enterprise, organised the two-day Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme as a focused crash course for postgraduate ophthalmology students.
With more than 30 leading faculty members and over 300 young doctors from across India, Kalpavriksha 2026 brought together expertise, examination-oriented learning and practical exposure in an intensive academic setting.
From textbooks to treatment rooms
The programme was inaugurated by Dr B L Sujatha Rathod, Director, Directorate of Medical Education, Government of Karnataka, in the presence of Dr Soosan Jacob, Director and Chief, Dr Agarwals Refractive and Cornea Foundation (DARCF), and organising secretaries Dr S Soundari, Dr Dhivya Ashok Kumar and Dr Preethi Naveen of Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital.
The academic programme covered a wide spectrum of ophthalmology, including uveitis, glaucoma, cornea and refractive surgery, cataract, squint and neuro-ophthalmology, orbit and oculoplasty, among other key specialties.
The programme went beyond conventional lectures with wet-lab sessions, expert-led discussions and a quiz, creating opportunities for students to reinforce concepts and connect theoretical knowledge with clinical application.
The emphasis was clear: postgraduate education cannot remain confined to memorising facts. Tomorrow’s ophthalmologists must be equipped to reason clinically, interpret complex cases and make sound decisions under pressure.
A platform built around confidence
Dr B L Sujatha Rathod said, “Kalpavriksha plays a vital role in ophthalmology education by consolidating essential knowledge, strengthening clinical reasoning, and preparing students to approach examinations with confidence and clarity.”
She added that such focused academic initiatives complement regular postgraduate training and help future ophthalmologists translate knowledge into competent patient care.
“These structured learning initiatives are considered as an important step toward excellence in postgraduate medical education,” she said.
Her observations underline a larger transformation taking place in medical education: the best learning programmes are no longer merely repositories of information but platforms that help students think, question, analyse and act.
The clinical case as a classroom
A special highlight of Kalpavriksha was the recognition of postgraduate students for clinical excellence and presentation skills.
The best clinical case presented by PG students was considered for the Dr (Mrs) T Agarwal Award for Best Case Presentation.
Dr M Divya received the Dr V Velayutham Consistent Performer Award, while Dr R Dhivya received the Dr J Agarwal Exemplary Award for Best Case Presentation.
Such recognition puts the spotlight on an important dimension of postgraduate training: the ability to move beyond simply knowing a diagnosis to explaining why a diagnosis was reached and how the patient should be managed.
‘A leading national postgraduate CME’
Reflecting on the evolution of the programme, Dr Soosan Jacob said, “Kalpavriksha has evolved as a leading national postgraduate CME programme in ophthalmology.”
She said the programme has been offering a focused platform to strengthen students’ academic knowledge, refine clinical understanding and prepare with greater confidence for postgraduate examinations.
“Its structured, high-yield approach makes it a valuable complement to regular postgraduate training and contributes meaningfully to the development of competent and confident ophthalmologists,” she said.
The programme’s wider significance lies precisely in this blend of academic rigour and clinical preparedness—an approach increasingly important in a medical world where technology and information are advancing faster than ever.
Planting the seeds of future eye care
The name Kalpavriksha—the mythical wish-fulfilling tree—acquires an apt meaning in a programme aimed at nurturing young medical minds.
Every lecture, clinical discussion, wet-lab exercise and case presentation represents another branch of learning. The ultimate fruit, however, is not an examination score but a more capable ophthalmologist standing beside a patient and making the right clinical decision at the right time.
With 300-plus young doctors and a distinguished faculty drawn from premier institutions, Kalpavriksha 2026 once again positioned postgraduate education at the intersection of knowledge, clinical judgement and compassionate patient care.
