Bonus Episode: The Friends You Make-Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel BFF4E

Sometimes you meet someone, and you just know you're going to be friends. Mix in PA school and that friendship becomes something even more lasting. Host Adrian Banning interviews Butler University DMS Bridge Program alumnae Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel about their close friendship formed during their Case Western PA school interview (anniversary = Nov. 11), daily support through a 15-month didactic year and clinical rotations, and navigating stressful life events like Kennedy’s car being stolen. They describe complementary study habits, shared resilience as first-generation professionals, and why they pursued the DMS Bridge Program after an info session, finding research more approachable and useful to practice. Natalia works in neurosurgery in Arizona, focusing on patient education and lifestyle factors; Kennedy practices adult primary care in the DC/DMV area, emphasizing listening, postpartum care, depression screening, and doula conversations. Both discuss financial security goals, mentorship, and adjusting after graduation.

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Speaker 0:00

Hi there. This is Adrian Banning. I'm a faculty member in the Butler University Doctor of Medical Science Bridge Program. This is Building Bridges, and we are talking to Kennedy Lewis and Natalia Rangel. So if you've listened to the other episode that we've just released, you heard our interview between Cody Shesick and I and Natalia Rangel for basically how she got where she is today. Um, Natalia was a student in the DMS Bridge program. Cody and I were so inspired with her, with what she is doing for her community, for patients, and if you listen to that episode, you'll hear that she talks about her best friend Kennedy Lewis so much, so we decided we had to have Kennedy on as well, Natalia and Kennedy together, because really it's a celebration of friendship and the friendships that are created in PA school and the journeys that we go through in, in the PA profession. So they met well, I'll let describe how they met. But watching them together and listening to their stories is just so joyful that we really wanted you to hear it for yourself and just hear them talking.

Natalia Rangel 1:10

Yeah, 'cause once we start talking, it, it will never stop. We don't know what awkward silences mean. I don't even... If it's silent, it's because we fell asleep, honestly.

Kennedy Lewis 1:21

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 1:22

Has this happened

Kennedy Lewis 1:23

Or maybe not.

Natalia Rangel 1:24

Yes.

Kennedy Lewis 1:25

Yes. Or, or like po not even because like we've had times where like maybe we're both anxious about something and we're quiet and then one of us will be like, are you anxious right now? Yes. Okay, cool. Me too.

Adrian Banning 1:41

Yeah. What? Remind me, you use like a word to describe your relationship. I feel like you've said you've described each other this way in the past, or maybe you use multiple words, but like how, is there one way that you describe it or how would you describe it if that's not the case?

Kennedy Lewis 1:58

Oh my gosh.

Adrian Banning 1:59

I,

Natalia Rangel 2:00

I mean, I've always talked about, uh, a- of her as my soulmate. Like, yes, I have a relationship with a man, but in reality

Kennedy Lewis 2:09

but mean, I feel like there's just no other way to describe it, especially like how we met and just never,

Natalia Rangel 2:16

pause. Do we, are we all looking at Kennedy's hands? Because newsflash

Kennedy Lewis 2:24

I

Adrian Banning 2:25

engaged. Congratulations. I feel like Natalia is trying to say like, listen, if you're listening and you are in a romantic relationship with either of us, we first wanna acknowledge you and get that out of the way that, um. Okay. Well,

Kennedy Lewis 2:41

Absolutely.

Adrian Banning 2:42

the side Quest Kennedy, tell us about that. How did that, how did it happen? You said you were blindsided. You

Kennedy Lewis 2:47

Oh my God,

Adrian Banning 2:47

I mean, you've

Kennedy Lewis 2:48

so much.

Adrian Banning 2:48

a while, you didn't see

Kennedy Lewis 2:50

Yes. Yeah, so we had been talking about it of course, but I just didn't see it happening right now. he definitely, he did very well. He um, he was playing with my ring once, 'cause everyone's like, how do you know your ring size? And I was like, huh. And then I remembered him playing with my rings and he was like, oh, this ring that I always wear my ring finger. He was like, it only fits my pinky. Like what size is this? And I was like, it's a seven. Like, just completely out, just forgetting everything. Yes. I was like, you did, that was cutesy. I had actually planned, he had been planning this for a while, but I was trying to actually use that weekend to visit Natalia. Isn't that funny? So I was, we were planning the trip. I was like, why can't we just go that weekend? Like, it's perfect. They'll be off. And he was like, oh my, um, I might have something to do. I, I mean, you'd be included, but, um, okay. Um, so that gave me actual, like signal arms. I was like, and then he later was like, it's your Christmas present. Like, it's just a place I know you'd wanna go restaurant. Um, but you had to book far out. And I was like, oh, of course. That's why he tried to keep it as a secret. And No, he had a whole secret. I, I did. I, because after he was like, oh, it's a Christmas present. I was like, oh, okay.

Adrian Banning 4:09

you

Kennedy Lewis 4:09

and he chilled out about it. Yes, yes. So that's also how he gave me the ring. Um, because I like. Drinking. drinking like, um, what is it? Chardonnay. We're eating food. We had dessert. He was barely eating. I was like, what's wrong with you? I'm starving. This is delicious.

Adrian Banning 4:27

finish that?

Kennedy Lewis 4:29

Like, literally, I'm like, downing the dessert. And like, and the um, everyone was so nice there. And this waitress, I had complimented earlier 'cause she was so pretty and her hair looks so good and we have like a girl moment. And um, she came, she was like, can I just take a picture of you guys? You look so cute. I was like, oh, thank you. So got nothing of it. She was recording the video apparently. and then that's when he brings something out. He like, oh my gosh, I have one more present for you. And I'm looking at him crazy. I'm like, why are you standing? We're supposed be seated. What is going on? And then I like pulled this puzzle piece from my heart and it said, will you marry me? And I was like, and like it, it was not at all the cutesy way I envisioned. I'd like, oh my goodness. Oh, love you so much. No, I was like. Just, I don't know. I was shocked in the most beautiful, beautiful way. So he caught me. He got me, everyone else knew me,

Adrian Banning 5:23

The restaurant

Kennedy Lewis 5:24

so

Adrian Banning 5:25

exploded in applause.

Kennedy Lewis 5:27

yes. Yes. And then, um, the man who was on the piano and singing, he played us a song and they brought us out champagne. And like, people were so nice. They were like offering to pay for our dinner.

Adrian Banning 5:40

my

Kennedy Lewis 5:40

They bought us another round of drinks. So I was just like,

Adrian Banning 5:44

Oh my goodness. That's incredible.

Kennedy Lewis 5:47

no, thank you so much. And then I got home and I called Natalia.

Adrian Banning 5:51

going to say like, Natalia, the engagement that you planned for Kennedy went off perfectly.

Natalia Rangel 5:59

I actually didn't know anything, which I was very surprised about 'cause I really thought I was gonna be more involved. But I mean, it g- it worked out

Kennedy Lewis 6:07

No, her and my mom both didn't know 'cause he thought that they would tell me

Adrian Banning 6:11

Is that true? Would you have Natalia, do you think you could have kept it?

Natalia Rangel 6:15

I would probably say, "Hey, what color are your nails right now?"

Kennedy Lewis 6:19

Yeah,

Adrian Banning 6:20

Some

Kennedy Lewis 6:20

would've done something that, it probably would've signaled me though, to be honest, because that's been my thing. Like, make sure my nails are done, please. And they were, I glued them on right before we left the house.

Adrian Banning 6:32

Amazing. Congratulations. That

Kennedy Lewis 6:34

Thank you so much.

Adrian Banning 6:36

I love all those moments. Um, okay, so back to the real romance here though.

Kennedy Lewis 6:43

Yes.

Natalia Rangel 6:44

Exactly.

Kennedy Lewis 6:45

obviously

Adrian Banning 6:46

this, it's pretty obvious that you, you two have like this kind of, um, like mind reading connection, but you didn't know each other before PA School. Wait, did you meet at the interview? Is that a thing that I remember?

Kennedy Lewis 6:58

yes.

Natalia Rangel 6:59

November 11, it's our anniversary.

Kennedy Lewis 7:02

Yes.

Natalia Rangel 7:06

It was just a funny moment because when we looked around, we saw all these people who pretty much look way younger than us. And not that we were crazy old at the time, but it's just they, they seem pretty young as in like, oh, they just turned 20. And I'm like, "Oh, okay." Yeah.

Adrian Banning 7:30

something between undergrad and PA school?

