John Wightman MD, MA

Education

University of Illinois - Chicago; Residency in Emergency Medicine [1991]
University of Missouri - Columbia; MD with MA in physiology [1988]
University of Missouri - St Louis; BA in chemistry [1983]
Colorado State University; minor in computer science [1980]

Biography

Dr Wightman began his career as an Emergency Medical Technician in Loveland, Colorado, and as a Paramedic in St Louis, Missouri. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, a Master’s Degree in Physiology, and a Doctor of Medicine—all from the University of Missouri—then completed his emergency medicine residency in the University of Illinois system in Chicago. Sworn into the US Air Force in 1990, he served as an emergency physician or critical-care physician and command staff officer during six combat operations and nineteen special-operations deployments supporting humanitarian, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism missions. Dr Wightman has an extensive academic background in basic and clinical sciences, is an award-winning educator, and has served on numerous national committees addressing graduate medical education and operational support of law-enforcement and military special operations. He was the first person on continuous active duty to be promoted to Professor of Emergency Medicine in any medical school—initially at Wright State University in 2005 then at the Uniformed Services University. As the immediate-past Chair of the Department of Military & Emergency Medicine 2018-2022, Dr Wightman led over 100 faculty and staff conducting military requirements-driven research and educating more than 700 medical students and nurses in military field medicine, military medical practice, and military medical leadership. The military-unique curriculum prepares officers for their roles as healthcare providers, leaders, and advisers to line commanders on medical issues as well as providing and overseeing the full spectrum of joint health services for garrison and deployed forces. After 32 years in uniform, Dr Wightman retired from active duty as a Colonel in 2022, but has continued to teach for USU as a volunteer educator. He also contributes to the broader academic military & emergency medicine community through research in the scholarship of teaching and through writing and editing in the scholarships of integration and application.

Career Highlights: Positions, Projects, Deployements, Awards and Additional Publications

Professor and Chair: Dept of Military & Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University; Bethesda, Maryland [2018-2022]

Wing Surgeon and Special Tactics Chief Medical Officer: 24th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command; Hurlburt Field, Florida [2016-2018]

Director, Human Research Protections and Biosurety Programs: 711th Human Performance Wing, Air Force Research Laboratory; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio [2014-2016]

Master Clinician & Master Academician: 88th Medical Operations Squadron; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio [2006-2014]

Team Leader, Subject-Matter Expert Exchange: Operation PACIFIC ANGEL; Socialist Republic of Viet Nam [2015]

Combat deployments as an emergency physician: Camp Pleso, Croatia [1995-1996]; Joint Base Balad, Iraq [2008-2009]; Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan [2010-2011]

Combat deployments as an intensivist on Critical Care Air Transport Teams: Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan [2003]; Ramstein Air Base, Germany [2004 & 2005]

FAA pilot certificate (rotocraft category – helicopter class) [2002]

CME Editor or Associate Editor: Journal of Special Operations Medicine; St Petersburg, Florida [2001-present]

William P Clements Award as USUHS Class of 2001's Outstanding Military Educator; Bethesda, Maryland [2001]

Representative Bibliography

Cole R, Wightman JM. Impact of a multiday, high-fidelity, immersive simulation on medical students’ self-confidence. Military Medicine. 2023; 188(suppl 3):21-27.

Wightman JM. Preparing medical students for disaster response. Military Medicine. 2021; 186(11/12):324-326.

Wightman JM. Radial pulse quality as a diagnostic test in Tactical Combat Casualty Care. Military Medicine. 2020; 185(11/12):484-486.

Wightman JM. First receivers: managing blast injuries upon hospital arrival. In Callaway DW, Burnstein JL, Champion HC, Wightman JM, Sánchez LD, Thomas BW, Pamplin JC, Nemeth I [eds]: Operational and Medical Management of Explosive and Blast Incidents (Springer Nature: Cham, Switzerland; 2020), pp 289-311.

DeMers G, Wightman J. Mass-casualty preparedness and response. In O’Connor FG, Schoomaker EB, Smith DC [eds]: The Fundamentals of Military Medicine (Borden Institute: Ft Sam Houston, Texas; 2019), pp 503-529.

Wightman JM, Dice WH. Winter storms and hazards. In Koenig KA, Schultz CH [eds]: Koenig & Schultz’s Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices [ed 2] (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, United Kingdom; 2016), pp 670-691.

Burns GD, Wightman JM. Explosive events. In Koenig KA, Schultz CH [eds]: Koenig & Schultz’s Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices [ed 2] (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, United Kingdom; 2016), pp 463-485.

Sharp TW, Wightman JM, Davis MJ, Sherman SS, Burkle FM. Military assistance in complex humanitarian emergencies: what have we learned since the Kurdish relief effort? Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 2001; 16(4):197-208.

Keim SM, Rein JA, Chisholm C, Dyne PL, Hendey GW, Jouriles NJ, King RW, Schrading W, Salomone J, Swart G, Wightman JM. A standardized letter of recommendation for residency application. Academic Emergency Medicine. 1999; 6(11):1141-1146.

Wightman JM, Hurley LD. Emergency department management of eye injuries. Critical Decisions in Emergency Medicine. 1998; 12(7):1-11.