Benton travels to Mississippi to earn extra money working as a "locum tenens" doctor--a visiting temp--at a rural hospital in a small town. Instead of a hospital, Benton finds a rural clinic run by Maureen (CELIA WESTON), a nurse practitioner and Catholic nun who needs rest after a leg injury. The accommodations are considerably less than Benton expected. He sleeps in a cramped trailer, has very little to eat because he is a vegetarian and Maureen's meals contain meat, and visits sick people's houses by boat in a swamp. Benton quickly learns that some of the white folks don't trust an African-American doctor. Administering to patients at the clinic, Benton notices that the white people visit Maureen at her house for treatment. Since Benton doesn't believe he's making a contribution and finds it difficult to work due to racial intolerance, he decides to leave.

On the way out of town, he sees a tractor overturned in a ditch. After rescuing the white farmer and reviving the farmer's 3-year-old son, Benton decides to stay a while longer. On another case, Benton uses ether on a pregnant woman as he handles a very difficult and complicated birth. Later, a shrimp boat explodes, and Benton demonstrates his competent surgical skills to save a man's life. Through his determination and expertise, Benton slowly gains the respect of most of the townspeople.

He meets Adelina (PORSHA PALMER), an athletically gifted 13-year-old girl with uncontrolled diabetes. Benton drives Adelina and her Gramma Deane (BARBARA ROBERTS) to a hospital 40 miles away for tests. Besides the diabetes, Adelina has a small hole in her heart--something Benton didn't detect. When Benton returns to Chicago, he brings Adelina and her grandmother so the girl can have the necessary surgery to repair her heart. Before Benton left on his trip, Jeanie was no longer a patient at the hospital. Upon his return, he discovers Jeanie is readmitted and receiving a plasma transfusion. A sympathetic and tender Benton tells Jeanie he'll help her through this medical setback.