College of Technology Professor Pioneers A New Frontier In Physical Therapy

The feature highlighted his groundbreaking work in wilderness physical therapy — a niche specialty Jernigan has been practicing and developing for decades. He credits his diverse life experiences, including mountaineering, wildland firefighting and search and rescue, as converging into a unique skill set that enabled him to practice in these demanding and unconventional settings.

Wilderness physical therapy blends the advanced clinical capabilities of a physical therapist with the adaptability, safety awareness, and survival skills required to deliver care in remote, austere environments. A physical therapist in this setting integrates skilled functional assessment, in-depth musculoskeletal knowledge, expert hands-on treatment, and strong point-of-care communication with the principles of emergency medicine. The result is a value-added healthcare provider capable of operating in challenging environments, mitigating risks, improving patient outcomes, and lowering costs through highly skilled and efficient treatment. This type of care can not only enhance patient safety and functional ability but also help avoid unnecessary evacuations or costly emergency interventions. It builds upon the core foundations of physical therapy while incorporating the critical competencies of emergency medicine and wilderness survival — resulting in a multi-skilled practitioner ready to assume multiple essential roles in the field.

“The bedrock of wilderness physical therapy is being a steward of the environment that you find yourself operating in to deliver care — navigating it to integrate physical therapy and EMS techniques”, said Jernigan. “It’s not just about treating injuries outdoors, it's about keeping yourself and your patients safe while delivering high-quality care where others can’t”.

Jernigan’s ability to work in these environments has roots in a lifetime spent outdoors. After graduating from ISU, he worked for years in a variety of practice settings, but came to long for more time outdoors. This resulted in him leaving his high-paying executive physical therapist position to travel the western U.S. — mountaineering, serving as a climbing ranger, wilderness EMT, wildland firefighter, and search‑and‑rescue. In those roles, Jernigan learned to combine his clinical training with on-scene care, a convergence he now calls wilderness physical therapy.

For years, he balanced summers in wilderness roles with winters in traditional clinical practice before joining ISU’s faculty in 2002, where he found an additional love for teaching. His dedication to students and the profession recently led to a milestone achievement — becoming the first contemporary full professor in the College of Technology’s Career Technical Education division. This accomplishment reflects not only his professional excellence but also the profound impact on students, serving as both a mentor and role model as they prepare to enter the workforce.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to reflect on your path and realize the influence you’ve had on your profession, your institution, your college — and on young people,” Jernigan said. “I love teaching, but I never anticipated the profound impact my students would have on me in return. Getting to know their stories and helping them secure a stable future is the greatest gift.

Together with colleagues Paul Beattie, Darren Hearn, and Karen Beattie, Jernigan co-founded Wilderness PT Educators to offer continuing education courses in this specialty. They have launched online and hands-on courses equipping therapists to assess, treat, and ensure safety in remote environments. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, and future offerings are already in the works.

The APTA feature not only recognized Jernigan's pioneering work but also underscores the relevance and potential of this evolving practice area. Jernigan hopes more practitioners will explore opportunities in unconventional settings. “We’re just getting started,” he said. “Ten years from now, I think there will be PT jobs in places we never imagined.”

Learn more about the College of Technology’s physical therapist assistant program at https://www.isu.edu/pta and Idaho State University’s collaboration with Wilderness Physical Therapy Educators at https://www.wildernesspted.com to combine your passion with your profession.