Henry (Hank) Farrar, M.D.
Residency Program Director
Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Henry (Hank) Farrar received his medical degree from UAMS followed by a pediatric residency at UAMS and ACH. After this he completed fellowships in pediatric emergency medicine and clinical pharmacology at the University of Virginia and at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio. Since returning to UAMS, he has been actively involved in pediatric education, including being the junior pediatric clerkship director for 6 years, receiving a red sash award for teaching excellence for 7 of the last 9 years and being named one of the Educators of the Year by the Department of Pediatrics in 2003. He is also involved in international medical outreach, having worked with programs in Romania and Nigeria. His main hobbies include golf and gardening, and he also enjoys traveling, photography, camping and folk music festivals.
Lanessa Bass, M.D.,M.Ed
Associate Residency Program Director
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Lanessa Bass is a native Texan. She was raised in a small East Texas town, attended Texas A&M in College Station for her undergraduate degree, and then went to medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. She was drawn to Little Rock for her pediatric residency training at UAMS and ACH because of the unique combination of a large children's hospital situated in a medium sized city. She briefly returned home to practice pediatrics after she completed her training but found that she missed Arkansas, the Children's Hospital, and the residency program. She rejoined our faculty in 2007 with a new passion and focus for medical education and is working towards an Online Master's of Education for Health Care Professionals at University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Interacting with residents is the primary reason that Dr. Bass chose a career in academic medicine. She believes there is no greater professional privilege than to watch a resident develop into a confident and competent physician. Although she misses Texas, she has become an Arkansan, even rooting for the Razorbacks except when they play against her Aggies.
Richard Blaszak, M.D.
Associate Program Director for Resident Mentoring Program
Associate Professor, Nephrology
Richard Blaszak (Dr “B”) hails from Chicago, Illinois (Da Bears). He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Illinois. Shortly thereafter he was commissioned into the United States Army where he completed his pediatric residency at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. Several years later he moved to Cincinnati to complete a pediatric nephrology fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He joined the Department of Pediatrics in 1999 and the housestaff office in 2005. In addition to his role as Associate Program Director Dr. Blaszak also serves as Co-Director for the Department of Pediatrics Office of Faculty Development. He is a scholar of the UAMS Teaching Scholars Program as well as the Harvard Macy Institute Program for Educators in Health Professions. He has received numerous teaching awards to include Department of Pediatrics Educator of the Year, UAMS Teacher of the Year, and Dean’s Resident Teaching Award. He is married with 4 children and enjoys anything outdoors.
