Board-certified in oncology and internal medicine, Walter Urba, M.D., Ph.D., earned his doctorate from the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, and received his medical degree from the University of Miami. He was a post-doctoral fellow with the laboratory of professor William H. Hildemann. Dr. Urba's residency was completed at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Affiliate ? Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. He was also a clinical staff fellow in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. As the director of cancer research for the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center in the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute at Providence Cancer Center, Dr. Urba credits his mom, a 27-year breast cancer survivor, as the reason he went into cancer research. So when Providence set out to build the cancer center on the campus of Providence Portland Medical Center, Dr. Urba became involved in planning every detail. "I knew it had to pass the mom test," he says. "Would I want my mom to be cared for here? Would she have access to the newest treatment discoveries? Would she be treated with kindness and respect through every step of her care? The Providence Cancer Center passes the test. My mom finds that comforting. And so do I."