If you had told Jair Lopez at age 15 that one day he’d be working in an American hospital, operating an ultrasound machine, and helping to diagnose heart conditions, the native Honduran likely wouldn’t have believed you. At that age, the recent Dallas Herring Achievement Award winner spoke little English and had just moved from Honduras with his mother and two brothers to start a new life in Durham, NC. His mother, who worked as a house cleaner, was struggling to raise her boys by herself.
As time passed, Lopez and his twin brother often acted as translators for their mother, who spoke mostly Spanish. It wasn’t till Lopez moved by himself to Asheville in 2019 that he seriously began considering a medical career. As a child, he’d always felt a close connection to his mother’s sister, Ingrid, a nurse, who often visited. “I saw her wearing her uniform. I saw her devotion to helping others, and I wanted to help others and give back. I wanted to be a productive member of society,” Lopez said.
Lopez, 26, enrolled in English language classes at A-B Tech and spent a couple of years boosting his English grammar and pronunciation. He got a job at CVS and at a local hotel where he worked in a café, both jobs that pushed him to interact in English with customers. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone,” he said. “I was afraid of people not understanding me, so I needed to interact with them.”
Lopez began researching medical programs in the area and found A-B Tech’s Cardiovascular Sonography program. He heard the program was very competitive and had a lot of science prerequisites, which intimidated him, but still, with encouragement from student advisor Ali Kahn, he decided to try his luck and begin taking prerequisite courses. Statistics, Anatomy and Physiology, and Psychology all presented new English vocabulary and new challenges, but Lopez spent extra time and found support in A-B Tech’s Writing Center with writing his papers. During this time, he kept closely in touch with his aunt Ingrid back home, whom he said enjoyed hearing of his progress.
Lopez’s work paid off. He was accepted to the program and began the next phase of challenges: Curriculum classes in specialized subjects such as “ultrasound physics”, which he said was like learning an entirely new language. Perhaps key to Lopez’s success was the fact that he was focused on doing whatever he needed to succeed. “I just wanted to pass that class,’ he said. “I thought it doesn’t matter how low my grades are in this program; I just want to pass.”
Lopez got up early every day to study before class and studied on weekends. He bought a tutoring program called "My Ultrasound Tutor," which allowed him to learn the material at his own pace before he came to class. Ultimately, he passed the class, though he admits it was his most challenging.
Around this time, Lopez also quit his job, so he could devote himself full-time to his studies. He took advantage of financial aid and was able to get a grant through A-B Tech’s Counterbalance program.
As he began his field work as a student cardiovascular sonographer at Mission Hospital, he really started to thrive. Chasitity Case, Chair of Sonography, said, “Jair’s patient care is exemplary. He approaches each patient with professionalism, empathy, and care...
Kelli Herril, Lopez’s cardiovascular sonography instructor, also recognized the student’s talents by nominating him for the Dallas Herrring Achievement Award, a state award that recognizes students who embody the philosophy of “taking people where they are and carrying them as far as they can go.”
Herril said, “As the first person in his family to attend college and as an English language learner, Jair faced significant challenges during his first semester. Despite these obstacles, he demonstrated remarkable resilience and an unrelenting work ethic…”
Set to graduate in May, Lopez has already set his sights on his next goal. He hopes to build off his student position at Mission with a permanent full-time position and cross-train in different areas such as pediatric echocardiography. In the meantime, he is reaping the benefits of his hard work and enjoying working as part of a team, both at the school, among his fellow graduates, and out in the field.
Lopez said that behind his hard work is a deep love for his family, especially his mom, whom he calls “his greatest inspiration”. “Everything I do, I do for her,” he said. “She is undocumented. She’s been a single parent, and she never had a childhood. She had to provide for her kids. Everything I do, I do in admiration for her.”