FNB Arthroplasty: Admissions, Medical Colleges, fees, eligibility criteria details

FNB Arthroplasty or Fellow of National Board in Arthroplasty also known as FNB in Arthroplasty is a doctoral fellowship program for doctors in India that is done by them after completion of their postgraduate medical degree course. The duration of the FNB course is for 2 years.

FNB arthroplasty aims to develop and sharpen the skills of Orthopaedic surgeons in examining and assessing patients with arthritis and related problems requiring joint replacement surgery. Exposure to basic surgical skills and techniques in primary and revision arthroplasty under the supervision of experienced guides.

The course is a full-time course pursued at various accredited institutes/hospitals across the country, the top institutions include Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, and more.

Candidates can get admission to 2 years FNB course after successfully qualifying for the FET (Fellowship Entrance Test) examination which NBEMS conducts. FET is conducted annually as per the prescribed schedule. The merit-based counseling for admissions to the FNB Programme after the conduct of FET is administered by NBEMS.

The fee for pursuing FNB Arthroplasty varies from accredited institute/hospital to hospital and is Rs.1,25,000 per year.

After completion of their respective course, doctors can join the job market. Candidates can take reputed jobs at positions as research fellows, Senior residents, Consultants, etc. with an approximate average salary range of Rs. 18 lakhs to Rs. 50 lakhs per year.

The Nomenclature of the FNB qualification awarded by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences is “Fellow of National Board”. The FNB qualifications are recognized qualifications in terms of the Gazette notification dated 10th August 2016.

What is FNB in Arthroplasty?

FNB in Arthroplasty is a two-year doctoral fellowship program that candidates can pursue after completing a postgraduate degree.

The goal of the Arthroplasty Fellowship is to provide fellows with intensive training and broad exposure to the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and related problems requiring joint replacement surgery. The fellow will learn to evaluate and treat routine and complicated cases of the Hip, Knees, shoulder, elbow, and ankle surgical and non-surgical methods of treatment.

The Arthroplasty Fellowship offers comprehensive exposure to all aspects of adult reconstruction surgery including trauma, arthritis, congenital, and posttraumatic reconstruction. The program will emphasize the diagnosis of clinical disorders of the bones, joints, and soft tissues; the pathogenesis of these disorders; the treatment modalities available for managing these disorders; and the results and complications of such treatment.

The National Board of Examinations (NBE) has released a curriculum for FNB Arthroplasty.

The curriculum governs the education and training of FNB Arthroplasty.

The fellowship goal is to develop an arthroplasty surgeon capable of recognizing and managing a broad variety of joint conditions. Develop a capability of critical thinking and recognizing and managing a broad variety of joint conditions Degenerative conditions, Deformity, Tumours and infections.

Course Highlights

Here are some of the course highlights of FNB Arthroplasty

Name of Course	FNB Arthroplasty
Level	Fellowship
Duration of Course	Two years
Course Mode	Full Time
Minimum Academic Requirement	Candidates must have a postgraduate Degree DNB or MS (Orthopaedics) obtained from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India (Now NMC)/NBE. The feeder qualification mentioned here is as of 2022. For any further changes to the prerequisite requirement please refer to the NBE website.
Admission Process / Entrance Process / Entrance Modalities	Entrance Exam (FET)  Merit-based counseling administered by NBEMS
Course Fees	Rs.1,25,000 per year
Average Salary	Rs. 18 lakhs to Rs.50 lakhs per year

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for FNB in Arthroplasty are defined as the set of rules or minimum prerequisites that aspirants must meet in order to be eligible for admission, which include:

Name of Fellowship course	Course Type	Prior Eligibility Requirement
Arthroplasty	FNB	DNB or MS (Orthopaedics)

Note:

Admission Process

The admission process contains a few steps to be followed for the candidates for admission to FNB. Candidates can view the complete admission process for FNB Arthroplasty mentioned below:

• FET is a qualifying-cum-ranking examination for admission to Fellow of National Board (FNB)/Fellow of National Board - Post Doctoral (FNB-PD) courses.
• The selection of a student will be through an MCQ-based examination namely Fellowship Entrance Test.
• A student can apply for the fellowship courses for which his/her broad or super specialty qualification/ equivalent qualification is eligible, at the time of online submission of the application form.
• The total duration of the question paper will be 105 minutes (Part A - 45 minutes and Part B - 60 minutes).
• QUALIFYING CRITERIA: Students who obtain a minimum of 50th Percentile in their respective question paper/specialty shall be declared as “Qualified”.
• NBEMS shall declare a specialty-wise merit list i.e., there will be a separate merit list for each fellowship course. There shall not be any equating/scaling and normalization. The merit shall be generated strictly based on marks obtained by the student and the application of the prescribed tie-breaking criteria.
• The admission to Fellowship courses in the accredited hospitals shall be undertaken solely based on merit-based counseling conducted by NBEMS.
• Documents required to be produced at the time of counseling: MBBS Degree Certificate and MD/MS/DNB/DM/MCh/DrNB Degree Certificate/Provisional Pass Certificate of eligible Post Graduate Medical Qualification issued.

Fees Structure

The fee structure for FNB Arthroplasty varies from accredited institute/hospital to hospital. The fee is generally less for Government Institutes and more for private institutes. The average fee structure for FNB Arthroplasty is Rs.1,25,000 per year.

Colleges offering FNB Arthroplasty 

Syllabus

FNB in Arthroplasty is a two years specialization course that provides training in the stream of Arthroplasty.