Natalia Rangel 7:33

Yeah

Adrian Banning 7:35

So there's that moment like somewhere in your twenties where you're like, oh, you're only 22, I'm 25. You know, something like that.

Kennedy Lewis 7:43

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 7:44

Um, yeah. And you can kind of see the difference. It's funny to hear you both say you looked around and everyone seemed younger. 'cause

Kennedy Lewis 7:51

It's, it was

Natalia Rangel 7:51

Right. And they, and they were all just crazy nervous sweat balls. And I mean, I was nervous, but I was just like, they, they forget how to breathe. And, and Kennedy, I love Kennedy. But I already knew she was one of those with her crystals and

Adrian Banning 8:14

What

Kennedy Lewis 8:15

I had crystals at the interview

Natalia Rangel 8:18

Yes. With her.

Kennedy Lewis 8:20

was so nervous. I was like, here, hold my amethyst. Um, you know, take a few deep breaths. Here's my citrine. Have a few deep breaths. And because they were like frantic, we like fake it till you make it, girl. They

Natalia Rangel 8:32

Right, exactly. I think once you get a certain point of your life, you, you know that you need to fake it. You may be, like, sweating. Your... Like, my armpits were probably, like, a whole different tone of color, yes. But at least, you know, nobody else could notice. But then these other people that were around us, it's like about to start, like, breathing in, like, a- one of those brown bags and, like, yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 8:58

Like it, it was real. And it, and it was funny though 'cause we both were like, oh no, I'm nervous, but we weren't like, oh my God. Like, I think that was like our inner voice. Um,

Adrian Banning 9:08

Yeah. Right.

Kennedy Lewis 9:10

um, I actually first saw her, it was love at first sight for me actually. Um, I saw it was like a, like a meet and greet the night before the interview. And I actually was just like, why not let me go? as we're sitting there, I like look over to the table beside me and I see this super pretty girl with this like It was like a white pink. Um, it looked furry, but it's not furry. It was like a fleeky, maybe fleecy furry. And I was like, oh, she's so cute. And her nails were done and she had these highlights. And then so later when we were talking. Well, I'm Natalia. I, I, oh, she's so cute.

Adrian Banning 9:58

It was meant to be.

Natalia Rangel 9:59

Yeah

Adrian Banning 10:00

Meant to be. Okay, so then at the interview, yeah, you, you have a couple years under your belt to be like, all right, we've got this. Then did you

Kennedy Lewis 10:10

Yes.

Adrian Banning 10:11

going to school with other people in that group and were, did they continue to be sweaty and nervous the whole time?

Kennedy Lewis 10:17

Yes.

Natalia Rangel 10:18

So the thing is, is that also something that I would say magical happened is that we both go to Case Western, right? Um, they have... They call people, I don't know how many people they call, but they usually call two people the day off of the interview to let them know, "Hey, we gotta- we're gonna offer you a seat." I don't know if it happens all the time, but it, I think it, they used to. I don't know now. But yeah. So it was funny 'cause I got to my Airbnb and we were already texting and talking and all this, and then I got the call and I'm like, "Oh, I don't wanna tell her. What if she didn't get the call?" Like, that's awkward. So, I don't know how it happened. Yeah

Adrian Banning 11:04

Has anyone else, uh, called you today like any, I don't know. Have you

Kennedy Lewis 11:08

what's going on? And so when we both realized we got the call, we were like, where are we gonna live?

Adrian Banning 11:18

Amazing.

Kennedy Lewis 11:20

that's how it worked. I lived upstairs. She lived downstairs. One floor.

Natalia Rangel 11:23

Yeah

Adrian Banning 11:25

Amazing. And then that's just how it went. So for two years, one of you went upstairs, one of you went downstairs, it

Natalia Rangel 11:32

உம், உம்.

Adrian Banning 11:32

and I can imagine didactic year, was it a full year?

Kennedy Lewis 11:39

Yes, it was, uh, 15 months.

Adrian Banning 11:42

so more

Kennedy Lewis 11:42

Precisely.

Adrian Banning 11:43

15 months. okay.

Natalia Rangel 11:45

Yes

Adrian Banning 11:45

like next to each other, near each other. You're going through those things. But then clinical year, this is long distance romance. Now

Natalia Rangel 11:52

Yeah. But the thing that it also works in our relationship is that, like, like in my, my actual relationship, I don't cook, but my boyfriend cooks, but I clean, right? So same thing would happen with Kennedy. She will cook me full meals, and I will help her with, like, study guides

Adrian Banning 12:13

okay. This sounds

Kennedy Lewis 12:15

it was.

Natalia Rangel 12:16

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 12:17

great. Um, or if she, 'cause we have definitely, we have different, um. Study tactics, I would say. And, um, she did really well at doing practice questions like all of them. And, um, whenever she fell, when that tripped her up, she'd screenshot and like send it to me and be like, oh, make sure you know this. Or, um, really anything that she found out that surprised her that we didn't see in the notes, she would make sure to send me and be like, oh, thank you. I will deliver the barbecue chicken at 2:00 PM And that's just how it worked. But we definitely, were still making time for each other. We have talked every single day since interview day

Natalia Rangel 12:55

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 12:57

every day.

Natalia Rangel 12:57

Yeah

Adrian Banning 12:58

I knew I wanted to hear you both in the same place again, because, you know, outside of class, but now I'm envisioning like, is this like, uh, TV series where you're both like detectives? Like are you like partners in,

Natalia Rangel 13:13

It, it could, it could be. Like, a lot of the times we had stories that, like, we would tell each other, I would look around to see where the camera is because why is this happening to us? Like, her car got stolen during

Adrian Banning 13:28

what Kennedy's down, she's down,

Kennedy Lewis 13:32

Yes. Yes.

Adrian Banning 13:34

is not a funny thing, but they're hysterically laughing.

Kennedy Lewis 13:36

It, it was, it was hilarious because it was like, um, Natalia wanted to leave really early that morning to class and I was like supposed to shoot this part in a video for case I was trying to be cutesy. And I was like, oh, I'm still doing my hair and makeup. Like you go ahead, I'll follow behind. And then as she's leaving, she realized my car wasn't there. 'cause we usually park beside each other. And she was like, oh my gosh, she left with without me. That's so crazy. And so

Natalia Rangel 14:03

I literally tell her, "You're so fake."

Kennedy Lewis 14:05

Yes. And I was like talking about, and so I'm like walking out to my car finally and. I had a soul, so it sat taller and I didn't see it. And I was like, how interesting.

Adrian Banning 14:18

interesting. This is

Kennedy Lewis 14:19

I was like, it's not that.

Adrian Banning 14:21

DC

Kennedy Lewis 14:23

This is

Natalia Rangel 14:23

No, it's in Cleveland.

Adrian Banning 14:25

This is during PA

Natalia Rangel 14:26

Yeah. Yeah.

Adrian Banning 14:27

in

Kennedy Lewis 14:28

I called Natalia. Yes. So I called Natalia and um, she leaves class of course. And, um, her and our

Natalia Rangel 14:36

I, yeah, I, I sent a message to a program director. I was like, "I need to leave. I am so sorry this is happening." Yes, like there's nobody else. Like, it, it, I was just shocked that this happened. Literally my car was next to hers. I was like, it could've been me. Um

Kennedy Lewis 14:58

Ruby held us down for a while.

Natalia Rangel 15:00

Yeah. So, so yeah, and then we had to ta- I took her to the police station, and that's something that I was not expecting in PA school, ha- having to put a, a, a... What is that called? To go to the police station and say, "Hi, um, uh, my car got stolen."

Kennedy Lewis 15:20

But

Natalia Rangel 15:20

Yes. Yes.

Adrian Banning 15:22

know, like those things seem to happen at a higher rate during PA school, like unexpected life events. It's a, it's a tumultuous time of life. Like in those twenties, it's like an interim time too, and like lots of weird things happen where you're like, what? I was ready, like I

Kennedy Lewis 15:39

There were so many weird things that happened that I was just like, what is, why, why? So, the fact when we finally graduated, we were like, wow, we went through it.

Adrian Banning 15:48

Not, it's not just the learning.

Kennedy Lewis 15:51

No, it's,

Natalia Rangel 15:52

Right.

