Maria A. Fahie, DVM, MS, DACVS
Associate Dean for Academic Innovation & Professional Formation and Professor, Small Animal Surgery
College of Veterinary Medicine
Join year: 2002
•MS, Small animal reconstructive surgery, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, 1996
•Certificate of Residency, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, 1996.
•Certificate of Internship, VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, 1993.
•DVM, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 1992.
•BSc, major Biology, minor Psychology, Dalhousie University, 1986.
Editorial Experience:
Veterinary Surgery Journal- Top Reviewer Awards annually since 2019
Journal of Veterinary Medical Education Editorial Review Board- 2023 for 3-year term
Medical Education Online- Top Reviewer 2022
Research Training:
2023 Development of Educational Research Skills- EBVME RIG DoERS Program
2021 Medical Education Research Certificate (MERC) through AAMC
Professional Memberships / Leadership:
WesternU CVM Evidence-Based Veterinary Medical Education Research Interest Group
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Co-Chair- EBVME-RIG noon presentations
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Co-Chair- DoERS initiative
Fellow: Teaching Academy Consortium of West Region Colleges of Veterinary Medicine- renewed for another 3-year term in 2023, https://teachingacademy.westregioncvm.org/
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Steering Committee Member, 2026
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Past Co-Chair- External Peer Review of Teaching Working Group
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Member- Local Peer Observation of Teaching Working Group
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Member- Quantification of Teaching Effort & Effectiveness Working Group
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Past Co-Chair- Biennial Meeting Planning Committee (Member from 2019, Chair 2021)
Academy of Veterinary Educators https://academyveterinaryeducators.com/
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Treasurer of Membership Committee 2021-23
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Member of Continuing Education Committee 2023-present
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Secretary 2023-present
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges- Leadership Academy, March 2018 Certificate
Awards & Honors:
Norden / Pfizer / Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award- Spring 2011 & Spring 2021 (nominated in Spring 2015)
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
CA license since 1996
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons, 1998
VCA Yorba Regional Animal Hospital
Clinical skills training
Self-assessment processes
• Professor (Small Animal Surgery) , College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, September 2002 present
Veterinary Basic Sciences- PBL facilitator / content expert / block coordinator
Veterinary Clinical Sciences & Skills
CVM 7070 Surgery/Anesthesia/Dentistry (3rd year)
CVM 7520a Core Surgery- small animal (4th year)
"Who Dares to Teach Should Never Cease To Learn" John Cotton Dana
Teaching Philosophy/Statement
Maria A. Fahie, DVM, MS, DACVS
I think the reason I enjoy teaching so much and relate so well to learners is because I still consider myself a student. I love learning, and my academic position allows me to learn while being surrounded by people that come stock with curiosity, innocence and compassion. I have learned so much from interactions with our students that my career would not be the same without them. I’m a believer in the saying “See one. Do one. Teach one.” as a desirable skills acquisition theory, with the qualifiers that it takes more than one procedure in each category for skill mastery and that the necessary number will be different for each learner. I have made many models and surgical skills videos specific to our equipment, to facilitate students’ comprehension and performance. To me, being humble, readily admitting when you’re wrong or don’t understand, and welcoming constructive feedback for improvement are not only behaviors we should be instilling in our students but modeling ourselves.
