The iconic actress Sandra Oh starred on the beloved medical drama Grey's Anatomy for a total of 10 seasons in the role of Dr. Cristina Yang. It was in this role that Oh really rose to prominence in the entertainment industry.

Oh was recognized time and time again for her work on Grey's, winning both a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as being nominated for a Primetime Emmy. But despite her massive success in Grey's Anatomy, Oh departed from the series after Season 10.

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Who Was Cristina Yang?

A confident woman with a go-getter attitude, Cristina Yang began Grey's Anatomy as an intern at Seattle Grace Hospital. Cristina was driven and determined to be successful in her career and eventually became a skilled cardiothoracic surgeon. Cristina went through quite a lot during her 10 seasons on Grey's. After becoming romantically involved with surgeon Preston Burke, Cristina accidentally got pregnant and decided to have an abortion. But before she could do that, she ended up having an ectopic pregnancy and suffered a burst fallopian tube because of it. The pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

Cristina and Preston don't work out as a couple, either. The two were on again, off again, with the pregnancy being only one of the issues that caused their split. Though Preston proposed and they both made it to the altar, they couldn't commit to each other.

Cristina's next relationship started out icy, to say the least. After being stabbed by a falling icicle outside the hospital, she met Owen Hunt, the surgeon who patched her up after the accident. They began a relationship and ended up getting married. However, their relationship was turbulent. Owen suffered PTSD from his time as an army surgeon and would act erratically towards Cristina. When Cristina became pregnant, they fought over whether or not to keep the baby, with Cristina wanting an abortion and Owen wanting the child. They eventually got divorced.

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Though she had an interesting love life, Cristina was still able to be very successful in the medical field. For a period of time, she left Seattle Grace Hospital for the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. She eventually returned to Seattle Grace, where she became Chief of Cardio. Cristina was nominated for a Harper Award, and though she didn't receive it, she did receive a job offer as head of a hospital in Zurich, Switzerland. Cristina leaves Seattle Grace at the end of Season 10 to pursue this new position.

Why Sandra Oh Left Grey's Anatomy

Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang in Grey's Anatomy

Cristina's final departure from Seattle Grace Hospital also brought Sandra Oh's departure from Grey's Anatomy. However, this decision was made by Oh herself. She had spent nearly 10 years on the show and wanted to move on. Of her decision, Oh said, "Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go."

This is not to say the departure wasn't difficult for the actress, though. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Oh admitted leaving the show was quite emotional. But she was satisfied with the way Dr. Cristina Yang's story wrapped, saying that the showrunners "wrote it beautifully."

Sandra Oh went on to continue her successful acting career. She has an extensive and impressive resume, and is currently working on the compelling BBC spy series Killing Eve.

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