Kennedy Lewis 15:52

much, I feel like,

Natalia Rangel 15:54

'Cause, 'cause life keeps going on. Doesn't matter that you're far away, uh, for PA school and you're trying to learn all of these things in a very short amount of time, and at the same time you're also need to learn medicine and everything that has to deal with that. And then you have to, oh, you're about to graduate, start applying for jobs and, like, look into that. What does that mean? Like, what is CME? What are REUs?

Kennedy Lewis 16:25

And then on top of that, oh, manage your mental health. Uh,

Adrian Banning 16:30

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 16:30

so it was definitely a lot. I would definitely say we were each other's support system through that

Natalia Rangel 16:37

Mm-hmm.

Kennedy Lewis 16:37

Like big, big support

Natalia Rangel 16:39

And one of the things that, like, my mom and her mom said all the time... 'Cause Kenny got another, uh, acceptance right after we, we already had set our, uh, deposit. And I was trying to be a nice friend, it's like, "You do what's best for you. And, you know, don't close the doors," da, da, da. But her mom was like, "No. You go where Natalia's going."

Kennedy Lewis 17:02

was like, okay, but your friend is at, you have a friend there. What are doing? I was like, you're right. My mom like monitored. How is she today? Have you spoke to her?

Adrian Banning 17:12

next episode. Kennedy's mom, uh,

Kennedy Lewis 17:15

Oh my gosh.

Adrian Banning 17:16

mom. We'll just have the moms on, like they can have their own. Um, so that's a lot, that's a lot for me to process. Yeah. And you're learning how to be the new version of you and you have to make all new friends. Right. And that's a

Natalia Rangel 17:30

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 17:31

that you have just one friend that you can rely on. And in this case turns out to be someone who's, you know, part of your life it seems like has always been, will always be.

Kennedy Lewis 17:40

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 17:41

Um, at some point you were like, do you know what Pa School is getting old? Like, what's, what's next? We to do this doctoral program. How did one, how did you hear about it and then brought it up? How did you decide to like say, yeah, we're already exhausted, we've just run this marathon. I think a lot of people are like, wait, what? More school? Like more money,

Natalia Rangel 18:03

Yeah. Yes.

Kennedy Lewis 18:04

Mm-hmm.

Natalia Rangel 18:05

I mean, honestly, one of the things that I really love about friendship is that we truly motivate each other to be a better version of each other. Like, uh, there will be times that, uh, like studying for me wasn't an issue. It would be like working out or taking care of my mental health, and that's where Kennedy came in to help me in that part. And then for her, she'd be like, "Oh, I don't wanna study." I'm like, "You're going to study."

Kennedy Lewis 18:31

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 18:32

I don't care.

Kennedy Lewis 18:33

Literally, literally,

Natalia Rangel 18:36

So, um, the way it happened is I think they sent out an e- an email saying that there was an opportunity to look into their info session, and like our entire group of friends attended it. Um, but then at the end it was just us who were like, "Okay, let's actually do it."

Kennedy Lewis 18:55

Mm-hmm. We were pretty much like, yeah, no, this sounds good. And I feel like it's preparation for anything else that is to come.

Natalia Rangel 19:03

Right

Adrian Banning 19:04

I mean, I'm a little biased, but it has been, for me anyway, I mean, working in academia, it was the obvious next step. Um, and that's, you know, to work at a any univers and be a professor. Yes. it seems even more and more every day you hear more and more about doctoral programs for PAs, you know,

Natalia Rangel 19:25

Yes

Adrian Banning 19:26

programs. not getting quieter, you know, and entry level PA programs talking about going into doctoral degrees. So yeah. In, in six months and, you know, in a, in a small amount of credits to kind of, I, I kinda feel like it's one claiming the degree that was already yours. Like, we know how intense PA school is.

Natalia Rangel 19:47

Exactly, yeah

Adrian Banning 19:49

learn a variety of different things about research and leadership and know, kind of those extra things. Um, but to take a deeper dive in a topic that you're passionate on and really improve, like that clinical knowledge I think is an opportunity too. And so, I think it seems just, one, it's claiming the degree that was yours compared to others. But then it also is like, to me, like, uh, this program anyway, I feel like is like a finishing school. Like you've, you've got the foundation, but now let's just like put the icing on the cake. Let's like tie this up, really get

Natalia Rangel 20:28

Right. Yeah

Adrian Banning 20:29

onto, onto your knowledge so you can go out there for leadership or other opportunities. Who knows what's gonna come down the pike if things are changing so quickly. But I think.

Natalia Rangel 20:39

嗯 嗯 嗯。 So

Adrian Banning 20:43

there are supporting cast members in this play? Like you had other friends, of course you did. Like,

Kennedy Lewis 20:51

yeah, they, they had thought about it, but they just didn't go through with it. And I, and it was funny 'cause me and Natalia, I think just looked at each other and was like, so we're doing it, but okay, great.

Adrian Banning 21:00

yeah, yeah,

Kennedy Lewis 21:01

And that's just how it was. And I feel like it was nothing but beneficial, honestly, to be all actually, like right before we started I was like, oh my gosh, can I do this?

Adrian Banning 21:09

yeah,

Kennedy Lewis 21:10

Like after, because it was right after I moved, I was starting work soon, but it would be during the, the portion where it would be okay too. And I was like pretty nervous. And I think I told Natalia, she was like, I was like, of course, yes, no problem. I'll get through this. Um, let just get myself together. But no, again, nothing but beneficial. I feel like it actually me down to earth. Again, like I got to do research on something I was passionate in and I thought, I actually didn't like research, but I had this really amazing professor, that like, lemme know, like it's pretty great, especially when you do it on something that you like and it doesn't have to be scary. And she just kept it really fun.

Adrian Banning 21:53

Yeah. I would be reading something else in my life and Kennedy's topic would come up 'cause I was her capstone advisor and I'd be like, oh, Kennedy has to read this. Oh, Kennedy has to read this. And then I was like, learning about your topic too, which, which was fascinating. Um,

Kennedy Lewis 22:08

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 22:09

so that's good. some of someone heard about this and then you two decided, look, we've come this far, let's just keep going. So what does this look like now? Like a little bit more about what, what are you both and. What does that mean, like for your relationship? How do you support each other now? Like, and we'll get to what's next later, but we've done the past, brought us up too. Like let's come to Ghost of Christmas. Present

Kennedy Lewis 22:38

Um,

Natalia Rangel 22:38

for,

Adrian Banning 22:40

for,

Natalia Rangel 22:40

for me, um, I... Since I'm in neurosurgery, I was taking, like, the full year to feel safe, I guess is the word. And like, yeah, feel safe in my work environment, feel like I actually have the control over the decisions that are happening. Um, I was, like I told you before, I was very fortunate that I was able to do this class right before I started to work in neurosurgery. I was doing research at the time, so it, it went hand in hand. Um, but the U of A, the University of Arizona, is opening their PA program, so that is how I want to make sure I get fully involved. Um, with my capstone too, it's already kinda, like, preset in the oven. I just need to put the cookies in. So, so I'm waiting on, on, on, on the, the school to get their feet, um, in the ground and get things rolling before I'm like, "Hey, so I have this project that I would really like to work with you guys." Um, but that's what I'm looking forward to. Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 23:56

and Natalia, are you

Natalia Rangel 23:57

Yeah

Adrian Banning 23:57

of the job?

Natalia Rangel 24:00

Uh, well, no, my boyfriend was here.

Adrian Banning 24:03

oh.

Natalia Rangel 24:05

He was doing residency here, and then I was like, "You know what? I'm, I'm from Florida. I like the heat, but I don't like that heat. Let's try the dry heat." And I, I loved Arizona. I loved the mountains. I loved the cactus, the saguaros. Um, so no, after I came to visit him every time after PA school, I was like, "Let's just stay here." And then one time that I was looking for jobs for him, the neurosurgery position posted, and I was like, "Oh, let me see what happens," 'cause Arizona is one of those states that are super supportive of NPs. You don't see that many PAs. So the job posted say they were looking for NPs, and I was like, "I'm gonna apply and see what happens."

Adrian Banning 24:50

Is that how you

Natalia Rangel 24:51

And then,

Adrian Banning 24:52

Yes.

Natalia Rangel 24:53

yes.

Adrian Banning 24:53

a, it was an NP posting. I love that. Oh my

Natalia Rangel 24:56

Yeah. Yeah. Um, but no, like we clicked immediately with my neurosurgeon. I clicked immediately with everyone at the office, so I'm very, very happy where I'm at right now

Adrian Banning 25:08

And, and that's where your partner is too? In the same,

Natalia Rangel 25:11

Yes. Yes.

