I have been a patient my entire life and, as of late, a provider. Through my arduous journey as a patient, I have come to recognize the complexities of this identity and the challenges it presents. I have struggled as the word “patient” filled me with frustration, given the power imbalance it signifies. I’ve grown weary of hospital gowns, endless repetitions of my patient identifiers, and the distillation of my experience into an “interesting case.” With time, these experiences have shaped my understanding of the health care system from both sides.