"My Own Country" tells the story of an East Indian doctor who settles in Johnson City, Tennessee. The doctor's name is Abraham Verghese, and he specializes in infectious diseases. It's 1985, and AIDS is spreading from the big cities to the rural areas. Abraham takes AIDS as his personal crusade and is soon well-known for his compassion and non-judgmental treatment. He soon becomes overwhelmed with patients from the surrounding states, which strains his marriage.