HTM On The Line with BRYANT HAWKINS SR.
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HTM On The Line with BRYANT HAWKINS SR.
How to Grow in HTM Without Knowing Everything
Starting a career in Healthcare Technology Management can feel overwhelming, especially when you realize how much there is still to learn.
In this episode of HTM On The Line, host Bryant Hawkins Sr. sits down with Angie Lopez, an HTM professional working in Kelowna, British Columbia, to talk about what real growth in HTM actually looks like.
Angie shares her journey into the field, her first experience in the operating room, navigating a male-dominated industry, and why communication, humility, and asking for help matter just as much as technical skills. From handling pressure to building confidence early in your career, this conversation offers practical insight for students and new HTM professionals finding their footing.
If you’re early in your HTM journey, or still learning how to grow without having all the answers, this episode is for you.
HTM On The Line — where we talk about the people behind the equipment.
Big thanks to our partners: College of Biomedical Equipment Technology, A.M. BICKFORD, INC., UptimeServices, MARS Bio-Med Processes Inc, Innovative Radiology and Sage Services Group. Your support keeps the HTM mission alive!
This podcast was produced by the B-Hawk Network.
Welcome back to HTM on the line. I'm your host, Bryant Hawkins Sr. This is the podcast where we talk about the people behind the equipment. Because HTM isn't just a job, it's pressure, it's purpose, and it's showing up when lives are counting on it. Today's episode crosses borders as I sit down with Angie Lopez, an HTM professional working in Kelowna, British Columbia. Her story is about growth, courage, and caring beyond the machine. If you're new to HTM early in your career, are still finding your place. This conversation is for you. Let's get into it.
Angie Lopez:I'm doing good. How are you?
Bryant Hawkins:I'm doing just fine. Thanks for asking. Now, Angie, for listeners who don't know you yet, who are you and what does HTM look like through your eyes in British Columbia?
Angie Lopez:So how it looks like HTM in my eyes is that first of all, I love my job. It's the best thing that I have. But how I see it is that I am the surgeon of the machines that the surgeon needs. And it's a reference from DOR. I normally I sometimes work in DOR, but I fix what they need, and I need them too, because that's how we work. We work together. But yeah, that's how I see it.
Bryant Hawkins:Now, I saw on your LinkedIn page I did a little stalking. And you're from a city called what Kelowna?
Angie Lopez:Yes, I'm in Kelowna, BC.
Bryant Hawkins:Yes. Now Kelowna isn't always the first place people think of when they think of HTM. What do you think is unique about working in HTM in the Kelowna, BC area?
Angie Lopez:Kelowna, it is one of the best cities in Canada, even though a lot of people don't know where it is. But how I explain to people is that we are between Vancouver and Calgary. It is one of the biggest wineries cities in Canada. But also the best thing about Kelowna is that we do not get a lot of snow. Get a lot of rain, but not snow, which is what it makes it the best. Because you don't have to worry about cleaning the snow or like slipping or falling.
Bryant Hawkins:You mentioned you went to St. Clair College. So walk us through your path into the HTM industry.
Angie Lopez:It was one of the careers I discovered in high school. So I don't know here or in the States if they do it, but in Columbia in grade 10, they make you do a test. What you're gonna do when you finish high school, and always get like random things like I can be an engineer, I can be a teacher, I can be this. So but I knew I wanted to do an engineer, so started looking like doing some research about it, like which engineers I like. And my first choice was actually sound engineer, because I was like, Well, maybe I get to go on tour around the world just doing music and things like that. And I told my dad, and he's like, Well, I don't think that's a good idea, you can do something better. He's the one that changed my mind. I'm not saying it's not a bad career, but he's like, you can do many better things than that one. And I'm like, okay. So I started I keep looking and keep thinking, so I found my medical engineer that and I started reading about it, and then I'm like, well, I kind of like this. This is kind of cool how everything like science and engineering come together. This is pretty cool, and I don't tell the story much, but the reason why I wanted this career is because I have a cousin that has epilepsy. And I was like, well, maybe I'll go into research and I will find something to make people with epilepsy have a better life, or I'll find a cure. I was like, I can do this, I'll do this, and then I came to Canada to study English, and I found out that the college where I went to school, like for English, they had this program. So I started reading about it, and I'm like, you know what? I think this is this is a sign I should call this in this program. So that's how I ended up in the program, actually.
Bryant Hawkins:What is a good day? Not on paper, but in real life.
Angie Lopez:What's a good day like for you when nothing breaks when everything is fine and I don't have to go inside. No, like, yeah, like one of the things is that like we won't have any like issues, but that has never happened since I started the field. So I will say when there's no emergencies to attend that you can just do your PMs and just like have a chill day, just enjoy the time working, you know. No, like fixing craziness stuff that just show up randomly. That would be the best day.
