Wilderness Physical Therapy Educators
Meet the Team
Paul Beattie PhD, PT, FAPTA, WEMT
Paul is a Clinical Professor Emeritus at the University of South Carolina whose goal is to develop the role of physical therapists in the wilderness environment. As a child growing up next to the Appalachian Trail, Paul developed a lifelong passion for hiking and backcountry adventure. After high school, Paul served in the 101st Airborne Division in the Viet Nam war where he was exposed to the challenges of providing medical care in challenging environments and decided on a career as a physical therapist (PT). Upon his return from overseas Paul earned a BS and MS in PT and a PhD in Exercise Science while becoming a member of the first group of PTs to become Board-Certified in Orthopedic PT. Over his 45-year career as a clinician, professor and researcher Paul has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers and has been awarded the Catherine Worthingham Fellowship from the APTA. Paul is also a Wilderness EMT and wilderness medical instructor who currently serves as a seasonal volunteer backcountry ranger at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Along with its other founding members, Paul is thrilled by the opportunity to share our experiences through Wilderness PT Educators.
Darren Hearn, PT, PhD, WEMT
Darren is a Physical Therapist who is more at home outside than in any clinic. Growing up hunting and fishing with his brothers and father, he learned to both love and respect the outdoors. Shortly after high school, Darren attended West Point and after graduating in 2002 was soon deployed to Iraq where he gained true respect for the desert environment. In 2005, he decided to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy after receiving it himself and developing a strong interest in helping others return to and optimize performance. Not long after graduation, he found himself happy to get out of the typical clinic and return to more austere environments with the Army’s 4th Infantry Division. He trained with and then deployed with them to Afghanistan as a Brigade Combat Team PT serving over 20 remote locations in the mountains and valleys of the eastern part of the country. It was there that he found that bringing medical expertise to the most austere environments was his passion. He has continued that passion both academically and practically, volunteering with his local Search and Rescue Team, earning a PhD from UNC Chapel Hill in Human Movement Science, and most recently earning his EMT and Wilderness EMT speciality. He also continued his military service, currently serving in North Carolina at Fort Bragg. Darren understands the peace and challenge that the outdoors brings and is excited to share that with as many people as possible.
Darin “DJ” Jernigan, MS, DPT, WEMT
DJ has been a Physical Therapy educator at Idaho State University since 2002. He is currently the Department Co-Chair for Health Occupations within the College of Technology. DJ worked for Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) for 20 years as a seasonal Climbing Ranger, EMS Provider, and SAR Coordinator from 1998 to 2017. He continues to be an avid climber and mountaineer with over 35 years of experience. He has participated in hundreds of Search and Rescue missions involving technical rescue techniques on rock, snow and ice, often with the use of a helicopter. During his career as a Climbing Ranger he adapted and employed Physical Therapy techniques as an EMS provider in austere environments. He has been involved in SAR missions in Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, Montana and Alaska. DJ has been a Physical Therapist for over 30 years and a Wilderness EMT for 25. He has been an EMS educator for GTNP assisting with yearly EMT refresher courses as an instructor. He has participated in multiple EMS and SAR related conferences in the intermountain west as a speaker and educator.
Climbing Resume:
Wyoming: Grand Teton National Park (many peaks/routes, too many to name).Wind River Range - Gannett Peak, Pingora, Wolf’s Head, Sharks Nose. Devils Tower
California: Yosemite - El Capitan (Big Walls) Salathe’, Nose, Washingtons Column. Mt Shasta. Mt Whitney – East Buttress
Alaska: Denali – West Buttress, West Rib (30 day NPS Patrol)
Mexico: El Pico de Orizaba, La Malinche
Utah: Zion National Park – (Big Walls) Lunar Ecstasy, Moonlight Buttress, Space Shot, Prodigal Son, Monkey Finger, Touchstone. Fisher Towers - Ancient Art. Castleton Tower – Cor Engle’s, North Chimney. Mexican Hat
Washington: Mt Rainier – Disappointment Cleaver, Kautz Glacier
Oregon: Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, Three Sisters
Karen Beattie, PT, RYT 500, WFR
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks” -John Muir
A true seeker of the outdoors, Karen’s passion for adventure began when she was living in the rugged landscape of the Sandia Mountains in New Mexico. She is a Physical Therapist, Wilderness First Responder and a 500 Registered Yoga Teacher.
Living a fitness-based lifestyle is paramount in her daily life and as a Physical Therapist she has been given the opportunity to help others with physical challenges reach their goals. As a yoga teacher she aims to inspire those along their journey with guidance on how to move from a position of strength, imparting an experience of a mindful connection with one’s breath. She considers the guidance for us to be mindful-not only on our yoga mat-but also throughout our days, to be one of the many benefits of the practice and is an essential attribute when responding to Wilderness emergencies.
Karen has combined her Wilderness First responder, PT and Yoga training in various outdoor environments including volunteering as Assistant Scout Master and Venture Crew Leader for Boy Scouts of America (BSA). She served as an Adult leader and Medic for several 14-day backcountry treks at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico and has assisted with instruction in Wilderness Remote First Aid Training and Wilderness Survival Training courses over the last decade.
Most recently, she worked as a seasonal Volunteer Backcountry Park Ranger (PT, wilderness first responder and yoga instructor) for park staff at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Karen looks forward to sharing her passion and experience with fellow PT’s.
Michael “Mike” Jackson MS, FAWM, DiMM, DiDMM, ATP
Mike retired after almost 27 years as an active-duty US Army Special Forces Medical Sergeant also referred to as a Green Beret. Mike deployed overseas multiple times starting with Somalia in 1992-93 and ending with Iraq in 2009-10. Mike has conducted austere medicine in both combat and non-combat deployments primarily in Southwest Asia, in every aspect from Point of Injury care to Damage Control Resuscitation, to include Prolonged Field Care situations.
He currently instructs surgery and anesthesia to Department of Defense and Foreign Special Operations Medics at the Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center on Fort Bragg, NC. He is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys being outside as much as possible. He is a Nationally Registered Paramedic and a certified Paramedic in both NC and SC. He has held his Advanced Tactical Paramedic certification with US Special Operations Command for almost 20 years.
Mike is a certified Wilderness Survival Merit Badge Counselor for the Boy Scouts of America. He is a certified Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross for most of their courses to include the Wilderness and Remote First Aid course, a Training Faculty for the American Heart Association, an instructor for the Emergency Care & Safety Institute, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians as well as with Divers Alert Network.
While he was on active-duty he earned his Fellowship with the Academy of Wilderness Medicine through the Wilderness Medical Society and his Diploma in Mountain Medicine. More recently he earned his Diploma in Diving and Marine Medicine with them as well. He is also certified as a Divemaster and a Dive Medical Technician. Since February 2021 he has been an Assistant Professor in the College of Allied Health Sciences with the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. He earned a MS in Environmental Science with the American Military University and has a Graduate Certificate in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense with Wright State University. He was the wilderness medical subject matter expert for the Weather Channels, “SOS How to Survive” show for three seasons.