Drawing on his medical experience in the United States Air Force, alongside several civilian organizations, Dr. Jay Johannigman is an adjunct professor of surgery at the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine. Alongside the role, which he began in 2018, he is a member of the United States Army Reserves, having switched his affiliation from the USAF in 2017.

Holding the rank of colonel, Dr. Jay Johannigman spent close to four decades as an active service member, during which he had seven deployments and specialized in military trauma. As a result of this service, he received the Bronze Star, among other accolades.

In 1994, he began working as a surgeon with the University of Cincinnati Medical Center while still on active duty. After seven years with the facility, Dr. Johannigman was promoted to director, a role he held until his retirement in 2019.

In this time, he primarily worked on acute care and critical care patients, alongside trauma patients. Alongside his military accolades, he has earned praise for his medical and teaching work, and has received the Silver Apple Teaching Award on several occasions.