Robert Hooker, MD, FACS, is the Sarver Heart Center Jack G. Copeland Endowed Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Michael Drummond Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
Dr. Hooker received his MD from Cornell University Medical College in New York, New York. He then pursued a research fellowship in Small Bowel Transplantation at the State University of New York in Brooklyn. After finishing his research fellowship, Dr. Hooker completed general surgery residency at The University of Chicago Hospitals in Chicago, IL, followed by both vascular surgery and cardiothoracic surgery fellowships at Stanford University Hospital in Palo Alto, California.
Dr. Hooker has nearly 25 years of clinical experience specializing in cardiac, thoracic, and transplant surgery, most recently practicing at Integris Cardiovascular in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Prior to that, he served as clinical associate professor and interim chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Transplantation at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, simultaneously holding a clinical appointment as surgical director of the Heart Transplant Program at Tampa General Hospital, the university’s primary teaching affiliate hospital.
In addition to his clinical accomplishments, Dr. Hooker is a prolific researcher with numerous projects, publications, and presentations under his belt. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians and American Heart Association and a member of the American Association of Vascular Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, among other organizations. For Dr. Hooker, the patient always comes first. He strives to listen carefully to his patients and take the necessary time to make sure they understand their diagnosis and treatment options. With evidence-based approach to all aspects of care, a multidisciplinary team will work together to provide patients with the best possible surgical option.
He enjoys spending time with his wife, five children and grandchildren. In their spare time they enjoy traveling, hiking, and camping.