Dr Robert Stevens

I’ve always had a passion for biology and nature. It seemed a natural progression to either become a vet or a doctor so that I could make a tangible difference. I decided on the human route although, if truth be known, in the majority of cases I prefer animals to humans. I have two working line German Shepherds, they love unconditionally, they are pure of heart and they have a loyalty that knows no limits.

I qualified from Sheffield Medical School in 1997 where I achieved my Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB). I disappeared to Oz for some sand and sea and to fulfil one of my lifelong ambitions to cage-dive with Great White Sharks. With that ticked off the list it was time to return to reality. Australia was great, I’ve travelled extensively and as incredible as nature is, my inner drive meant I needed to achieve something, not to simply exist. Not very Zen but at least I have insight.

After a brief stint in surgery, I turned my attention to primary care where the focus was more of a holistic approach. I achieved my Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) qualification in 2010. Unfortunately, by then I already knew I wasn’t liking the direction that General Practice was heading. It had become more of a fire-fighting exercise and the doctor-patient relationship had changed to that of a more sales-consumer one, where in the back of the shop you only had out of date stock and supplies were running low.

I began looking to prevention, addressing the cause rather than the cure using the cornerstones of health; namely lifestyle, nutrition and exercise, before looking to modern medicine. I considered completing a MSc in Sports & Exercise Medicine at UCL, however I quickly realised this would not fuel my goal of redressing the apparent no-man’s land between the health & fitness industry and modern medicine. Instead I chose to embark on a personal training course and achieved my Diploma in Fitness & Personal Training (Dip.FIPT) in 2013 to understand if the two could be merged.

I’ve always been interested in sports and have kept myself physically fit, everything from lifting heavy weights to running 25 miles along the Jurassic Coast dressed as the Hoff! No challenge is too great with the right amount of preparation. I have always pushed myself both physically and psychologically. I’ve burned candles at both ends, I’ve taken unnecessary risks and sailed close to the edge. Lessons have been learnt and wisdom has been earned, often through blood, sweat and tears.

My passion for optimisation lead me to testosterone. Rather bizarrely, it was Dr Life and Vitor Belfort that actually sparked my interest. After extensive research, rationalisation and debate, it became clear that Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome was a medical condition that needed a champion over here in the UK. Outdated attitudes and poor clinical practice meant that something had to be done. The first rule as a doctor is ‘do no harm’, the second is to work in the patient’s best interests to affect a positive change to their health. Testosterone needs someone who can apply common sense to the use of modern medicine in achieving health, without the influence of Big Pharma to skew opinion.

With that in mind, we opened The Men’s Health Clinic in January 2016. I continued to work as an NHS doctor in Urgent Care alongside my private practice, which allowed us the luxury of gaining recognition and growing organically. It gave us the time and space to constantly review and refine our practice for it to become the internationally renowned clinic that it is today.

I continue to stay up to date with the latest evidence, research and clinical practice through ongoing personal study and CPD. I am an active member of the British, European & International Societies of Sexual Medicine, a connected member of The Androgen Society and the British Menopause Society, and was recently honoured to present at the IDSI 20th International Symposium on Diabetes, in association with the Mayo Clinic, USA.

With the continued evolution and growth of this field of medicine, I have now left the NHS in order to focus my time and attention on what I am most passionate about – lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, hormonal health, modern medicine, in that order.

It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable. – Socrates

I’ve always encouraged people to take responsibility for their own health. It’s your life, live it to the fullest!