Ethics of Caring Film of the Year
The Chaplain & The Doctor
Join Ethics of Caring from 11 am-12 pm PST on either date:
November 23, 2026
January 26, 2027
The Chaplain & The Doctor, presented by Reel Medicine Media, tells the story of two people who transcend their professional siloes, become unlikely friends, and through that friendship begin to heal their patients – and each other.
Betty Clark is an 80-year-old, African American chaplain on staff at The Wilma Chan Highland Hospital Campus, the level-one trauma center in Oakland, California. Jessica Zitter is a white, Jewish physician who has been Betty’s colleague on the Palliative Care service for over a decade. The two women are an unlikely team: chaplains and doctors do not usually pair up within the hierarchical and siloed halls of the hospital. Dr. Zitter, trained to believe in medical interventions and science, was not seeking a relationship with a chaplain. And Chaplain Clark never expected the doctor to take interest in her work.
But with time, the two women’s shared values and history overcome the forces that keep them apart, and they go on to do their best work together. Under Betty’s guidance, Jessica begins a journey to understand the barriers and biases that doctors like herself often bring to the bedside. As Betty starts to face her own health challenges, Jessica takes over her care through a deeply personal lens, witnessing more intimately the experience of patients of color in America’s hospitals – this time, with someone she’s grown to love.
The Chaplain & The Doctor models a new kind of care, one that honors both spirit and body, the diverse backgrounds of patients, and the most human needs we all share.
Join Ethics of Caring for a virtual discussion to include an excerpt from the film followed by a discussion with the chaplain, Betty Clark, and the doctor, Jessica Zitter.
Betty Clark
Continuing Education: This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. To receive 1.0 contact hours for this activity, participants must attend the live film discussion and complete the evaluation. The evaluation will be sent to all attendees after the virtual event.
Registration is free!
If you would like to attend both dates, please submit the registration form twice – once for each date.
Thank you to the Berkley School of Nursing at Georgetown University for hosting the Zoom for the Ethics of Caring Film of the Year virtual discussion!
Consider a Donation
This event is free to attend. However, if you’d like to support our educational mission – which includes funding scholarships to attend the 2027 National Nursing Ethics Conference – donations to Ethics of Caring are greatly appreciated! When registering for this event, you will be given the option to add a donation amount. Donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your generosity!
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