TNOA Fellowships
At present TNOA is offering the following Fellowships to its members.
FOR LIFE MEMBERS OF TNOA:
⦁ Inland Fellowships with travel grant:
| TNOA Prof. A.J. Selvapandian Travelling Fellowship For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 2 fellows / year |
| TNOA Dr. R. Muralidharan – Dr. M. Vanasekar Travelling Fellowship For D(Ortho) | 2 fellows / year |
| TNOA Inland Travelling Fellowships For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 4 fellows / year |
| TNOA Prof. R. Sivakumar/ Prof. M. Chidambaram Travelling Fellowship in Trauma For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 1 fellows / year |
| TNOA Dr. Ajoy Prasad Shetty Travelling Fellowship in Spine Surgery For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 1 fellows / year |
| TNOA Prof. V. Singaravadivelu Travelling Fellowship in Arthroplasty For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 1 fellows / year |
⦁ Foreign Fellowships with travel grant:
TNOA Foreign Fellowship (one fellow/2 years):
This Fellowship is available for Life Members of TNOA. Applications will be invited once in two years. The applicant must be 50 years of age or below at the time of applying for this Fellowship. The selected candidate is responsible for arranging the Fellowship Center of his choice and intimate the TNOA Fellowship Secretary regarding the same. The selected candidate will be given a grant of Rs. 50000 (to support his travel and accommodation) after successful completion of the Fellowship and submission of the report to the Fellowship Secretary. The selected candidate must complete their Fellowship before the call for the next TNOA Foreign Fellowship is advertised in the TNOA Newsletter.
TNOA Prof. A. Subramaniam Foreign Travelling Fellowship for Consultants (one fellow/2 years):
This Fellowship is available for Life Members of TNOA. Applications will be invited once in two years. The applicant must be above 50 years of age at the time of applying for this Fellowship. The selected candidate is responsible for arranging the Fellowship Center of his choice and intimate the TNOA Fellowship Secretary regarding the same. The selected candidate will be given a grant of Rs. 50000 (to support his travel and accommodation) after successful completion of the Fellowship and submission of the report to the Fellowship Secretary. The selected candidate must complete their Fellowship before the call for the next TNOA Foreign Fellowship is advertised in the TNOA Newsletter.
FOR ASSOCIATE MEMBERS OF TNOA:
- TNOA Dr. K.R. Venkateshwar Memorial PG Travelling Fellowship (one fellow / year):
Exam will be conducted during the Annual Conference of TNOACON 2026 at Courtrallam. A Fellowship grant of Rs. 10000 will be awarded to the winner. - TNOA Short-term Observerships:
TNOA will offer two-weeks Observerships in orthopaedic subspecialties to its members to enable them to enhance their clinical knowledge and hone their surgical skills. These short-term observerships are aimed at giving an opportunity for TNOA members to visit centers of excellence within Tamil Nadu and work alongside, observe and learn from master surgeons of TNOA. Applications are open throughout the year. Any life member/associate member of TNOA can send their applications to the email of the Fellowship Secretary of TNOA with their CV attached (tnoa.fellowshipsec@gmail.com). - TNOA Nellai Ortho Club Travelling Fellowship (two fellows):
This Fellowship is awarded to the winner and runner-up of the TNOA Prof. R. Ramakrishnan PG Medal Exam. This year the exam will be conducted at Salem in the month of December 2025/January 2026.
SELECTION PROCESS FOR TNOA FELLOWSHIPS
The Fellowship Secretary calls for application in Quadruplicate and forwards a copy to every Member of the Fellowship Committee. As it may not be possible for all these Members of this Committee to come together, always a report on each candidate is prepared by the Fellowship Secretary and sent to the Fellowship Committee Members. The Fellowship Committee will then decide the selection of Candidates for the Fellowship in consultation with the President and Secretary, on the basis of their respective reports.
Applications for TNOA Fellowships are called for during the First day of November, every year for Inland Fellowships (both for Life and Associate Members) and once in two years for Foreign Fellowship. The last date for receipt of completed Applications will be the first day of December.
On the completion of the Fellowship Program, the Fellows should submit a Report of the Training they had undergone in the Annual General Body Meeting at the TNOA Annual Conference.
