From discrimination to purpose 

For Justin Hooks, DNP, FNP-BC, AAHIVS, HIV PCP, EMT-P/I-C, a career dedicated to improving LGBTQIA+ health care began not in a classroom, boardroom or conference hall, but with a personal experience as a patient.

As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Hooks once sought preventive care from a nurse practitioner and left the appointment feeling dismissed rather than supported. “Far too many people still struggle to access safe, respectful and informed care simply because of who they are,” Hooks said.

The experience stayed with him and ultimately contributed to his decision to transition from a career as a flight paramedic to becoming a nurse practitioner. It also shaped his doctoral studies at Michigan State University and helped define a professional mission centered on creating more informed, inclusive and affirming health care. During his Doctor of Nursing Practice program, Hooks focused his research on improving health care providers’ confidence and competence in caring for LGBTQIA+ patients. His goal was practical but urgent: helping clinicians become better prepared to deliver affirming care.

Research has demonstrated that LGBTQIA+ individuals can experience health disparities, delays in care and poorer outcomes when stigma, bias or gaps in provider education enter the exam room. Hooks emphasized that shortcomings in care are not necessarily rooted in intentional discrimination. Often, clinicians simply have not received the education or training they need, leaving patients to experience the consequences of unintentional mistakes or missed opportunities for support.

Today, Hooks puts that research and education into practice at Corktown Health, Michigan’s first and largest LGBTQIA+ integrated health practice. His role allows him to combine direct patient care with education, mentorship, research and advocacy.

His connection to MSU continues through his work with health care learners. Hooks serves as a preceptor and adjunct faculty member. His educational efforts have included simulation experiences focused on transgender care and lectures designed to prepare future health professionals to provide more knowledgeable and inclusive care.  

“Michigan State University helped strengthen my voice as both a clinician and an advocate,” Hooks said. “That is something I carry with me every time I step into a patient room, a classroom, or onto a conference stage as a proud Spartan nurse.”

Hooks has taken the initiative to give back just shortly after graduating with his DNP, establishing the Dr. Justin Hooks Graduate Scholarship Fund. This opportunity provides preference of financial support to students who intend to pursue a nursing career serving the LGBTQIA+ community; however, eligibility is open to all graduate students. “It means a lot to me to be able to support the future,” Hooks stated. Hooks’ goals remain rooted in the Spartan experience that first set him on this path, inspired by the support and community that provide daily influence on the way he approaches his profession.  

Beyond the university, Hooks has shared his expertise with broader professional audiences. He will be delivering a keynote focused on LGBTQIA+ research at the Henry Ford Research Symposium in October 2026 and has presented nationally in DC at SYNC 2026. He also consults with HealthHIV, contributing his expertise to HIV prevention education and certification efforts and serving on its medical science committee.

His professional interests extend to the future of health care education. Hooks has written about taking care of gender and non-conforming patients for HIV Specialist magazine, reflecting his broader commitment to preparing health professionals for an evolving clinical environment. Across each of these roles, Hooks returns to a fundamental message about what patients need from their health care providers.  

“Affirming care is not complicated,” Hooks said. “It begins with listening.”  

For Hooks, that means using respectful language, understanding that identity shapes a person’s health experiences and recognizing that trust must be earned, particularly among communities that have historically experienced mistreatment within health care systems.

“Healthcare should never be a place where someone feels unseen, judged, or unsafe,” Hooks said. “It should be a place where every person is met with dignity, evidence-based care, and compassion.”

Ultimately, Hooks’ work is about ensuring that another patient’s negative experience does not have to become the catalyst for change.  

“For me, this work is about more than addressing disparities,” Hooks said. “It is about helping create a healthcare system in which the next person does not have to turn pain into purpose just to receive the care they deserve.”