What is FAICO?

1. Comprehensive Ophthalmology
2. Cornea
3. Glaucoma
4. Retina & Vitreous
5. Oculoplasty & Ocular Oncology
6. Uvea
7. Neuro-Ophthalmology
8. Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus
9. Refractive Surgery

Exam Format

Eligibility (Plan Your Timeline)

• AIOS membership
• Basic PG qualification (DO/DNB/MD/MS)
• Minimum 2 years post-PG experience (including fellowship/senior residency)
• Plus one of: subspecialty fellowship (18+ months), senior residency (18+ months), OR 3 years practical work in subspecialty

Phase 1: Foundation (Year 1 - Right Now)

Core Textbooks to Start With

• Adler's Physiology of the Eye - for ocular physiology
• Emery & McIntyre / Cataract Surgery texts - when you rotate through OT

What to Do in Year 1

1. Read Parson's cover to cover - this is your DNB/PG-level foundation, and FAICO builds on top of it
2. Attend OPD and OT actively - take notes on every case you see
3. Choose your subspecialty early - talk to seniors, sit in subspecialty clinics, see what excites you
4. Learn to use the slit lamp and direct/indirect ophthalmoscope - OSCE tests clinical skills

Phase 2: Subspecialty Depth (Year 2 onwards)

Retina & Vitreous

• Ryan's Retina (6th ed) - definitive reference
• Retinal Vascular Disease - Joussen et al.
• OCT in Retinal Disease - for modern imaging interpretation

Cornea

• Cornea - Krachmer, Mannis, Holland (3-volume set)
• The Cornea - Kaufman & Barron
• Color Atlas of Corneal Topography

Glaucoma

• Glaucoma - Yanoff & Duker section, or dedicated texts like Shields' Textbook of Glaucoma
• Becker-Shaffer's Diagnosis and Therapy of the Glaucomas

Oculoplasty

• Smith's Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Stewart & Nerad
• Colour Atlas of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery - Tyers & Collin

Pediatric Ophthalmology

• Clinical Pediatric Ophthalmology - Friendly
• Taylor & Hoyt's Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

Neuro-Ophthalmology

• Walsh and Hoyt's Clinical Neuro-Ophthalmology
• Liu, Volpe & Galetta's Neuro-Ophthalmology (more concise)

Phase 3: MCQ and OSCE Preparation (6-12 months before exam)

• MCQ practice: Use platforms like OphthoMCQ which is specifically designed for FAICO/ICO/FICO pattern questions
• Past papers: Collect FAICO and ICO past MCQs from seniors or study groups
• OSCE prep: Practice on real equipment - fundus photography interpretation, OCT reading, visual fields (Humphrey), B-scan ultrasound, corneal topography. These are heavily tested.
• Structured viva prep: Practice answering cases out loud with a colleague or senior

Practical Study Schedule for a First-Year Resident

Key Tips

1. Join AIOS - membership is mandatory for FAICO eligibility. Do it now.
2. Find a mentor - a senior resident or faculty in your chosen subspecialty who has cleared FAICO is invaluable
3. Join study groups/WhatsApp groups for FAICO aspirants - past-year questions circulate there
4. Do not skip basic sciences - anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology of the eye are tested in theory and viva
5. Keep a case log - the OSCE rewards residents who have seen a wide variety of clinical cases
6. ICO exams as stepping stones - many residents prepare for the ICO Standard Examinations (Visual Sciences, Optics & Refraction, Clinical Ophthalmology) alongside FAICO - the overlap is significant and ICO/FICO credentials are internationally recognized

Summary Roadmap

Year 1: Parson's + Kanski + clinical exposure + choose subspecialty
Year 2: Subspecialty textbook + ICO standard exams
Year 3: Advanced subspecialty reading + MCQ banks + OSCE practice
Year 3-4: Apply for FAICO, sit the exam

What is FICO?

The Exam Pathway (Sequential - You Must Pass in Order)

Part A: Visual Sciences  ──►  Part B: Optics, Refraction & Instruments  ──►  Part C: Clinical Ophthalmology  ──►  Advanced Exam  ──►  FICO

Part A - Visual Sciences (Start Here)

Topics covered:

Best books for Part A:

MCQ question banks (use from Day 1):

• OphthoQuestions - widely recommended, ICO-specific
• Ophtha Bank / Eye Docs - also popular among ICO candidates
• ICO Foundation Assessment - free practice tool on ico-foundation.org once registered, uses a 3-level certainty system to identify your weak areas

Part B - Optics, Refraction & Instruments

Topics covered:

• Physical and geometric optics
• Refraction principles
• Lenses, prisms, mirrors
• Ophthalmic instruments (slit lamp, ophthalmoscope, keratometer, perimeter, etc.)

Best books for Part B:

Note: Optics is a subject many candidates underestimate. Give it at least 4-6 dedicated weeks. It is not easy.

Part C - Clinical Ophthalmology

Topics:

Best resources for Part C:

• Kanski's Clinical Ophthalmology (Bowling, 9th ed) - the single most important clinical reference
• Review of Ophthalmology - Friedman et al. (useful across all three exams)
• AAO BCSC full series (12 volumes)
• OphthoQuestions ICO Clinical (Part C) review course

The Advanced Exam → FICO

Your Study Plan as a First-Year Resident

Right now (Months 1-6)

• Read John Ferris cover to cover - aim for 20-30 pages per day
• Simultaneously do 10-15 MCQs daily from OphthoQuestions Part A bank
• Start AAO BCSC Section 2 for topics where Ferris feels thin
• Get familiar with basic anatomy using diagrams and atlases

Months 6-12

• Begin Part B (Optics) alongside finishing Part A revision
• Read AAO BCSC Section 3 for optics
• Practice Part B MCQs regularly
• Sit for Part A exam - it is offered multiple times per year globally

Year 2

• Sit Part B if not done yet
• Begin Kanski and clinical reading for Part C
• Start seeing clinical patterns in your daily OPD work and connecting them to textbook knowledge

Year 2-3

• Sit Part C
• Sit the Advanced Exam

Key Practical Tips

1. Do MCQs from Day 1. Do not wait until you finish reading. Active recall through questions is more effective than passive reading - the pass rate is only 50-60%, and most people fail from poor MCQ strategy, not lack of reading.
2. Register early on the ICO website to access free Foundation Assessments, which are excellent diagnostic tools.
3. Fees: Part A is ~460 CHF, Part B ~380 CHF, or both together for ~610 CHF. Check with your local ICO-affiliated society as partner countries often have reduced fees.
4. Eligibility for Part A: Only 1 year of ophthalmology experience is required. You can sit Part A before the end of your first year in some cases - check your local rules.
5. Pair FICO with your local exam - FICO preparation strongly overlaps with DNB/MD ophthalmology exams, so preparing for one reinforces the other.
6. Anatomy and pharmacology are the most heavily tested areas in Part A according to past candidates. Spend extra time on ocular anatomy.

Summary