The course content for FNB Arthroplasty is given in the NBE Curriculum released by the National Board of Examinations, which can be assessed through the link mentioned below:

1. Basic & Applied Sciences

· Anatomy

· Physical Examination

· Radiologic Imaging (joint-specific)

· Diagnostic Evaluations

· General Considerations for Arthroplasty Surgery Including Consent and

Preparation. General Surgical Principles, Guidelines for Informed

Consent, Patient Positioning for Surgery, Equipment Needed, and

Postoperative Considerations

· Surgical Approaches

· Hip, Knee, Shoulder, Elbow, and Ankle Instrumentation

· Bone Graft and Bone Substitute Biology

i) Hip Arthroplasty

a) Surgical approaches

· Posterior

· Anetro-lateral

· Anterior

b) Hemiarthroplasty

· Cemented

· Uncemented

c) Total hip replacement

· Cemented

· Uncemented

d) Revision of total hip replacement

· Acetabular revisions- cups, cages, 3D printing, Bone grafting techniques, trabecular metal

· Stem revisions- Extended trochanteric osteotomy, long stems, cement in the cement

e) Computer-assisted Hip replacement

f) Robotic Hip replacement

ii) Knee Arthroplasty

a) Unicompartmental Knee

· Fixed bearing

· Mobile bearing

b) Total Knee Arthroplasty

· Cruciate retaining

· Cruciate substituting

· Mobile bearing

· Uncemented Knee replacement

c) Revision Total knee

· Use of stems – cemented, uncemented

· Constrained knees

· Hinged knees – rotating vs fixed

· Use of sleeves and cones

d) Computer-assisted Knee replacement

e) Robotic Knee replacement- Unicompartmental and Total knee

iii) Shoulder

a) Hemiarthroplasty

b) Total shoulder arthroplasty

c) Reverse Shoulder arthroplasty – with transfers

iv) Elbow

Total elbow replacement

v) Ankle

Total ankle replacement

vi) Miscellaneous

a) Gait Considerations in Patients with Joint arthroplasty

b) Spine-pelvic relations

c) Periprosthetic fractures

d) Prosthetic joint infections

e) Post-arthroplasty arthroscopy

2. Academic Career Training

In addition to clinical treatment and research, Fellows gain the strong teaching and organizational abilities required for an academic career. Fellows collaborate closely with Residents on the Service to coordinate patient care. Attendings during office hours and a series of practice management sessions are used to teach techniques for running a practice.

Academic Career Development In addition to clinical care and research, the Fellow develops the excellent teaching and organizational abilities required for a future in academia.

3. Learning

The fellow presents all pre-and post-operative cases from the previous and upcoming week in a PowerPoint presentation. All faculty members participate and critically analyze each case with attention directed toward proper indications, treatment, and coding. Every implant is critically reviewed and alignment and balance are critiqued.

Each fellow will have the opportunity

· Make several case presentations.

· Reading textbooks and articles

· Assistance in the operating room

· Participation in the clinic

· Participation in pre-operative discussions

· Participation in research projects

· Writing articles in journals

· Assistance in Training & Education, participating in conferences, CME,

Seminars

· Each Fellow works closely with Attending surgeons as well as Residents and assisting in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of a multitude of conditions affecting the Joints

4. Teaching

Arthroplasty FNB would be closely involved in teaching and supervision of the orthopedic DNB/MS (Orth). candidates as well.

5. Research

The fellows are required to complete at least one publishable research project. They work with our research coordinator and individual attending. They may participate in clinical or basic science research projects. They are encouraged to submit and present their work at national and international meetings.

6. Syllabus

Includes relevant chapters covering various topics listed below for various major joints undergoing replacement arthroplasty routinely.

· Biomechanics.

· Indications.

· Pre-operative planning.

· Templating.

· Surgical techniques.

· Soft tissue handling and its importance.

· Implant Biomechanics and merits/demerits.

· Implant choice.

· Rehabilitation.

· Outcomes.

· Complications – pre, intra, and post-operative.

· DVT prevention.

· Blood management during arthroplasty surgeries.

· Infection in Arthroplasty.

· Revisions, Principles, and Practice.

· Current Concepts.

Career Options

After completing FNB Arthroplasty, candidates will get employment opportunities in Government and the Private sector.

In the Government sector, candidates have various options to choose from which include Junior research fellow, Teaching at academic medical centers, and Consultants.

While in the Private sector the options Fellow (Arthroplasty), Junior research fellow, Senior Research fellow (Arthroplasty), and Consultants.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) –FNB Arthroplasty Course /FNB in Arthroplasty Course

• Question: What is the complete full form of FNB?

Answer: The full form of FNB is a Fellow of National board.

• Question: What is FNB Arthroplasty?

Answer: FNB in Arthroplasty or Fellow of National Board in Arthroplasty is a doctoral fellowship program for doctors in India that is done by them after completion of their postgraduate medical degree course.

• Question: What is the duration of FNB in Arthroplasty?

Answer: FNB in Arthroplasty is a doctoral fellowship program of two years.

•  Question: What is the eligibility of FNB in Arthroplasty?

Answer: The candidate should have DNB or MS (Orthopaedics) degree from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India (Now NMC)/NBE. The prerequisite requirements mentioned here are as of 2022. For any further changes, please refer to the NBE website. 

• Question: What is the scope of FNB Arthroplasty?

Answer: FNB Arthroplasty offers candidates various employment opportunities and career prospects.

• Question: What is the average salary for an FNB Arthroplasty candidate?

Answer: The FNB Arthroplasty candidate’s average salary is between Rs.19 lakhs to Rs. 50 lakh per annum depending on the experience.

• Question: Can you teach after completing FNB Arthroplasty Course?

Answer: Yes, the candidate can teach in a medical college/hospital after completing the fellowship.