SELECTION PROCESS FOR INLAND FELLOWSHIPS OF TNOA:
| 1 | TNOA Prof. A.J. Selvapandian Travelling Fellowship For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 2 fellows / year |
| 2 | TNOA Dr. R. Muralidharan – Dr. M. Vanasekar Travelling Fellowship Preference for D(Ortho) | 2 fellows / year |
| 3 | TNOA Inland Travelling Fellowships For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 4 fellows / year |
| 4 | TNOA Prof. R. Sivakumar/ Prof. M. Chidambaram Travelling Fellowship in Trauma For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 1 fellows / year |
| 5 | TNOA Dr. Ajoy Prasad Shetty Travelling Fellowship in Spine Surgery For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 1 fellows / year |
| 6 | TNOA Prof. V. Singaravadivelu Travelling Fellowship in Arthroplasty For MS (Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) | 1 fellows / year |
Eligibility to apply for TNOA Inland Fellowships:
- Only Life Members of TNOA can apply for the TNOA Inland Fellowships
- The age limit of the applicant is 45 years or less as on 1st December of each year
- Basic qualification: For fellowships 1,3,4,5 and 6, the basic qualification for applying is MS(Ortho)/DNB(Ortho). However, if there are no suitable applications received from MS(Ortho)/DNB(Ortho) candidates, then a call for application will be sent to D(Ortho) candidates.
- Candidates who are having only D. Ortho qualification alone are eligible for the TNOA Dr. R. Muralidharan – Dr. M. Vanasekar Travelling Fellowship. Candidates with a Masters degree (M.S. Ortho) or Diplomate of the National Board (DNB) in Orthopedics in addition to D. Ortho qualification, are not eligible to apply for this Fellowship. However, if there are no applications received from D. Ortho candidates for the TNOA Dr. R. Muralidharan – Dr. M. Vanasekar Travelling Fellowship, then M.S. Ortho or DNB Ortho candidates who also have D. Ortho qualification will be allowed to apply.
- Out of the two fellows selected for the TNOA Prof. A. J. Selvapandian Travelling Fellowship, preferably one candidate should be from a Teaching Institution and the other from a Non-teaching Institution.
- Any member who had already undergone a TNOA Inland Fellowship cannot apply for a second time for the same Fellowship. Members are allowed to avail only one Inland and one Foreign Fellowship.
Evaluation Scheme for the TNOA Inland Fellowships mentioned above:
The selection committee comprises of the President TNOA, Secretary TNOA and the Fellowship Secretary TNOA. The decision of the selection committee shall be final.
| Criterion | Maximum marks | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Years of experience after postgraduate degree qualification | 10 marks |
| B | Presentation (Oral papers / Posters) | 10 marks |
| C | Publications | 10 marks |
| D | Special criteria | 5 marks |
- Years of experience after postgraduate degree qualification (MS Ortho / DNB Ortho / D Ortho): One mark for each year completed after the required qualification, subject to a maximum of 10 marks.
- Presentations:
State level presentations. – 1 mark for each presented paper or poster or e-poster
National level presentations – 2 marks for each presented paper or poster or e-poster
International presentations. – 3 marks for each presented paper or poster or e-poster
[Poster presentation will be considered at par with paper presentation] - Publications:
Articles published in TNOA Journal – 1 mark for each publication
Articles published in IJO – 2 marks for each publication
Articles published in international journals – 3 marks for each publication - Special criteria:
Marks will be awarded for winners of awards/medals in orthopaedics only – 2.5 marks for each award/medal.
(University Medal or Medal awarded during National and State Conference)
Note: In the event of a tie, age seniority will be considered for the award of Fellowship.
Kindly note:
Kindly adhere to the given application format for applying for the TNOA Fellowships. Applicants can type this format in a separate sheet and use additional sheets to include all relevant information as appropriate to send hard copies. Please provide all required information by using additional sheets. Send in hard copies of your application form in triplicate along with enclosed hard copies of xerox of certificates/documents of proof as appropriate in triplicate to the Office of The Tamil Nadu Orthopaedic Association, Flat No:9-B, D Block, Asta AVM Apartments, AVM Studio Complex, 39, Arcot Road, Vadapalani, Chennai-600026. In addition, send a copy by email to the Fellowship Secretary TNOA (tnoa.fellowshipsec@gmail.com).
Applications will be considered for evaluation only on receipt of hard copies in triplicate by the TNOA Office within the deadline mentioned in the Newsletter every year during the call for applications.
SELECTION PROCESS FOR FOREIGN FELLOWSHIPS OF TNOA
There are two foreign fellowships currently offered by the TNOA. They are:
| 1 | TNOA Foreign Fellowship with travel grant (Age 50 years or less) |
1 fellow / two years |
| 2 | TNOA Prof. A. Subramaniam Foreign Travelling Fellowship for Consultants (Age > 50 years |
1 fellow / two years |
Eligibility criteria for TNOA Foreign Fellowship:
- Only Life Members of TNOA can apply
- Applications will be invited once in two years.