Adrian Banning 25:12

a residency.

Natalia Rangel 25:13

Yes. Yeah. Well, he just finished last year actually. Yeah, he's a, a hospitalist at the VA now.

Adrian Banning 25:20

wonderful. Fantastic.

Natalia Rangel 25:22

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 25:22

at the VA though? No.

Natalia Rangel 25:24

No

Adrian Banning 25:25

Um, but Kennedy, you had some thoughts on this, like, I'm gonna guess that's really far, was the first thought.

Kennedy Lewis 25:32

Yeah, that was my absolute first thought. But she had been putting the bug in my ear for a while. She was actually trying to get me to Arizona. I was like, girl, I don't know about this bear in Arizona. Uh, and then also my poor little dog. Um, I like, I don't know if he could stand that. He, which is Natalia's, um, boyfriend as well. in, he goes crazy for her. Um, no. And. Actually has straight fights to Arizona. So like, okay.

Adrian Banning 26:03

This is a good look for me. I'm at the airport. We're jet setting. Yeah. It's material amazing. Okay. And so. Kennedy, did you grow up in dc? Why are you in DC and what are you doing there?

Kennedy Lewis 26:22

It is like the running joke. I have no idea how I ended up here. Um, we literally, um, when we were in Cleveland, it was like, oh, well I actually was fine in Cleveland. It had my heart in different ways, but I knew it wasn't my place. So we were just like, Hmm, where should we go next? And we're like, DMV cool. And here I'm, and that's just how it worked. Um, and then I found my job after I, well, excuse me, I looked for jobs after realizing what location I wanted to be in, so

Adrian Banning 26:53

right.

Kennedy Lewis 26:54

out very nicely.

Adrian Banning 26:55

simultaneously texting us while we're on the podcast.

Natalia Rangel 26:58

I sent, I sent you a picture of me and my boyfriend, Kuma.

Kennedy Lewis 27:03

Oh,

Natalia Rangel 27:04

So you, so you can put it on the podcast if, if

Adrian Banning 27:10

He's

Kennedy Lewis 27:11

He's, he's mixed with French Bulldog, but he looks more Boston ter for sure. That Boston Ter Energy is serious.

Adrian Banning 27:17

see

Kennedy Lewis 27:17

And he's like, do not touch her. What are you doing?

Adrian Banning 27:21

he is not quite sleeping. Natalia's definitely asleep in a black and white sweater, and the dog is black and white, and he's like, I'm pretending to sleep, but he's got like one eye open, like, listen

Kennedy Lewis 27:31

don't move. Don't leave. Yeah.

Adrian Banning 27:33

Adorable.

Kennedy Lewis 27:34

very serious. Um, he even slept with her for a while until he heard the door open and he ran out. And I don't think he realized how to get back in, and that's why he actually slept with me.

Adrian Banning 27:45

again. Th th I know. Adorable. Okay, so you're like, all right, Um,

Kennedy Lewis 27:53

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 27:53

so DMB, dc, Maryland, Virginia.

Kennedy Lewis 27:57

Yes, yes,

Adrian Banning 27:58

it is a little bit regional, maybe that acronym.

Natalia Rangel 28:01

Oh, is that what that meant?

Kennedy Lewis 28:04

yes, yes, yes. It's because it's,

Natalia Rangel 28:08

This, this entire time I just pretended I knew what it meant

Kennedy Lewis 28:12

Oh my God.

Adrian Banning 28:17

I

Kennedy Lewis 28:18

fine. We learn new things every day. Everything's fine.

Adrian Banning 28:21

She's,

Kennedy Lewis 28:21

So

Adrian Banning 28:22

don't

Kennedy Lewis 28:22

I live in the,

Adrian Banning 28:23

something.

Kennedy Lewis 28:24

like, yeah, Ken lives around there somewhere. I dunno.

Adrian Banning 28:26

It's, it's

Kennedy Lewis 28:27

Yeah, that's fine. Here's my location.

Adrian Banning 28:30

were maybe thinking women's health, is that possible? But primary care,

Kennedy Lewis 28:36

yes, I'm in primary care. I was actually originally peds, um, I loved the babies and when I was a medical assistant, I was in pediatrics. I loved it so, so much. it kind of changed. During clinical rotations, I realized my favorite. Were like the family medicine ones and pretty much clinicals. I was kind of knocking things out and then people, was a little persuaded because after like we took those, oh my gosh, what were those exams called?

Adrian Banning 29:03

End of rotation.

Kennedy Lewis 29:04

Blocking.

Adrian Banning 29:05

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 29:05

Yes. The EORs. The EORs.

Adrian Banning 29:08

stands for

Kennedy Lewis 29:09

Afterward we would have like,

Adrian Banning 29:10

you were like, I never knew.

Kennedy Lewis 29:11

yes, they, we would do like these trivias afterward and I would get the most random ones right, that people didn't know. And they were like, you seem to know a lot about like random things. Maybe primary care's your deal. And I was like, no. And here I'm

Adrian Banning 29:29

here you

Kennedy Lewis 29:29

primary care for adults. Um, definitely very rewarding I would say. 'cause I also work with like a lot of Medicaid Medicare patients, which is where I wanted to be, say, starting, um, primary care in the heat of the world. And with a lot of government employees surrounding me, it's been a little bit more heavy. we're, I think that we're all navigating it well, like together

Adrian Banning 29:55

In the heat

Kennedy Lewis 29:56

and starting those conversations. Yes.

Adrian Banning 29:59

was poetic. Did you make

Kennedy Lewis 30:01

Stuck I did.

Adrian Banning 30:06

Yeah. I was like,

Kennedy Lewis 30:08

I just,

Adrian Banning 30:08

in the summer. Oh, no, I hear what you're saying. Yeah.

Natalia Rangel 30:11

嗯 嗯。 Yes

Kennedy Lewis 30:17

and mental health.

Adrian Banning 30:18

And

Kennedy Lewis 30:19

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 30:20

right?

Kennedy Lewis 30:20

That's been the heaviest thing, I think. Like people having of anxiety that they never had before. So they're like coming to me with all these things. And of course that's like the first thing that I, I'm like, yeah, it may be this, but let's just check on this as well. Like, and they tell me about lives and they're like, oh yeah, no, I was let go a week ago they took out, or 90% of my department got, um, fired. And I'm just hoping I get to keep my job. And it's like, okay, let's sit, let's talk, let's talk.

Adrian Banning 30:49

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 30:51

And, um, also a lot of postpartum mommies. I am like the postpartum, um, girly of the clinic, and I love it,

Adrian Banning 30:59

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 31:00

because that was my, um, capstone,

Adrian Banning 31:03

Yes. And you didn't know that at the time, you had, like, just started this job and, and you picked a capstone that you were passionate about. But, you know, as anyone's like developing a research question, if you ever have, you know, like it could go in 75

Kennedy Lewis 31:15

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 31:15

It might not even be that topic if you're just starting from scratch. but then it turns out that it's been really, uh, effective or informative, um, or beneficial to your everyday job.

Kennedy Lewis 31:29

So, so much, I, don't think I. Fully put in perspective how wide primary care is because it's everything. and, but I had, there were so many moms, postpartum moms that would come to me with so many stresses, of course, because I mean obviously, but then also I think the climate too. 'cause they're, they're also working, they're also in this phase too, where it's like weight loss is in and they're having difficulty because they just had a baby and their emotions are all over the place. And they're like, oh my gosh, no, my, my partner lost their jobs and things like that. And I'm like, you know what, what do you need my girl? What do we need to be doing? So I think I've loved that too, being able to like soothe postpartum moms, of course. But, um, what women who are postpartum, excuse me. But then also just women in general, just.

Adrian Banning 32:24

postpartum moms. That makes sense, doesn't it? Or is that not the way that we would say that?

Kennedy Lewis 32:29

I was like, is that like a thing or did I make that up?

Adrian Banning 32:33

Yeah. You're a mom now, or you were before your mom again and, and now you've just had a baby. was

Kennedy Lewis 32:41

yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Adrian Banning 32:41

can I, do we not say that? And, and your

Kennedy Lewis 32:44

I just was like,

Adrian Banning 32:45

care. And do you

Kennedy Lewis 32:46

yeah.

Adrian Banning 32:47

that you are recommending doula care more after your project? You're having those conversations?

