He mainly focuses on preclinical and clinical translational research related to enhancing repair and regeneration of the injured central nervous system.
His research has impacted clinical practice as evidenced by the 2012 publication of results from the Surgical Timing in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (STASCIS[8]), which provided direct clinical trials evidence that early decompressive surgery improves neurological and functional outcomes after spinal cord injury.
In 2017 Dr. Fehlings was involved in an international effort to develop clinical practice guidelines for degenerative cervical myelopathy and traumatic spinal cord injury.
He received the Diamond Jubilee medal (2013)[14] for his ground-breaking work in childhood neurodevelopmental disorders and spinal cord injury and disease.
He was described, during the Henry Farfan Award ceremony, as the "single most influential active spinal cord injury researcher and clinician in the world".
In 2019, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, presented him with the Ryman Prize for his work enhancing the quality of life for older people.