- The applicant must be 50 years of age or below at the time of applying for this Fellowship
(Upper age limit is 50 years) - Basic qualification: The basic qualification for applying is MS(Ortho)/DNB(Ortho).
- Any member who had previously undergone this fellowship cannot apply for a second time
Eligibility criteria for TNOA Prof. A. Subramaniam Foreign Fellowship:
- Only Life Members of TNOA can apply
- Applications will be invited once in two years.
- The applicant must be above 50 years of age at the time of applying for this Fellowship (>50 years)
- Basic qualification: The basic qualification for applying is MS(Ortho)/DNB(Ortho).
- Any member who had previously undergone the TNOA Foreign Fellowship cannot apply for a second time.
Evaluation Scheme for the fellowships:
The selection committee comprises of the President TNOA, Secretary TNOA and the Fellowship Secretary TNOA. The decision of the selection committee shall be final.
| Criterion | Maximum marks | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Basic qualification | 3 marks |
| B | Presentation (Oral papers / Posters) | 15 marks |
| C | Publications | 25 marks |
| D | Special criteria | 2 marks |
| Total | 45 marks |
- Basic qualification (3 marks):
MS(Ortho)/DNB(Ortho) – 2 marks
D(Ortho) – 1 mark - Presentations (15 marks):
(Presentations as original author (presenting author) only will be considered.
Presentations in the same topic or subject will be considered only once) At National Meets – 1 mark for each presented paper or poster or e-poster (maximum 10 marks)
At International Meets – 2.5 marks for each presented paper or poster or e-poster (maximum 5 marks) - Publications (25 marks):
(Publications in the same topic or subject will be considered only once)
Publications in national journals – 2 marks for each publication for a maximum of 10 marks
Publications in international journals – 2.5 marks for each publication for a maximum of 10 marks
Published original orthopedic research work as first author – 5 marks - Special criteria (2 marks):
Marks will be awarded for winners of awards/medals in orthopaedics only – 1 mark for each award/medal.
In the event of a tie, age seniority will be considered for the award of Fellowship. Decision of the Selection Committee shall be final.
Please note:
The Fellow is responsible for arranging the Fellowship Center of his choice. The TNOA shall offer help to the Fellow in this regard. The TNOA with its good office can fixup a place for the Fellowship. The selected candidate will be given a grant of Rs. 50000 (to support his travel and accommodation) after successful completion of the Fellowship and submission of the report to the Fellowship Secretary. The selected candidate must complete their Fellowship before the call for the next TNOA Foreign Fellowship is advertised in the TNOA Newsletter. Any extra expenditure over and above the Fellowship grant will have to be borne by the selected candidate.
Kindly note:
Kindly adhere to the given application format for applying for the TNOA Fellowships. Applicants can type this format in a separate sheet and use additional sheets to include all relevant information as appropriate to send hard copies. Please provide all required information by using additional sheets. Send in hard copies of your application form in triplicate along with enclosed hard copies of xerox of certificates/documents of proof as appropriate in triplicate to the Office of The Tamil Nadu Orthopaedic Association, Flat No:9-B, D Block, Asta AVM Apartments, AVM Studio Complex, 39, Arcot Road, Vadapalani, Chennai-600026. In addition, send a copy by email to the Fellowship Secretary TNOA (tnoa.fellowshipsec@gmail.com).
Applications will be considered for evaluation only on receipt of hard copies in triplicate by the TNOA Office within the deadline mentioned in the Newsletter every year during the call for applications.
Empanelment of Institutions and Individual Members to offer TNOA Fellowship/Observership Programs under TNOA – Application Criteria:
At the AGBM of TNOACON 2025 it was decided to invite applications from Institutions or Individual Mentor Surgeons who are willing to become host centers to offer TNOA Fellowship programs. A few basic criteria were formulated:
- The mentor surgeon should be a Life Member of TNOA.
- The mentor should have completed a minimum of 10 years of clinical experience post MS(Ortho) / DNB(Ortho) qualification
- The hospital/surgeon should be able to perform atleast 15 surgeries in the subspecialty of the Fellowship that is being offered, during the period of 2 weeks of Fellowship.
Interested Institutions and Surgeons who are interested may send in their applications to the Fellowship Secretary by email (tnoa.fellowshipsec@gmail.com).
Information regarding the same will be made available in the TNOA website and in the official whats app groups of TNOA.
