John obtained his veterinary degree from Cambridge University in 2001, and was subsequently awarded an MA in biological anthropology in 2002. His first position was as an intern at the Royal Veterinary College which was completed in 2003. He then took up a PhD scholarship in orthopaedic biology at the same institution, although latterly this work was completed at the University of Sheffield. Following his PhD he was awarded a residency position in Equine Soft Tissue Surgery and Medical Statistics at the University of Liverpool which was completed in 2009 followed by a short period working in the equine hospital and first-opinion practice as a staff clinician. John took up the post of Lecturer in Equine Surgery at the University of Nottingham in January 2010.

John is an RCVS Specialist in Equine Surgery, and provides a clinical role to the clinical associate practices of the University, in particular the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray. He was appointed a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2016, and remains one of the youngest holders of this distinction. John is on the Editorial Board of the open access, EBVM journal Veterinary Evidence, which is published by RCVS Knowledge, has previously held a fixed term position on the Study Design and Data Analysis board of Equine Veterinary Journal.