Jay Johannigman, M.D. Biography
Jay Johannigman, M.D. is a Cincinnati trauma and critical care surgeon whose military medical career spanned 46 years. After receiving an A.B. degree in biology from Kenyon College, he earned his doctor of medicine from Case Western Reserve University, followed by postdoctoral training in trauma and surgical critical care. During his years in the military, he returned to school to complete his Aerospace Medicine Primary Course at Brooks AFB and graduate from the Air War College.
Over the course of his service, Dr. Johannigman held several positions in the military, including staff surgeon and medical director of the Surgical Critical Care Service at the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in Texas, consultant surgeon for the Air Force Special Operations Command, trauma director for the 332nd AFTH/332 EAW at Balad Air Base in Iraq, and colonel for the Office of the Surgeon General USAF at the Pentagon. He retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a colonel in 2025 and has returned home to Cincinnati, where he now works to strengthen the region’s emergency preparedness and injury care.
After accruing extensive experience in the military, Dr. Johannigman joined the faculty of the University of Cincinnati, where he contributed significantly to the Department of Surgery and the Division of Trauma. His steadfast engagement in the Army Reserve, coupled with roles in academia, civilian hospitals, and the military, solidified his reputation over the course of his career. Dr. Johannigman was foundational in establishing the Cincinnati Center for the Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (Cincinnati CSTARS), one of the first military-civilian training partnerships in the country.
Leveraging his expertise as a trauma surgeon, Dr. Johannigman helped establish trauma units within military and university settings, and worked alongside colleagues to perform emergency surgeries for critical injuries and illnesses.
In April 2014, he spearheaded the integration of battlefield medical technology into Cincinnati’s first responder network, a milestone made possible through a donation from Western & Southern Financial Group. The equipment, featuring a daylight-readable display, an intuitive interface, ruggedized construction, centralized charging, and a long-lasting battery, marked a groundbreaking advancement at the time.
As a leader of Cincinnati’s elite Air Force medical teams, Dr. Johannigman helped train doctors, nurses, and other health professionals at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, whose volunteer efforts supported thousands of military families. As head of the medical center’s trauma and critical care program, he delivered crucial lifesaving training to the region, ensuring health professionals had the best and most relevant instruction for effective practice.
With nearly 100 co-authored papers in respected journals, including “Use of a Single Ventilator to Support 4 Patients: Laboratory Evaluation of a Limited Concept” in Respiratory Care (2012), Dr. Johannigman has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing medical knowledge, particularly in trauma and critical care. His honors include Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certification, the Bronze Star Medal for heroism during armed conflict, the Distinguished Service Award from the Military Health System Research Symposium, the Good Samaritan Hospital General Surgery Residency Adjunct Teaching Award, and the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Hometown Hero Award.
After retiring from the U.S. Army Reserve in 2025, following a 46-year military medical career, Dr. Johannigman returned home to Cincinnati. He now serves as Chief Medical Officer at Knight Aerospace and is focused on strengthening the region’s emergency preparedness, including a geriatric injury prevention program aimed at reducing falls among older adults. When he is not working, he is an avid cyclist who enjoys exploring the country’s landscapes by bike.