Justin Buckthorp

Which course did you graduate from at CNELM, and when did you graduate?

I completed the MSc in Personalised Nutrition and graduated in 2016.

 

What did you do before doing this course?

I have been a health practitioner since 2002. The first decade of my career, I focused more on exercise science, sports performance training and athletic development. Then, around 2010, I became fascinated by functional medicine as an approach to caring for people and jumped in. I went through all the IFM advanced practice modules until about 2014 and then started the MSc with CNELM. It’s been great.

 

What made you decide to embark on this course of study and what attracted you to CNELM? 

Several things led me to CNELM. I loved their evidence-based approach. I liked the fact they were using the functional medicine philosophy and tools. The faculty were always really warm and helpful. I also thought personalised nutrition was the future for so many people as a lever in their health, and I feel that it is true now more than ever.

 

What inspired you to study the MSc in particular?

I wanted depth of knowledge, the chance to do a dissertation, and the ability to study around my full-time job. From a career perspective, I also felt it was crucial to have this academic credential to my name.

 

How has completing the MSc influenced your career?

The MSc has been a major asset. It has opened doors, added credibility and enabled me to be part of many different backrooms in elite professional sports on a par with peers, albeit they may have trained in other fields. 

 

What was your first role after graduating?

I was already working in a healthcare clinic in the UK, and then travelling on the PGA Tour and European Tour, so my role did not change much but my capacity to help did improve.

 

How did you kickstart your practice / career?

In 2002, I was working in a gym environment. By 2007, I was working in a private healthcare clinic called Sports Orthopaedics Spinal, and then in 2012 helped set up a new one called Prime Health in Weybridge. I guess it was a natural evolution of working hard, building the network and word of mouth, which I am grateful for.

 

Where has your career taken you so far? 

All over the world, geographically. I have been fortunate to work in the US, Middle East, Africa, and Europe. I have been blessed to work very closely with some of the world’s superstars in sports, such as Harry Kane in football and Justin Rose in golf. It’s been a fun ride, so far!

 

Do you specialise in a particular area of health? 

My big focus is health for performance. Athletes want to sustain high performance, prevent issues where possible, proactively manage their wellbeing and maximise career success and longevity. I am part of the team that helps them do that. It’s all about trying to give them the best chance of realising their potential.

 

Which part do you think has been the most rewarding or successful? 

Helping Justin Rose win the 2016 Olympic Gold medal felt special, especially because he suffered a significant lumbar disc injury just eight weeks beforehand, so we had a lot of work to do!  

 

Is there anything you wish you’d known before finishing your studies that you might have prepared for differently?

I’d like to tell the pre-MSc me this – “It will take longer than you think to complete your studies, but if you embrace it, the rewards are amazing, and the learning itself will be phenomenal.” That would have helped me embrace the inevitable challenges of studying and working simultaneously.

 

What or who has most inspired you in your work? 

On a professional level, many leaders in functional medicine, like Jeffrey Bland, continue to amaze me with their knowledge and vision. They saw the need for a new approach to healthcare a long time ago, and it’s only in recent years that this approach has been recognised as being as powerful as it is. On a personal level, my best friend Richard passed away last year with brain cancer after a tragic one-year battle. He inspires me to become better every day at helping people.

 

Do you have any tips, hints, things you’d have done differently...? 

I would say take at least a day off per week to rest, reset, and connect with other important things in life. I love work, but boundaries are important. As such, I would recommend that any student set boundaries early and communicate them to others, such as clients. This helps you look after your own wellbeing as you go about helping others.