At Highland Hospital, Oakland’s level-one trauma center, chaplains and doctors rarely collaborate—yet 80-year-old African American chaplain Betty Clark and white Jewish physician Jessica Zitter defy the norm. As longtime colleagues in the Palliative Care unit, the two forge a profound bond through their shared dedication to compassionate end-of-life care.

Trained in medical interventions, Dr. Zitter learns from Chaplain Clark’s wisdom, gaining a deeper understanding of the emotional and spiritual dimensions of healing. The film examines systemic barriers to holistic patient care, particularly for communities of color, while chronicling the personal transformations of both women. When Chaplain Clark faces her own health challenges, Dr. Zitter witnesses firsthand the struggles Black patients endure. The Chaplain and the Doctor is a moving testament to care beyond medicine—where healing honors both body and spirit.