Research & Publications:
Key: *=mentored student, #=corresponding author, otherwise I contributed to study design, data collection, manuscript editing
Diniz P, Fahie M and D McClure. Veterinary Students’ Perspectives on Factors Affecting Their NAVLE Performance: A Qualitative Study (IRB 2041342-1) (2026- manuscript in draft)
Forman S*, Levi O, Fahie M, Gordon-Ross P and D Griffon. The Effects of Pre-Operative Warm-Ups on the Performance of Live Dog Laparoscopic Ovariectomy by Veterinary Medical Students. (2026 manuscript accepted for publication)
French E*, Griffon D, Kass P, Fahie M, Gordon-Ross P, and O Levi. Evaluation of a laparoscopic abdominal simulator assessment to test readiness for laparoscopic ovariectomy in live dogs. 2021 Veterinary Surgery 50; S1:O49-O66 http://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13604 PMID 33615505
Hines S, Barr M, Suchman E, Fahie M, Hendrickson D, Chappell P, Watson J and P. Mixter. An Inter-institutional External Peer Review Process to Evaluate Educators at Schools of Veterinary Medicine. JVME Oct 2020; 535-545, https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme.2019-0094
Hassel D, Fahie M, Lohr C, Halsey R, Vernau W and E. Gorman. Inter-institutional Collaboration for the Development of a Local Peer Observation Process to Enhance Teaching. JVME Oct 2020; 555-569, https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme-2019-0093
Ambar N*, Levi O, Martin H, Lee L, Fahie M and D Eshar. Surgical Management of an Inguinal Hernia in an Infant Captive Eastern Hoolock Gibbon. Isreal J Vet Med 75 (2), June 2020; 22-27, doi:10.5455/OVJ.2022.v12.i4.3, Abstract link
Kim YJ, Lee S, Jung J, Jung H, In S, Chang J, Chang D and MA Fahie. Atlantoaxial bands in small breed dogs: influence of external pressure by the endotracheal tube tie. JSAP 2020, 61:163-169, doi: 10.1111/jsap.13094. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31960442/
Fahie M#, Cortez J*, Ledesma M*, and Y Su. Pressure mat analysis of walk and trot gait characteristics in 66 normal small, medium, large, and giant breeds. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 5, 256, 2018. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2018.00256/full PMID 30386786
Levi, O, Shettko D, Battles M*, Schmidt P, Fahie M, Griffon D, Gordon-Ross P, and D Hendricksen. Effect of Short versus Long-term Video Game Playing on Basic Laparoscopic Skills Acquisition of Veterinary Medicine Students. JVME, 12-19-2018, pages 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme.0617-077r2 PMID 30565981
Costa M*, Craig D, Cambridge T, Sebestyen P, Su Y and M Fahie#. Major complications of tibial tuberosity advancement in 1613 dogs. Veterinary Surgery 46; 494-500; 2017 https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.12649 PMID 28370168
Fahie, MA#, Cloke A*, Lagman M, Levi O, Schmidt P. Training Veterinary Students to Perform Ovariectomy using theMOOSE spay model with traditional method versus the Dowling spay retractor. JVME 43 (2); 176-183; 2016 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27075279/
Chang S*, Dong F, Lagman M, Schmidt PL, Irizarry KL, Schulz D and M Fahie#. In vitro biomechanical testing of the tube knot. Veterinary Surgery 45; 962-967; 2016 https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.12529 PMID 27549511
Levi, O, Michelotti K, Schmidt P, Lagman M, Fahie M, and D Griffon. Comparison between training models to teach veterinary medical students basic laparoscopic surgery skills. JVME 43; 80-87; 2016 https://doi.org/10.3138/jvme.0715-109R
Fahie, MA#, Ortolano GA, Guercio V, Schaffer JA, Johnston GJ, Au J, Hettlich BA, Phillips T, Allen MJ and AL Bertone. Clinical Outcome using Canine Platelet Therapy for Osteoarthritis: A Prospective, Double-blinded, Controlled, Multi-center Study. JAVMA 243; 9; 1291-1297; Nov 1, 2013 https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.9.1291 PMID 24134578
Dong TC*, Fahie MA#. What is your diagnosis? JAVMA 241 (8); 1025-6, 2012 https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.241.8.1025 PMID 23039975
Fahie MA#, Shettko D. Evidence-based wound management: a systematic review of therapeutic agents to enhance granulation and epithelialization. VCNA 37 (3); 559-577, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2007.02.001 PMID 17466756
