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Department of Pediatrics: Pediatric Residency Program
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  1. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
  2. College of Medicine
  3. Department of Pediatrics
  4. Education
  5. Pediatric Residency Program
  6. Who We Are
  7. Program Directors

Program Directors

Oriaku A. Kas-Osoka, M.D., M.Ed.
Pediatric Residency Program Director
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Email: OKasosoka@uams.edu
Website: Clinical Bio

Dr. Oriaku Kas-Osoka is the Director of the Pediatric Residency Program at UAMS and practices Adolescent Medicine at Arkansas Children's Hospital and Arkansas Children's Northwest. Dr. Kas-Osoka earned her medical degree from the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science/University of California, Los Angeles, (CDU/UCLA) Joint Medical Education Program before completing her pediatric internship and residency at Children's Hospital & Research Center in Oakland, California. Dr. Kas completed her Adolescent Medicine Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Dr. Kas-Osoka is passionate about helping adolescents and young adults through acceptance, encouragement and continued support along their journey. She truly embodies the mentorship needed in a residency director. Her passions include positively impacting her trainees, patients and colleagues, and is often heard sharing her motto, "Do Better, Be Better, Deserve and Expect Better."

Rebecca Perin, M.D., Interim Residency Program Director
Becca T. Perin, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Email: RPerin@uams.edu

Dr. Perin received her medical degree from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. She completed her pediatric residency at UAMS and ACH. She is a general Pediatrician in the Circle of Friends and General Pediatric Clinics at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She​ has a passion for resident education, and her specific interests include child advocacy and the integration of technology and curriculum development. In particular, she has developed a mobile app-based curriculum for resident learning. She enjoys spending time with her family, running, as well as baking and decorating cookies.

Murray Liza, M.D.
Liza Murray, M.D.
Program Director, Child Abuse Fellowship
Associate Program Director, Pediatric Residency Program
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Website: Clinical Bio

Dr. Murray attended Medical School at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, completed her pediatric residency at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in 2011, spent a year at ACH as a pediatric chief resident and completed her Child Abuse Fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Equally passionate about working with at-risk children and providing mentorship and education for learners, she feels privileged to work at ACH as a Child Abuse Pediatrician and Associate Program Director for residents. Recognizing the importance of work-life balance, she tries to practice what she preaches by spending quality time with her family and friends, including her husband and two daughters and will find any excuse to eat out at a good restaurant.

Richard T. Blaszak, M.D.
Richard Blaszak, M.D.
Associate Program Director
Professor, Nephrology

Dr. Blaszak received his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine followed by a pediatric residency at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas. Before joining the medical staff of Arkansas Children’s Hospital in 1999, he completed a fellowship in Pediatric Nephrology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He currently serves as the Division Chief for Pediatric Nephrology. Dr. Blaszak enjoys teaching and mentoring residents and junior faculty and currently oversees the Pediatric Resident Advisor and Faculty Interviewer Programs. He has four children and four beautiful grandchildren. When not at work he enjoys traveling, off-grid camping, and maintaining a 17-acre homestead.

Medical Student Clerkship

Carla S. Brown, M.D.
Carla Brown, M.D.
Medical Student Clerkship Director
Assistant Professor, Neonatology
Dr. Brown is an Arkansas native. As a little girl growing up in the rural town of Wynne, she dreamed of one day becoming a pediatrician. That dream came true at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s, where she remained as faculty after completing medical school, residency, and a year as a pediatric chief resident. She is a general pediatrician in the neonatology section and practices in the newborn nursery and neonatal intensive care unit at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s. She is passionate about babies and medical student and residency education. She serves as the director of the pediatric clerkship and a College of Medicine academic house advisor. She was named 2022 Department of Pediatrics Educator of the Year. She received the College of Medicine outstanding teaching award for the 2020-2021 academic year and was selected by the classes of 2021 and 2022 as a Red Sash recipient. Dr. Brown enjoys spending time with her fabulous daughter, family, and friends, traveling, eating delicious food, and riding her Peloton. She loves that Little Rock offers the amenities of a bigger city while maintaining a small-town feel.
Jacob F. Filipek, M.D.
Jacob F. Filipek, M.D.
Medical Student Clerkship Associate Director
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Website: Clinical Bio

Dr. Filipek is an Arkansas native who lives in Little Rock, AR with his wonderfully supportive wife, Victoria, and their fun-loving son, Will. He is a medical school graduate of UAMS and completed his pediatric residency at UAMS/ACH. He is a general pediatrician in the section of hospital medicine at ACH. He is passionate about providing high-quality care to the children of Arkansas and helping with the education of medical students and residents. He enjoys QI with a focus on medical equity as well as education with a focus on curriculum integration. He is humbled and honored to be a Red Sash recipient as well as Faculty Teacher of the Year for the Pediatric Clerkship. Dr. Filipek loves to spend time with his wonderful family and friends, the LR food scene (The Pantry Crest and Local Lime are particular favorites), hunting, fishing, the Arkansas Razorbacks (WPS!!!), and chasing Dr. Carla Brown on the Peloton leaderboard.

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