Bud Pierce, MD, Ph.D.

Dr. Bud Pierce is a pioneering figure in cancer care in the Willamette Valley. Highly regarded by patients and peers, he is known for his commitment to excellence and his constant desire to learn. Throughout his career, Dr. Pierce has remained focused on providing each patient with the highest quality care.

Bud grew up in a close-knit family in a farming community outside an Air Force base, where his father served as an enlisted airman. An adventurer who has always embraced new and difficult challenges, he took a leave of absence from medical school after his second year to pursue a Ph.D. in experimental pathology at UCLA, which he completed six years later.

During graduate school, Dr. Pierce also wanted to serve his country and challenge himself in a different way. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve, completed boot camp and served as an active Marine Reservist while earning his graduate degree.

Later in his career, Dr. Pierce became involved in Oregon politics and ran for governor. Despite having never previously run for elected office, he won the Republican nomination for governor in 2016 and challenged incumbent Gov. Kate Brown in the general election.

“I am a fierce advocate for my patients, and I do everything in my power to help them. I seek to heal my patients using the latest scientific advances, and when healing is not possible, to always relieve pain and suffering. This is a physician’s duty, and I will fulfill my duty to my patients. It is my greatest honor to be a physician, and to care for my patients.”Bud Pierce, MD, Ph.D.

Dr. Pierce has been a member and leader of numerous medical and community organizations, including the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the American Cancer Society, the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, the Salem Cancer Institute, the Salem Cancer Committee, the Salem Hospital Foundation, the Oregon Medical Association and Foundation, and the Marion-Polk County Medical Society and Foundation. His service has been recognized with several honors, including the American Cancer Society’s Community Service Award, the American College of Physicians’ Howard P. Lewis Distinguished Service Award, the Oregon Medical Association’s Physician of the Year Award and the Marion-Polk County Physician Achievement Award.

While completing his medical training at UCLA, Dr. Pierce met Selma, who was studying dentistry at UCLA at the time. They married and eventually moved to Salem with their two children in 1994, building a life centered on family and service to their community. Together, Bud and Selma supported numerous charitable causes throughout Salem and Oregon. Their contributions were recognized when they were named Salem’s First Citizens and honored by the Oregon State Senate through Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 in 2011.

Selma was tragically killed in a pedestrian accident in 2020. In the years that followed, Bud met Grace, and the two married in 2024. Today, Bud and Grace enjoy spending time with family, including Bud’s two adult children and his grandchild, who is a special delight to the family.

Dr. Pierce’s dream from his earliest childhood memories was to become a doctor. With a medical career spanning more than four decades, he has cared for thousands of patients. Through great teachers, hard work and the privilege of caring for those patients, Dr. Pierce has developed a deep appreciation for both the art and science of medicine.

William (Bud) Pierce, MD is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in:

• Oncology (cancer)
• Hematology (blood disorders)
• Internal Medicine