Kennedy Lewis 32:54

Oh, absolutely. I'm having those conversations. I'm also encouraging, like, um, other providers I work with to do the, um, the EPDS, the score or, Hmm, see this is what happens, the edenberg scale to make sure and check for that as well.

Adrian Banning 33:13

depression.

Kennedy Lewis 33:14

Yes.

Adrian Banning 33:15

So,

Kennedy Lewis 33:16

there is an option and they want, they actually encourage primary care to do it. But I don't think that's related to us enough, as we found out in the research.

Adrian Banning 33:25

yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 33:26

I try to make that my little duty.

Adrian Banning 33:29

And then you kind of get like a name, right? People, it's word of mouth. People come to you and they're like, wait, there's someone who you can like chat to. 'cause sometimes you're sick, but sometimes you just wanna be heard.

Kennedy Lewis 33:40

Yeah.

Natalia Rangel 33:40

Oh yeah

Adrian Banning 33:41

yeah, yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 33:42

I've been so blessed to have that. I feel, um, I, I hate to toot my own horn. Oh my gosh. Feels weird. But I, I feel like the word got out fast that I was the new PA where I was working, and that they felt like I listened and I cared. All of my reviews say that, and I'm like, oh my gosh. That was my biggest goal. So that has been so satisfying that I can be that person, especially in these times again. So

Adrian Banning 34:11

this heat, um, Natalia,

Kennedy Lewis 34:13

it's hate.

Adrian Banning 34:13

see patients when they're awake? That

Natalia Rangel 34:16

Yes. Yes. No, I do. So the same things that you guys were talking, sometimes I see a referral and I'm like, "Hmm, I wonder why they want to see me." 'Cause after 80-something, you think it twice before having surgery, especially neurosurgery. So those are one of the patients that I usually take my time with because they've tried it all and they're still having back pain or they just don't wanna be using the walker anymore, and they just... they're frustrated with everything that's happening. So those are the ones. I have one that I love. She actually made me a whole crochet. Is-- What's that... Was the purple blanket crochet, Kennedy? The one that said... She made it by hand, and then she brought it to me and she was like, "Can, can I follow up with you?" I'm like, "Okay, but, like, I'm not gonna do any neurosurgery. Like, that's out of the question." She's like, "No, no, I just wanna come see you to see how I'm doing after physical therapy." And I was like, "Okay, that's fine."

Adrian Banning 35:18

Yeah,

Natalia Rangel 35:19

So sometimes it's just that 'cause they're- they sa- and I get it too. Primary care is one of those, they, they are the pillar of medicine and... but it's so overwhelming. Like, I tell Kennedy every single day, "I don't know how you do it. I could never," because I see everything that my patients have to go through whenever they see their primary. And now with the insurance changing things where us, as specialty, can't refer to other specialties, so I have to put more work into their, um, shoulders. So, um, I, I try to help as much as I can as a specialty. I try to listen as much as I can. And if there's stuff like lifestyle stuff that can help, and that's something I've been looking into a lot, not having everybody just, "Oh, let's do surgery," that's also something that I look into because food can change everything. Uh, the way you exercise things, even the way th- whatever you're drinking throughout the day, it can help a lot with inflammatory processes

Kennedy Lewis 36:24

Mm.

Adrian Banning 36:25

That's right. And you, you're, I mean, everyone's seeing someone who's gotten now we realize inflammatory or like a lifestyle thing,

Natalia Rangel 36:33

Yeah

Adrian Banning 36:33

it feels a little bit more. Hmm. Um. We've always needed to take care of ourselves and prevent things. And now I think that's, um, even more obvious, right? That we, we kind of not wanna not get healthcare, but it's harder to utilize. And it sounds also, like you were saying, Natalia rules are changing and so the better we can care for ourselves and, you know, not, not have to be sick or not have to seek care if we don't have to. Great. Right. I'd love, I'd love to stay just checking in with my primary care. You know,

Natalia Rangel 37:12

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 37:13

the evidence the last time I checked did not support that. You have to, there's any benefit, sorry, Kennedy, to seeing your primary once a year. But that's, we like to maintain that relationship, right? Like, hey, you know,

Natalia Rangel 37:22

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 37:23

you know someone, um, I don't think that we actually have a ton of evidence that you have to, but, you know, if you could just stop in Yeah. Things are good, you're feeling good, that's great. That's what we want, right? We don't wanna get up to this

Natalia Rangel 37:33

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 37:34

Um, so Natalia, you're exploring like lifestyle.

Natalia Rangel 37:38

That's-- the-- I've been trying to, 'cause again, I get frustrated when, like, surgery is out of the table and the patient is, like, already done physical therapy or they're already seeing pain management. They already had, like, 15 rounds of injections done for their back. So I'm like, "Okay, what else is left? What else can they do?" There's no way I, I just have to tell this person, "Sorry, you just have to deal with back pain." Yeah

Adrian Banning 38:02

Well, um, if you're interested in getting certified, let me know. It was a long process for me, but I took that test in December and passed and um, when I posted about it on LinkedIn, I was like, okay. When I first heard about lifestyle medicine, I thought it was like crystals and like, and Kennedy was like, okay, not offended. My crystals and I are here to support you. But I think that is kind of part of it, like. This. It's not just the answer to say like, oh, you have back pain. Like, lay a crystal on your back. Like, no, but

Natalia Rangel 38:33

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 38:34

how do you care for yourself? Like what do you believe? Like what falls into the cultural things that make you feel better about yourself? How do

Natalia Rangel 38:41

Right

Adrian Banning 38:42

Like, can each crystals make her feel better? They make her feel good

Natalia Rangel 38:46

Угу.

Adrian Banning 38:48

interview. I'm not,

Natalia Rangel 38:49

And she would get like perfect score on test while having her crystals laying next to her.

Kennedy Lewis 38:56

And honestly, so funny. We actually could not always sit by each other when we were in class

Adrian Banning 39:03

this.

Kennedy Lewis 39:03

because it'd be like, okay, I'm gonna sit behind you today. Or like, um, especially for exams, because Natalia's like so geared focused. And I'm like, okay, let read

Natalia Rangel 39:14

Yeah

Kennedy Lewis 39:15

lemme my crystals. And then I'm like, okay, lemme go write something down and like

Natalia Rangel 39:20

Yeah, I needed to be in the corner, right, in a corner where nobody talk and, like, stop talking to me. That was me. Kennedy would have her papers until, like, everybody's taking the test and she's still looking at her papers. Like, what is the point of that? That would drive me crazy.

Kennedy Lewis 39:38

I would literally be like the last word could. And you know what? It did? It did. There was one exam specifically, I did not know, I don't even think I know how to say it, but I can spell it. But I think it's AUM or something. Pt?

Natalia Rangel 39:53

The eye.

Adrian Banning 39:53

the pterodactyl. Still don't know.

Kennedy Lewis 39:55

Okay, perfect. Perfect. I literally, I looked at that, I was like, where did this word come up? Like what? And I looked at it really fast, put my papers away. First question on the exam, I was like,

Adrian Banning 40:09

Thank you. Amethyst Crystal.

Kennedy Lewis 40:11

And, and it's so funny because I said it out loud. I was like, you guys, this is what this is. And then like.

Adrian Banning 40:22

I am never one to condone, cramming, or crash studying, obviously. Um, but, and that I would even have like a five minute conversation about crystals. If you knew me like 10 years ago, they'd be like, what? What? But as I was studying for this, um, American College of Lifestyle, med exam, I'm in the car, right? Got there, of course, like an hour early. Stocked it out the

Natalia Rangel 40:45

हम्म,

Adrian Banning 40:45

doing

Kennedy Lewis 40:46

Oh,

Adrian Banning 40:46

place is,

Natalia Rangel 40:47

हम्म। yeah

Adrian Banning 40:48

I was like, okay, I'm just like paging through to the very last minute till I walk in and didn't I see a term and like a concept that in the notes that was on the test and I was like, oh my gosh, I can't believe that

Kennedy Lewis 40:59

it's

Adrian Banning 40:59

after like long I've been like a professional student. Like it may have happened in the past, but I was always, I and I will always tell students like, if you don't know by then you don't know it, but

Natalia Rangel 41:11

Exactly.

Kennedy Lewis 41:12

it. No, help me on the pants too. I had a question. I looked at it right before, and it was a buzzword on the exam. I was like, oh. So thank goodness those little moments feel good because that one question feels like it could tip you over the edge and like, okay, lay down now have a, and feel okay.

