[1] After graduating with her MBChB from the University of St Andrews, she held various medical posts in Dundee, Perth, and Edinburgh, and at Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester, where she trained in her specialism.

In 1926 she visited the Marie Curie Foundation in Paris and this caused her to develop a keen interest in the clinical applications of radium.

[1][3] Her students at Dundee included Agnes Herring, known as Jean, who in 1949 became consultant in charge of the Gynaecology Department at Maryfield Hospital.

[11][12] Fairlie never married, although she was engaged to her colleague, the surgeon Professor Lloyd Turton Price at the time of his unexpected death in 1933.

[1] Professor Fairlie was a keen traveller visiting several countries including South Africa, Greece, Italy, Canada and the United States.

[14] In July 1963 Fairlie was visiting Florence when she took ill. On her return to Scotland she was admitted to Dundee Royal Infirmary, and died shortly afterwards.

The professorial board with Fairlie's name engraved on it (which would have once stood in the Medical School) is now on permanent display in the University in a corridor beside the Archives.

The inaugural lecture was delivered by Professor Dame Sally Davies and was attended by members of Fairlie's family.