Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Fares grew up first in Redwood City before moving to Fremont, California. Animals were an important part of his life from an early age, including his childhood cockatiel, Sage, an energetic bird who loved flying from chair to chair, landing on people’s heads and shoulders, and whistling. Today, Fares shares his home with Snickers, a cross-eyed domestic shorthair cat with a selective but affectionate personality who happily races downstairs for pets and belly rubs.
Fares discovered his passion for veterinary medicine while volunteering at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. There, he became fascinated by the complexity of caring for marine mammals and conditions such as domoic acid toxicosis. What impacted him most was seeing how veterinary medicine could extend beyond an individual patient. The work of veterinarians could contribute to the recovery of seal and sea lion populations, support the ecosystems they inhabit, and expand scientific understanding of pinniped physiology and behavior. That experience inspired Fares to pursue a career where his love for animals could be combined with making a positive impact on both the veterinary profession and the broader community.
He earned his undergraduate degree from San Francisco State University before continuing his veterinary education at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
Fares is currently a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and anticipates graduating in 2028.
Having visited Las Vegas several times on family road trips, Fares returned in 2025 to participate in Practice Operations Week. After shadowing at the different hospitals during the program, he felt that the V.O.S. environment complemented his learning style and decided to return for an externship.
During this externship, Fares is focused on strengthening his hands-on clinical skills, including blood draws, fine needle aspirates, fluid pump management, intubation, and surgical suturing techniques. He has a particular interest in avian medicine while remaining eager to gain experience across other areas of veterinary medicine. Following graduation, Fares plans to pursue a specialty internship in avian, exotic, or zoological medicine followed by a residency. He is also interested in expanding his knowledge of the business and management side of veterinary medicine.
Outside of the hospital, Fares enjoys hiking, particularly along rocky and coastal trails, and reading works centered around mythology.