Bryant Hawkins:What is one of your biggest challenges you may have faced?
Angie Lopez:Actually, learning. Like you learn a lot of stuff in school, but then when you get out in the field, sometimes you end up in places that I don't want to teach you a lot, but you're in you finish school and then you're eager to learn, or that's how I am. You finish school and then you're like, I want to learn, and it comes with a bureaucracy, that's what I call it. Because like you're the newie, and you can't do a lot of stuff because you're the newie, and they just don't want to teach you. So I think that was my biggest challenge.
Bryant Hawkins:What do you think is one of the things that people outside the industry underestimate about what HTM professionals do?
Angie Lopez:To be honest, everything they're used to me what we do. Like, I swear, it's like everyone that asks me what do I do? And they're like, What is that? Like when you tell them about the the career, like everything, they're like, You do that? That's a thing. Like, who do you think they fix everything? Who do you think they fix the x-ray machines? Like, not one, like it's just never breaks. Like, this career is very underestimated, to be honest. The whole thing.
Bryant Hawkins:Now, have you ever had a moment where maybe the pressure of the job really hit you? And how did you handle it?
Angie Lopez:The first time I went into the OR, I went with my coworker because he was teaching me, and I go inside the room and they're mid-surgery, and he's trying to explain to me what's happening and how to fix it, but I couldn't pay attention because I was paying attention to what we're doing, what they were doing to the patient. So I was like, oh my god, I'm here. I'm actually here. And I was like, okay, let me just take a second to like what am I doing here? And then he explained to me again because I wasn't paying attention. I think that was the most like eye-opening that I'm like, oh my god, this is crazy. But yeah, it was my my first surgery. It was me just trying to figure it out what it was, and because the patient was in a weird form. I'm like, oh my god, what is this? But yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And have you ever felt like you had to prove yourself?
Bryant Hawkins:Now, what strengths do you think women uniquely bring to HTM besides the obvious repairs of equipment, PMs? What else do you think they bring?
Angie Lopez:I think we think more about organization and like cleaning us and also communication. I feel like, in my opinion, I do better communicating when let's say I don't like something. I'll talk to my co-workers and say, like, I don't like this. Like, can we please do something so we can fix it or things like that? Like, like, I'm not saying all of us are like that because there's some introvert people, but I think those two are one of the biggest forms there. Organization is one of the biggest ones, yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:Regardless of titles here, in your in your opinion, what do you think separates a good HTM professional from a great one?
Angie Lopez:I think the way they interact with people, even if it's just between us or the patients or the nurses or like everyone, I feel like people's skills are one of the biggest ones, because some people are just not nice. And they can be amazing at the job, but but the people's skills are just not good. I think that's one of the biggest ones, yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:How do you balance, I would say, since you mentioned communication, how do you balance your technical skills with communication, especially when you're working with nurses? How do you balance that technical skill with communication? Because you know, when you're talking to the nurses, you can't talk to them the same way you talk to a B man.
Angie Lopez:I think in here, most of them try to understand what we do. So they also understand what what's the problem or what's happening, or if they have an issue, they they like to fix it right away instead of calling us. So they like to know us well. Of course, not all of them, but I think it's just trying to explain to them like how to explain this, like if they don't know anything, like they don't know what the problem is, they're just like, let's say they don't know how to peel a banana. Do you explain to them step by step so they understand? Or you will draw something, or I prefer to send emails with pictures so they visually see it. Of course, not all of them will read the email, but I think that's one of the biggest ones.
Bryant Hawkins:How does HTM in Canada maybe compare to what you probably hear or see in the US?
Angie Lopez:I've seen that in the US is it's more needed than in here. Like you see all the time, like, oh, we're looking for biomets here and here and there, but I don't see that many here in Canada. Or maybe I'm just not in the Canadian LinkedIn, but I don't see as many.
Bryant Hawkins:Now I've heard that before that there's not as great a need for biomeds in Canada as the need is in the US. So that's really a a take then.
Angie Lopez:Yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:Okay. Wow. I mean, there's a huge need here in the US for biomeds.
Angie Lopez:Yeah. I I feel like I've also seen that you guys have like shorter programs, like a year program or something.
Bryant Hawkins:Yes, yes. We have there's associate programs, certificate programs, and some go for the bachelor's, like I guess to be a biomedical engineer. And yeah, there's some can complete it. There's also apprentice programs where you can just go into the hospital and work through Amy. Amy has an apprenticeship program.
Angie Lopez:Yeah, I've seen it, yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:How do you protect yourself burnout? Because unfortunately, in our career, in our field rather, you're probably gonna be on call sometimes.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:So it doesn't shut off. So how do you protect yourself from burnout?