Adrian Banning 41:32

the snacks. So what's next? Like clearly you're both killing it. You're obviously to anyone listening knows that you're still supporting each other, like in the decisions that you're making going forward, like both of your success in, in how you're moving forward in life. I know h is on each of you filling like the gaps and like being each other's height people and soulmates. Where are you going? Like are you kind of settling in and just say like, let's just get our feet underneath us, or do you have your eyes set somewhere?

Natalia Rangel 42:08

I think,

Kennedy Lewis 42:10

oh, go.

Adrian Banning 42:10

ellips.

Natalia Rangel 42:11

yeah. Uh, I, I, it's, it's... I think we're at the moment, like, uh, like I said earlier, I think I want to make sure I feel fully confident before taking on, uh, any other steps. Um, also I want to start paying off my, um, student loans so I can, uh, buy a house.

Adrian Banning 42:36

wait.

Natalia Rangel 42:37

So, um, um, I mean, I know, uh, I ac- I, I mean, I know they're not correlated to each other, but it's, like, one of my goals

Adrian Banning 42:47

Yeah. Okay. So some financial security here.

Natalia Rangel 42:50

Yeah. Yes, that's the word for it.

Adrian Banning 42:54

Yeah. Yeah.

Natalia Rangel 42:55

Yeah

Adrian Banning 42:55

why did you laugh though, after you said like, I wanna pay off my loans, like maniacal laugh and I wanna buy a house

Natalia Rangel 43:00

Oh,

Adrian Banning 43:01

laugh. Does that

Natalia Rangel 43:02

because

Adrian Banning 43:03

pie in the sky?

Natalia Rangel 43:05

Um,

Adrian Banning 43:07

Kennedy's like gagging.

Natalia Rangel 43:08

uh, uh, um, um,

Adrian Banning 43:12

I

Natalia Rangel 43:12

I don't know. It's just, it's over- uh, it's scary for sure. Like we talked before, I haven't had anybody who'd like tell me how to do things. We figure out things on our own, um, throughout, until this point in life

Adrian Banning 43:26

Natalia and I are both first gen. Wait, Kennedy, are you too? Are you first gen?

Natalia Rangel 43:30

Yes

Adrian Banning 43:31

So we're all just like, figuring it out and that

Natalia Rangel 43:34

Yeah

Adrian Banning 43:34

why you need else in your corner to be like, I don't know, here's what I'm gonna try. And like, sometimes you mess it

Natalia Rangel 43:40

Yeah

Adrian Banning 43:40

just, you just don't know if, like other people have grown up talking about retirement accounts and like

Natalia Rangel 43:48

Right.

Adrian Banning 43:49

and like

Kennedy Lewis 43:49

Yeah.

Natalia Rangel 43:50

Right

Adrian Banning 43:50

to even prioritize things. Right. And it's such a different world,

Natalia Rangel 43:56

Oh yeah

Adrian Banning 43:57

That. if someone has done this before you and has good advice for what work for them 10, 15, 20 years ago, it, it might not be the same thing. Okay. So you're looking at financial security. I wanna come back to

Natalia Rangel 44:11

Yeah. Yeah. And, and that's, that's actually one of the... I, I like that you said that because that's one of the things that, like, my boyfriend says all the time, "You and, uh, the doctor that you work with talk about everything." And I mean, like, yes, obviously we h- we're in surgery for eight hours. What, do you want me to just, like, listen to the sucker? Like, we have to talk about everything. So one of those topics is, like, finance. So he has been actually coaching me and teaching me and be like, "Hey, open a Roth IRA. Start putting your money in there. And buy this. Don't just put money, make sure you're investing." And I was like, "Oh." So, and he's also been very great at that and telling me where to invest money in that way. Also, my boyfriend has been, um, helping me a lot on what to start doing. Um, so that's, that's at the point that I'm, I'm at right now. I want to make sure that I make smart financial decisions for future Natalia, 'cause I've been focusing on getting here. So now that I'm here, I wanna take it all in and then make future Natalia happy.

Adrian Banning 45:17

Right, right, right.

Kennedy Lewis 45:18

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 45:19

A hundred percent know what you're saying. That for me, it's freedom. Like, am I safe? You, you work so hard and like claw your way to get somewhere. And then you're like, wait, I think I am here now what?

Kennedy Lewis 45:32

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 45:32

do I just live here? Like, what happens? No. Like, now how do I use this to help other people to get a level of safety for myself and my family? Like, um, because then you can. If you have an emergency fund, if you have a retirement, you know, if you have an emergency fund, you can maybe leave a job that you don't like. You can leave a relationship that you don't like. You can break a

Natalia Rangel 45:57

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 45:57

You know, like you have, you have to have your own money and a good credit score. And then if you've got your retirement padded early, it's the amount of time that it grows. I mean, what goes in and the investments that it's in too, but just how long it's in there. So early in your career now, getting as much as you can in, you know, such I'm not a financial advisor. Do not take this as financial advice, but it makes such a big difference. 'cause then when you're, you've been doing this for 10, 15, 20, 25 years, you maybe you don't have to wait until you're 59 and a half or 62 or 65. Maybe you can say, do you know what I'm, I choose to work part-time. Or you work

Natalia Rangel 46:35

Угу

Adrian Banning 46:37

but not because you have to. So smart. I mean, and I will say after I graduated from college. mom came to the like postage stamp size apartment that I was living in. It was right after, and she brought me a, a, a and I was like, oh, here's a graduation present crockpot. I was like, pragmatic. Okay, thanks mom. Like four years of so hard undergrad. Um, she was like crockpot, she didn't say this, but it was kind of representative of, and then we were going to meet with her financial planner person who she didn't know either. She's, you know, um, long story short, she had to like ask around like, Hey, what do you do in this situation? So she got the connections of someone who was helping and then we went and started a Roth IRA, and I didn't put much into it, but I had one like from 22. And I understood that this was something. You really,

Natalia Rangel 47:37

Mm-hmm. That's awesome

Adrian Banning 47:39

harder on it,

Kennedy Lewis 47:40

Very.

Adrian Banning 47:40

but I will say like, we had that conversation. Um, but I had nothing. I had only student loans and like a snowboard, you know, so

Natalia Rangel 47:48

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 47:48

sometimes I could not make ends meet. Like if we went out to eat during, like, for lunch in PA school, you know, like the residents you're attending are like, come on, let's go to the cafeteria. I'd be like, oh, please. One of them say

Kennedy Lewis 48:00

Please, yes,

Natalia Rangel 48:02

Yeah

Kennedy Lewis 48:03

me.

Adrian Banning 48:05

and so if you're a, if you have a paycheck coming in, you, it is your obligation to pay for the student and tell them up front so they're not sweating. Like maybe they've

Kennedy Lewis 48:16

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 48:16

bucks in their checking account, or negative three bucks or negative 300

Natalia Rangel 48:20

Yeah

Adrian Banning 48:21

that student, you have no idea. You gotta tell them the lunch is free ahead of time

Natalia Rangel 48:27

I know. I, I do that all the time with my mentees. I'm like, one of them, one of them-- it was funny 'cause I actually felt a little bit disrespected. He was like, "Are you sure? You just graduated. Don't you have loans?" I was like, "Ah!

Adrian Banning 48:43

I mean, yeah,

Natalia Rangel 48:44

Excuse me?"

Adrian Banning 48:45

here. Do

Kennedy Lewis 48:46

Do you want me to say no?

Adrian Banning 48:48

Yeah, yeah,

Natalia Rangel 48:50

Well, he, he meant well, but I get what he's saying.

Adrian Banning 48:54

He's looking out. He's

Kennedy Lewis 48:55

Try to be considerate.

Natalia Rangel 48:57

But yeah.

Adrian Banning 48:58

thoughtful.

Natalia Rangel 48:59

But no, I always try to help my mentees every time I go. Um, and then I also tell them all the time, "Hey, listen, before you start PA school, make sure you start clearing out those fires if you have a credit card that's going on, 'cause then interest are gonna, gonna rack up, and like don't go and buy a new car once your loans kick in, 'cause now you're not even gonna have all that much loans left. Um, so make sure you have everything under control. If you have a car that's old but it's still doing its job, that's all you have to do."

Adrian Banning 49:32

Yes. Kennedy,

Natalia Rangel 49:34

Christian

Adrian Banning 49:35

what is on the horizon for you? I mean, there's this giant ring on your finger.

