Dr. Hairston obtained his medical degree from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston prior to completing his general surgery and urologic residency training with Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Following residency, Dr. Hairston completed a fellowship in Female Urology, Voiding Dysfunction and Pelvic Reconstruction at Cleveland Clinic Florida in Weston, FL. He was previously on faculty at UT-Houston where he was Chief of Urology at the Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR). He joined the faculty at Northwestern University Department of Urology as Associate Professor of Urology in the winter of 2009.

Dr. Hairston's clinical interests include male and female incontinence, voiding dysfunction and pelvic reconstruction. He holds a particular interest in voiding dysfunction from neurologic causes such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, etc. During his time at the Texas Medical Center, Dr. Hairston spearheaded development of a robotic bladder reconstruction program for patients with neurogenic bladder, one of the first of its kind in the world. His research efforts have included trials encompassing the prevention of UTIs in spinal cord injury patients, a placebo-controlled trial for treating Interstitial Cystitis, and investigation on the safety and efficacy of the urethral bulking agent Macroplastique for the treatment of female urinary stress incontinence. He has authored numerous publications, including a text chapter on the neurophysiology of voiding.

In addition to serving on panel for a number of prestigious journals, Dr. Hairston is a member of several associations and organizations, such as the American Urological Association, the International Continence Society, the Society for Urodynamics and Female Urology, the International Urogynecology Association, and the American Spine Injury Association.