 He received his surgical training at the University of Pennsylvania and at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.In 1970, Pierce was asked to join the surgical faculty at the new College of Medicine of Pennsylvania State University (Penn State Hershey Medical Center).He was appointed professor of surgery in 1977 and subsequently served as chief of the Division of Artificial Organs, chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, director of surgical research, and associate chair of the Department of Surgery.