Kennedy Lewis 49:40

Oh my gosh. I know. So, so that's a thing. And it's been weeks and we actually said last, we were like, we should really like plan some time to talk about this.

Adrian Banning 49:53

well, let's

Kennedy Lewis 49:53

We should do something.

Adrian Banning 49:54

Okay.

Kennedy Lewis 49:55

So that is definitely coming up. So that's one.

Adrian Banning 49:59

Plan

Kennedy Lewis 50:00

then also in.

Adrian Banning 50:01

Yes.

Kennedy Lewis 50:01

Yes. It's like a whole thing. I'm like, or are we gonna, no, who knows? But, um, the way that this also housing market is looking, it's

Adrian Banning 50:10

yeah,

Kennedy Lewis 50:11

so definitely balancing those things out. But I feel like you both just actually summarize how I've been feeling, so

Adrian Banning 50:19

definitely

Kennedy Lewis 50:20

trying to get like some financial brains going. So whenever Natalia gets stuff she tells me. Um, and that has really been working for us, I feel like. But um, also

Adrian Banning 50:35

feel

Kennedy Lewis 50:35

feel like once I got here, it's like my body was still in fight or flight and was like, okay, so wait, we're not in school. We did it.

Adrian Banning 50:44

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 50:44

Oh my gosh, what, what do I do now? And just also taking time to make sure I'm taking care of myself. 'cause I will say that it's not something, it's something I preached during PA school, but I didn't do a very good job of doing for myself. The only thing I had going was working out and I, and that was mainly okay. Yes, I had also like gained a lot of weight 'cause I like hurt myself before that and I could work out. But also I was like this mind,

Adrian Banning 51:09

Mm-hmm.

Kennedy Lewis 51:10

she needs to do something so that when I come out to the world I can be kind and mind can focus because without it, I feel pretty scattered honestly. So it's definitely like the foundation of me taking care of myself. So that's something I've been focused on a lot. And also, um, rebalancing, like relationship with family, with some friends, finding my out my new normal has been quite interesting and something I'm learning every day.

Adrian Banning 51:42

I've

Kennedy Lewis 51:42

I've also been. I feel like place in certain settings

Adrian Banning 51:49

for

Kennedy Lewis 51:50

for

Adrian Banning 51:51

my

Kennedy Lewis 51:51

my own betterment, but also like just more opportunities like places in rooms that I never asked for. And it's been like, but yeah, I'm so happy to have, it's something I wouldn't even have like reached out for, for myself because I'm like, oh, I'm here. I'm good. This was, this was the top of my list. Where do I go? they're just presenting themselves to me and I'm like, okay, I, I can, I get the signs, I can follow a sign. that's clearly with my signs and my crystals. I'm like, okay, this must be next. So that's what I've been doing. Like, um, I have three mentees that shadow me, ask for help. Two of them are applying this cycle. So we've been having meetings weekly just to make sure. And I just love so much being able to soothe the anxiety of like. World and like what could happen versus the, um, assistant forum that will scare

Natalia Rangel 52:51

Oh my God, that was the worst. Yeah

Kennedy Lewis 52:54

And was, that's another reason of how we connected. was like, girl, I'm surprised I'm here. And she was like, me too. I was like, did you see in building? And she was like, I, so that was like very cool to have someone else who had a similar, um, not straight line.

Natalia Rangel 53:12

Right

Kennedy Lewis 53:13

Like it, it was amazing. We were both still also taking anatomy, like, or the second one had like an exam coming up after the interview and you we were like, you too, you're still in a class. Because that's one thing that was nerveracking and it was like, oh my gosh, I'm still taking a class. They might not accept me because of it. And again, the roundabout way, since we were older, we did things in between, but we also lived life.

Adrian Banning 53:37

That's right.

Kennedy Lewis 53:38

lived life.

Adrian Banning 53:39

You can't,

Natalia Rangel 53:40

Yeah

Adrian Banning 53:40

can't shortcut life experience. And

Natalia Rangel 53:43

And,

Adrian Banning 53:44

I don't think

Natalia Rangel 53:44

and mostly,

Kennedy Lewis 53:45

it.

Adrian Banning 53:45

think about that a lot. You know,

Natalia Rangel 53:47

yeah, I think it's the sense of, like, knowing that you belong there even though it seemed like you would never be there

Kennedy Lewis 53:56

Yeah. That was a huge thing for the, because honest, I will be transparent. My interview day, I was so calm because I was like, there's no way that I'm getting into this school. I was like, there's just

Natalia Rangel 54:12

That's, that's exactly what happened when, uh, Dennis, I'm gonna tell him his name. That's Den- Dennis is my boyfriend. He told me to apply to Case Western, and I go to look at their website, and I was like, "Um, I don't think I'll meet the requirements." But it was super late. I was like, "I'll apply to it."

Adrian Banning 54:31

And

Natalia Rangel 54:31

And then when I got the interview, and then you go to the place, and then the Cleveland Clinic is right across the street. My brain was exploding, 'cause coming from Colombia, that's one of the places that you know worldwide, the Cleveland Clinic. It's in all TV shows. It's everything everybody talks about. And I was like, "Is this real life?" And then there's freaking goose outside the building.

Kennedy Lewis 54:58

everywhere the place is made of glass

Natalia Rangel 55:01

Yeah. Touchscreen. Yeah

Kennedy Lewis 55:04

I was like, what is happening here? Like, uh, like you could motion sensory away in the door. I was like, oh my gosh.

Adrian Banning 55:11

a

Kennedy Lewis 55:11

Okay.

Adrian Banning 55:12

place.

Natalia Rangel 55:13

Right. Yes. It will 100% make you feel you don't belong there, coming from my background

Adrian Banning 55:21

okay. It was so

Kennedy Lewis 55:22

me too.

Adrian Banning 55:22

exclusionary.

Natalia Rangel 55:24

Yes

Adrian Banning 55:25

been there.

Kennedy Lewis 55:25

Yeah. So I was like, oh, cute. And then of course. Um, to, to be again, transparent. We get to the meet and greet and I look around the room and I was like, oh, me sit. I'm just gonna relax now. I was like, and there's no way that I'm getting into the school.

Adrian Banning 55:43

what

Kennedy Lewis 55:43

Like it was,

Adrian Banning 55:44

Um,

Kennedy Lewis 55:45

um, it was full of a lot of Caucasian people who all went to private schools.

Adrian Banning 55:51

And they're talking about

Natalia Rangel 55:52

big, or big name schools

Kennedy Lewis 55:56

yeah. Big name schools, or they're talking about like, oh yeah, no, my dad is a physician. My mom's a physician. Um, what, like, you get a lot too, I felt during clinical year for me of, oh, like

Adrian Banning 56:08

What?

Kennedy Lewis 56:09

what are your parents do? And I'm like, um, because they assume that your parents work in medicine as well. I'm like, oh no. My mom, she's a housekeeper. And they're like, oh, They're like, what are your siblings are.

Adrian Banning 56:23

And you're like, yeah. Mm-hmm.

Kennedy Lewis 56:29

And then it's just this awkward sentence. I'm like, I'm fine with my background, but it makes

Natalia Rangel 56:34

Yeah

Kennedy Lewis 56:35

So literally during one of my interviews, again, after I relaxed completely, um, it was, it was with, uh, professor Myers actually, he was talking to me and he is like, this is a very classy man. He's like sitting with perfect posture with his legs crossed like this,

Adrian Banning 56:55

He

Kennedy Lewis 56:56

he has the most calming voice, like he owns the place.

Adrian Banning 56:59

and

Kennedy Lewis 56:59

And I'm talking to him about how I got this roast beef sandwich that was bigger than my mouth and I had to open really wide to eat it. He was like, oh, on the street. I was like, yeah, it was delicious. I, I grabbed it and I walked home and I don't even think we gotta the actual interview question. And I was like, see, he's relaxed too, honey.

Adrian Banning 57:20

Yeah.

Kennedy Lewis 57:21

Like,

Adrian Banning 57:28

They were like,

Natalia Rangel 57:28

And, and it's funny to, like, hear us talking about this because once you're in and, like, you see your classmates, it's not like that anymore

Adrian Banning 57:40

No, no, it's not.

