01
Apply
Open registration. No fee, no tier, no upsell.
Established 2002To Strive · To Learn · To SeeAligned with five international examining bodies
Muthusamy Virtual University of Postgraduate Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology, taught free since 2002.
Postgraduate ophthalmology, taught from anywhere on earth — by faculty across six continents, aligned with five international examining bodies.
Aligned withRCSEdAligned with five international examining bodies: RCSEd, RCOphth, ICO, RCPSG, RCSI.
The promise
$0 forever
No tuition, no tier, no upsell. Postgraduate ophthalmology — taught the way it ought to be taught, by people who already teach it for a living.
Elsewhere
- Tens of thousands a year
- One country, one path
- One exam body
Here
- Free, forever
- Anywhere on earth
- Five international examining bodies
Teaching since2002September
Faculty90+six continents
Aligned with5international examining bodies
The founder
Prof. Dr. P. Muthusamy.
MS DO · FRCS Glasgow · FRCS Edinburgh · former Overseas Adviser to the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Founded the Virtual University in September 2002, and has taught postgraduate ophthalmology free of charge ever since. The Muthusamy Medal — awarded at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh since 1982 — predates the institution it now sits inside by twenty years.
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
How it works
02
Learn
45+ levels of Basic Sciences. Optics, ICO Advanced, FRCSEd parts A · B · C, FRCOphth, FRCS Glasgow Final.
03
Mentor
90+ faculty across six continents. Discussions, MCQ feedback, reading lists.
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Sit
Aligned with five international examining bodies. Sit any of them — or all of them, whenever you're ready.
The big idea
Borderless.
Faculty across six continents. Students from anywhere.
Recognised.
Aligned with five international examining bodies. The Muthusamy Medal at RCSEd since 1982.
Free.
$0 forever. No tuition, no tier, no upsell.
What you get
01
Basic Sciences Course & MCQ
45+ levels
Foundational anatomy, physiology, optics, pharmacology, microbiology, pathology — the bedrock under every exam that follows.
02
Optics & Refraction
16 levels
Geometric and clinical optics, refraction, and the mathematics that underwrites every prescription written in clinic.
03
ICO Advanced Examination
International Council of Ophthalmology
The international assessment recognised worldwide — comprehensive ophthalmic clinical sciences for the senior trainee.
04
FRCSEd (Ophth)
Edinburgh · Parts A · B · C
The Edinburgh Fellowship — Surgical Specialty Board pathway. The Muthusamy Medal has been awarded here since 1982.
05
FRCOphth
London · Part 1 · Part 2 · Diploma
The senior ophthalmology fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists — the United Kingdom's standard.
06
FRCS Glasgow Final
Glasgow Fellowship
The Final Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow — clinical synthesis at the close of training.
Faculty
Dean
Prof. Dr. Koushik Tripathy
General ophthalmology · medical retina
MVU, India
Deputy Dean
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pranessh Ravi
Cornea & anterior segment
MVU, India
Professor
Prof. Dr. T S Surendran
Paediatric ophthalmology
Sankara Nethralaya, India
Professor
Prof. Dr. Mohd Javed Ali
Oculoplasty & lacrimal surgery
L V Prasad Eye Institute, India
Professor
Prof. Dr. Chandra M. Kumar
Anaesthesiology in ophthalmology
James Cook University Hospital, United Kingdom
Regional Director
Prof. Dr. Dexter Leung
Glaucoma
Hong Kong SAR
Honorary advisors
Who the university takes its counsel from.
Prominent medical educationists of international repute, who assist and advise the university and its students.
Dr James Finbarr (Barry) Cullen
Overseas Adviser in Ophthalmology, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
MD · FRCS · FRCSEd · FRCOphth — neuro-ophthalmology
Edinburgh & Singapore
Full curriculum vitae — as recorded October 2010
Professor K. R. Sethuraman
Vice Chancellor, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth
MD · PGDHE · FICA — internal medicine & medical education
Puducherry, India
Full curriculum vitae — as recorded January 2014
Aligned with
ICORCSEdRCOphthRCPSGRCSIICORCSEdRCOphthRCPSGRCSI
ICORCSEdRCOphthRCPSGRCSI
Five international examining bodies. Twenty-three years.
Testimonials
Datuk Dr. P. Muthusamy has been instrumental in introducing a new dimension of Ophthalmology education.
Mae-Lynn Bastion
Malaysia
Thank you for your inspiring e-mails and the past year questions shared by your students which enabled me to pass my Basic Science and Optics just 1 year after joining Ophthalmology.
Dr. Sim Peck Eng
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Malaysia
I truly benefited a lot from the course on the Basic Science of Ophthalmology organized by you.
Dr. Devin Prabhakar
Divya Prabha Eye Hospital, India
The two things which helped me most during the preparation for FRCS was Dr. Chua's site and your advice and support.
Dr. Vanessa Naseem
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Malaysia
I found the Ophthalmology internet course run by Dr. Muthu very helpful and informative.