Fahie MA#. Healing, diagnosis, repair and rehabilitation of tendon conditions. VCNA 35 (5); 1195-1211, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2005.05.008 PMID 16129139
Fahie MA#, Smith MM. Axial pattern flap based on the cutaneous branch of the superficial temporal artery in dogs: an experimental study and case report. Veterinary Surgery 28; 141-147; 1999. https://doi.org/10.1053/jvet.1999.0141. PMID 10338158
Fahie MA#, Smith BJ, Ballard JB, Moon ML, and MM Smith. Regional peripheral vascular supply to the temporal region in dogs and cats. Anat Histol Embryol 27 (3); 205- 8, 1998. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0264.1998.tb00181.x
Fahie MA#, Smith MM. Axial pattern flap based on the superficial temporal artery in cats: an experimental study. Veterinary Surgery 26; 86-89, 1997. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950x.1997.tb01469.x. PMID 9068157
Fahie MA#, Martin RM. Extrahepatic biliary tract obstruction: a retrospective study of 45 cases (1983-1993). JAAHA 31 (6); 478-482, 1995. https://doi.org/10.5326/15473317-31-6-478. PMID 8581542
Doherty MA#, Smith MM. Contamination and infection of fractures resulting from gunshot trauma in dogs: 20 cases (1987-1992). JAVMA 1995; 206:203-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7751222/
Book Chapters:
Fahie, MA. Amputation. In: Complications in Small Animal Surgery, Griffon D ed, Chapter TBD, 4th edition (submitted 2025, pending publication)
Fahie, MA. Primary Wound Closure. In: Veterinary Surgery Small Animal, Tobias KM & Johnston SA eds, Chapter 75, 1st edition 2012, pages 1197-1209 and 2nd edition 2017, pages 1397-1409.
Fahie, MA. Amputation. In: Complications in Small Animal Surgery, Griffon D ed, Chapter 109, 3rd edition 2016, DOI: 10.1002/9781119421344
Fahie, MA. Gastrotomy, Local Gastrectomy, Pyloroplasty and Billroth I. In: Bojrab, Current Techniques in Small Animal Surgery, Chapter 19, 5th edition, ISBN 9781591610359
Grant funding (primary author for all except the 2018 grant, co-author):
2023 WesternU Office of Research & Biotechnology $9700 Matching Funds- Seed Grant (IMR fund 12418V-1398)- “Development of Educational Research Skills (DoERS)” by the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medical Education- Research Interest Group DoERS Team (Fahie M, Marino T, Gordon-Ross P, Diniz P, Barr P); Letter from Dr. Henson
2022 CVM Office of Research $9700 Intramural Grant- “Development of Educational Research Skills (DoERS)”by the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medical Education- Research Interest Group DoERS Team: Fahie M, Marino T, Gordon-Ross P, Diniz P, Barr P); Call for Grant , Submitted Grant Document , Griffon Email Confirmation of Funding
2022 AVMA Veterinary Educator Professional Development Grant- $1000 Development of Educational Research Scholars (DoERS) Book Club by the Evidence-Based Veterinary Medical Education- Research Interest Group DoERS Team: Fahie M, Marino T, Gordon-Ross P, Barr P. Grant Application , Confirmation letter
2018 CVM Clinical Partnership Grant- $5000 for Evaluation of a laparoscopic abdominal simulator assessment to test readiness for laparoscopic ovariectomy in live dogs. French E, Griffon D, Kass P, Fahie M, Gordon-Ross P, and O Levi.
Ethicon Suture Material Grant- submitted annually for suture donations for Veterinary Surgery Club and 7035 Course Student practice- estimated $6-8000 of product annually Sample Grant Application letter
Awards & Honors:
Norden / Pfizer / Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award- Spring 2011 & Spring 2021 (nominated in Spring 2015)
7th place in National VetMed Academy “Covid Educational Creations” contest (for the 7520 “Assessment of Critical Thinking” assignment) in July 2020 Award Letter
ACVS (American College of Veterinary Surgeons)
SVSTS (Society of Veterinary Soft Tissue Surgery)
VOS (Veterinary Orthopedic Society)
SCVMA (Southern California Veterinary Medical Association)
CVMA (California Veterinary Medical Association)
AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association)
Fellow of the Teaching Academy of the West Region Colleges of Veterinary Medicine
Member of the Academy of Veterinary Educators
Admissions committee
Curriculum committee
P & T committee