Natalia Rangel 57:42

Yeah

Adrian Banning 57:42

But the way that you move through the world from when you're on the outside or the inside of something

Natalia Rangel 57:49

Yeah

Adrian Banning 57:49

the other side of the desk of admissions, I would've been like these two immediately. Like they're the two that we're calling. Right. But like the forum boards and like the, the pressure doesn't make you feel

Kennedy Lewis 58:01

gosh.

Adrian Banning 58:01

feel that way. But like,

Kennedy Lewis 58:03

Absolutely.

Adrian Banning 58:04

And if anyone listening too, like anyone would want the two of you to be their healthcare providers. Like, wait, you wanna listen to me? You wanna think about ways that I, that you can make my life better? You're trying to make, fill your own cups and you're trying to evolve as humans too. You haven't just stopped. 'cause that's what you both just said. Like, okay, now that I'm here, how do I work on these things to, to heal myself, to go forward, to help heal others? Like you've both said, things like that going forward and that who, who doesn't want that as their healthcare provider? Like of course you're both,

Natalia Rangel 58:33

You know, it's so funny you said that 'cause that just remind me of something that happened past week where, um, I had a patient and I, I love to explain their imaging so they know what's happening and not them just reading a report with all these weird words, right? So we're going over her MRI, and she has a thoracic compression fracture. So I tell her, "You see this little boop coming down?"

Adrian Banning 58:59

This boop,

Natalia Rangel 59:00

Just 'cause it's, you know, the bone is coming down. And she's like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is boop the medical word?"

Adrian Banning 59:08

it's now.

Natalia Rangel 59:10

It's like, "But you, but you understand what I mean, right?" He's like, "No, no, I see it." I was like, "Okay."

Adrian Banning 59:16

Yep.

Kennedy Lewis 59:17

Like, no chat. GBT would say it was a poop as well. Um,

Adrian Banning 59:20

I

Kennedy Lewis 59:21

I

Adrian Banning 59:21

lot of money

Kennedy Lewis 59:21

dunno what you mean.

Adrian Banning 59:22

the real way to say that. To translate it back to you as boop. Mm-hmm.

Kennedy Lewis 59:27

AB actually

Natalia Rangel 59:29

Oh my God. But no.

Adrian Banning 59:31

that.

Natalia Rangel 59:32

Right.

Kennedy Lewis 59:34

like I have this goop in my back and that is what is causing.

Natalia Rangel 59:37

The pain.

Adrian Banning 59:39

Oh, that's rough. I am continually inspired by both of you. Uh, but this relationship that you have, um, is just, that's aspirational. Like, I love the friends in my life and I, I feel like have got my versions of this too, but is something special and I just want to, I just want to hear the two of you talk to each other. So at the beginning, like we're getting to know about you and what you're doing, but, um, I wanna hear more of just like what you talk every day. Like what do you talk about? I wanna know, like, I just wanna listen in. I'm, it's really just like a voyeurism or like,

Natalia Rangel 1:00:18

Yeah, we send each other podcasts too, to, to... Whenever we don't have time to, like, text, then on her drive to work, 'cause it's about 10 minutes from her house, she'll be like, "So this has happened to me, and da, da, da, da, da." And then I'll listen to it before going to surgery or, like, while I'm getting ready, and I'm reacting to it. So yeah, we have our, our, our own podcast going on too.

Kennedy Lewis 1:00:43

And there

Natalia Rangel 1:00:44

Yeah, 'cause sometimes it's 15-minute long voice messages.

Kennedy Lewis 1:00:48

yeah. And I'm like, oh, that was so long. And it always starts with, oh, okay, I'm gonna try to make this short. And it's like 15 minutes, because I have to tell her every single little detail part. Be like, okay, so backstory on this part. Um. actually made some soft scrambled eggs and I didn't need to use cheese. It was so cool.

Adrian Banning 1:01:05

that's a skill. Kennedy. That's a hard one.

Kennedy Lewis 1:01:07

and

Adrian Banning 1:01:07

is very French of you.

Kennedy Lewis 1:01:09

I'm just like, thank you.

Natalia Rangel 1:01:13

No, she's very good at this. And I was telling her, 'cause she was telling me she was a little bit nervous. I was like, "No, if anything, this is the thing I've been the least nervous about the entire month," because it's just talking to friends. And like I told you at the beginning, there's never a silence awkward.

Adrian Banning 1:01:29

about this right now?

Kennedy Lewis 1:01:31

yes,

Natalia Rangel 1:01:31

Yeah. Yeah.

Adrian Banning 1:01:32

for like 30 seconds.

Natalia Rangel 1:01:33

No.

Adrian Banning 1:01:34

I'd,

Kennedy Lewis 1:01:35

I was literally.

Adrian Banning 1:01:35

eggs too. Kennedy.

Kennedy Lewis 1:01:38

I looked at the time and it was like, and it was six 30 and I was like, oh my gosh. Um, I was like, let me make sure that this works. Is my li like, laptop is charged. Let me make sure that I connect it and I open it to make sure there's no click, so I'm not late.

Adrian Banning 1:01:51

Oh,

Kennedy Lewis 1:01:52

And then I was like, oh my gosh, my voice going to say will I be okay? And then she was like, girl, it's just us. And I was like, you're so right. Let me relax. And I was cu

Adrian Banning 1:02:00

that's why I want, I just wanted you, but I did say you can get yourself into a walk-in closet, that would be great. And can I think you have.

Natalia Rangel 1:02:08

She did. She actually did.

Adrian Banning 1:02:12

But the

Kennedy Lewis 1:02:13

No, and

Adrian Banning 1:02:14

It's

Kennedy Lewis 1:02:15

I'm so glad it's, I actually love, it's the weirdest thing because growing up, like my mom would just sit in her closet and she'd be on the phone. She'd be like, like writing stuff up, like, I don't know, checks and receipts. I'd like, she's so weird in her closet and I love to sit in my closet now I'm like, oh my gosh. I.

Adrian Banning 1:02:34

I can't believe you're actually saying this right now. I'm having like this dejavu moment, like where I'm not in my own body, but like I love that feeling of just being in like a small quiet, the sound is quiet you can close the door even if you're in your house and just have this moment of privacy. I love, I love it if you can,

Kennedy Lewis 1:02:52

Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 1:02:53

closet. Mm.

Kennedy Lewis 1:02:56

Ah,

Adrian Banning 1:02:56

Just

Kennedy Lewis 1:02:57

like it, it's perfection. Sometimes I literally just lay here on my back and just take a few deep breaths and then, um, I'm just like, okay, I'm better now. I can get up.

Adrian Banning 1:03:07

I just was talking to my young niece about that too. She'd had her closet set up, like where it's clearly like a little cubby that she was using for her own like wellbeing. And I was like, I understand completely. I know exactly

Kennedy Lewis 1:03:17

Yeah.

Adrian Banning 1:03:18

here.

Kennedy Lewis 1:03:19

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Adrian Banning 1:03:20

to this. Um, I said I wouldn't go over time, but we have, so we're gonna stop here. But right now I'm just trying to get you, get you out there.

Kennedy Lewis 1:03:31

Get the baby birdie out the.

Adrian Banning 1:03:33

yeah, yeah. Because you're, whether you have your own like brand together or it's for your advocacy or we just continue. I feel like just people being able to watch you evolve, like through these, like you can be like aunties from afar, you know?

Kennedy Lewis 1:03:49

Yeah.

Natalia Rangel 1:03:50

That'd be great So again, I'm forcing her to do things.

Kennedy Lewis 1:03:55

honestly,

Adrian Banning 1:03:56

right. You're both amazing. I'm so glad. I know you enjoyed the rest of your evening and I'm sure we'll talk soon. Thank you

Natalia Rangel 1:04:03

Thank you so much for thinking of us and really taking us seriously because we're a bunch of clowns. My boyfriend, you should... I'm surprised, like I'm sad that I don't have a camera, but he was like, "You and Kennedy?" And then he texted and was like, "You guys are laughing way too much for a podcast."

Kennedy Lewis 1:04:26

I'm sure that's what I'm about to hear. Like, is this not serious?

Adrian Banning 1:04:29

it's,

Kennedy Lewis 1:04:29

but no.

Adrian Banning 1:04:30

stone cold, serious. It's just,

Natalia Rangel 1:04:33

Yeah。

Adrian Banning 1:04:35

I'll talk to you soon. Enjoy your evening. Keep being awesome. Thank you.

Natalia Rangel 1:04:38

you.

Kennedy Lewis 1:04:39

Thank you.

Adrian Banning 1:04:39

bye. Bye bye.