Angie Lopez:I feel like asking for help is the first one. We can all handle everything. I wish we could, but we cannot. So I think relying on your co-workers, it's one of the biggest ones. I feel like we have a pretty good team where I work. My supervisor is also good. So if I need something, if I I feel like I'm burning out and I have too much on my plate, I'll say, okay, I need your help. I cannot do this alone again. Like, yeah, I cannot do this, and I just need some help. Like, can you help me out, or can I can you ask someone to help me out? And I feel like we have a pretty good team, so just asking for help is the first step.
Bryant Hawkins:Okay, great, great. Now, what does career growth look like for you at this stage?
Angie Lopez:Well, I finishing my bachelor, I'm doing bachelor of science. So at this point, just getting my bachelor is a huge career growth for me, in my opinion. But I think in uh maybe in the future, because I don't want to say years, I would like to be a supervisor or even a manager, I will see it in my in my career, but not anytime soon. I do not feel ready.
Bryant Hawkins:Now, even though you're a young person, if a young high school female, young lady in Kelowna was to say to you, I'm interested in HTM, but I don't see myself represented, what would you tell her?
Angie Lopez:Well, I'll tell her that she can be the first one and she can inspire other people. I never met anyone in Colombia that did this program until I started working here actually. I was basically the first Colombian I met in this career. So yeah, just like you don't feel represented, then represent everyone for you, and then you can inspire some other people.
Bryant Hawkins:What could you tell someone who's new to the B man industry, just graduated and Just graduated from well, let's see, St. Clair College. Let's just throw them out there, get them a plug. They just graduated from St. Clair College. And what skills would you tell them to develop beyond the technical manuals?
Angie Lopez:How to interact with people, how to talk to people, be ready for change because changes every day. I think that's one of the biggest ones because I'm gonna say as a humans, we don't like change. But our environment, we change every day. Everything is every day, it's a new uh challenge. Um, so be ready for that.
Bryant Hawkins:What what common mistakes do you see new professionals making? And how could they correct those courses? Someone new to the industry, even though you're the youngest in the shop, I know you said.
Angie Lopez:Yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:What do you think would be a common mistake? Uh have you ever seen a new HTM professional? You haven't seen one newer than you? I mean, they don't have to be brand new to the industry, but what common mistakes you think a new professional would make coming into the industry?
Angie Lopez:Thinking that they know everything.
unknown:Yeah.
Angie Lopez:That's one of the biggest ones. Because, like, you get to the field and you're like, I don't know anything. Everything I learned in the school is totally different. This is not what I learned. So I think one of the biggest ones is that one.
Bryant Hawkins:When people reflect on working with you years from now, not right now, but years from now, what do you hope they say about how you showed up in this industry?
Angie Lopez:Well, I hope they say that I've worked hard, I've always do my work great, because that's what I love to do. That I I show up to work and contribute to the team. That's the main three things, to be honest.
Bryant Hawkins:Angie, I know you've been in this industry for a short time, but we think in legacy, I mean, can you think of anything you've probably done since you've been in this industry, whether it's school or graduating, anything? Can you think of anything you've done that probably left a legacy behind for the next generation?
Angie Lopez:Yeah, so in our third year of school, we started the Biomed Club that basically we started it to raise funds for the students to be able to go to Amy every year. So that's why there's a lot of students now from Sinclair going to Amy. It was because we started the club and then the club raises funds for the students who wants to go and who contributes as well. And yeah, I feel like me and my classmates, we started it together, and I think that's our legacy forever until the program is done.
Bryant Hawkins:Oh, that's great, man, because St. Clair is deeply representing that Amy. No, give that classmate a shout-out. Who's that classmate that started with you?
Angie Lopez:It's Erica Cologne. Yeah, it's who started the club, yeah. Cologne.
Bryant Hawkins:Erica Cologne.
Angie Lopez:I hope I'm saying it right. Yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:Erica, we're gonna give you a shout out, Erica. If you miss me.
Angie Lopez:Well, yeah.
Bryant Hawkins:That's great. Well, Angie, let me tell you, man, I appreciate you coming on, and you're welcome to anytime. And if you need if I can do anything to help you in your journey, please reach out to me. Don't be a stranger. You're now part of the HTM on the line family.
Angie Lopez:Yes, yes. Thank you so much. Of course, and if you ever want to come to Canada, to Kelowna, and experience the best wines that you're gonna find in the world, I am here to show you around.
Bryant Hawkins:This conversation was a reminder. You don't need all the answers on day one, just a willingness to learn, ask for help, and keep growing. Angie showed us that legacy isn't always loud, sometimes it's built quietly through mentorship, teamwork, and making space for the next person. And maybe the biggest takeaway is this if you don't see yourself represented, sometimes you're meant to be the representation. Angie, thank you for showing how you show up for this industry and for those coming behind you. And to everyone listening, your work matters even when no one sees it. Until next time, stay curious, stay humble, or keep showing up. You've been listening to HTM Online. What's up?
