THE TEAM
Rusty Bishop, PT, DPT, OCS
Dr. Rusty Bishop is a board-certified orthopedic physical therapist with a strong background in clinical education, program development, and primary care physical therapy. A former Air Force PT, he helped create direct access training programs in both military and federal systems. He led the development of the first VA orthopedic residency focused on primary care and launched national VA programs in dry needling and frontline PT training. He continues to mentor students and clinicians and serves as adjunct faculty in medical screening education. Rusty currently resides in the Santa Cruz area where he enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons.
CJ MILLER, PT, DPC, OCS, RMSK
Dr. Christopher ‘CJ’ Miller is a board-certified orthopedic specialist and RMSK-certified clinician who serves as Clinical Lead and Internship Coordinator at VA outpatient clinics in Palo Alto and Monterey. He is active in residency and student education and leads a national VA initiative to expand the use of MSK ultrasound in physical therapy. He has developed multiple ultrasound training programs and focuses on improving acute MSK care in primary care settings. CJ resides in Santa Cruz with his wife, their dog, and four chickens.
Jeremiah Samson, PT, ScD, OCS, COMT, FAAOMPT
Dr. Jeremiah Samson is a retired Air Force physical therapist and an expert in primary care and orthopedic manual therapy. He is the Director of the Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy program at Messiah University and teaches across multiple DPT programs nationwide. He is a board-certified orthopedic specialist and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. Jeremiah has trained interdisciplinary teams across the federal system and regularly presents on musculoskeletal imaging, dry needling, and medical screening. Jeremiah enjoys making memories with his family, and especially loves road-tripping in his RV.
Layne Compton, PT, DPT, OCS
Dr. Layne Compton is a board-certified orthopedic specialist and is the Primary Care PT Lead at VA Palo Alto. She directs the VA Palo Alto Primary Care Physical Therapy and Clinical Reasoning Course and is faculty in the VA Palo Alto orthopedic residency, MSKUS, and dry needling programs. She also serves on the faculty at Samuel Merritt University and previously served on APTA Federal Section’s Primary Care SIG leadership team. Layne is committed to advancing clinical reasoning and promoting high-quality primary care education within physical therapy. In her free time Layne enjoys hiking, teaching yoga, and fly fishing across California.
TEAM VISION
We see Frontline Function becoming a leading voice in primary care physical therapy education — especially when it comes to the use of diagnostic ultrasound in clinical practice.
We want to be the go-to training option for physical therapists who are serious about advancing their skills and making a bigger impact in their communities.
Ultimately, we aim to raise the standard of physical therapy practice not just in the U.S., but worldwide — empowering clinicians everywhere to step into expanded roles and deliver even more value across the healthcare system.
