<P> The series follows Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), the daughter of an esteemed general surgeon named Ellis Grey, following her acceptance into the residency program at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital . During her time as a resident, Grey works alongside her fellow doctors Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), and George O'Malley (T.R. Knight), who each struggle to balance personal lives with the hectic work and training schedules . They are overseen during their internship by Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), a senior resident who works for attending Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), the head of neurosurgery and Meredith's love interest; Preston Burke (Isaiah Washington), the head of cardio, who becomes Yang's fiancé; and Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr .), the Chief of Surgery and attending general surgeon, and the previous lover of Ellis Grey . In the sixth season, these residents are joined by Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams) and April Kepner (Sarah Drew), former Mercy - West residents who join Seattle Grace following an administrative merger . During the first six seasons, Burke, O'Malley, and Stevens all depart the series . </P> <P> In addition to Webber, Burke, and Shepherd, the surgical wing is primarily supervised by Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), the head of OB / GYN, neonatal, and fetal surgery who leaves for Los Angeles after the third season; Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez), a resident who later becomes head of orthopedic surgery and leaves Seattle at the end of the twelfth season; Mark Sloan (Eric Dane), as head of plastics; Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), as head of trauma who later marries Yang; Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw), as head of pediatric surgery, and later head of fetal surgery who marries Torres; Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith), as head of cardio; Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), as head of cardio who departs at the end of season eight but returns in season fourteen; and Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone), Derek's sister, who is hired to replace him as head of neuro . </P> <P> New young doctors in the residency program include Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), Meredith's half - sister, who is killed with her love interest Mark Sloan in the season eight finale . Other additions include Leah Murphy (Tessa Ferrer), who departs near the end of the tenth season but returns during the thirteenth; Shane Ross (Gaius Charles), who departs with Yang in the tenth - season finale; Stephanie Edwards (Jerrika Hinton), who resigns during season thirteen; Jo Wilson (later Jo Karev) (Camilla Luddington), a doctor who begins a romantic relationship with Karev; Andrew Deluca (Giacomo Gianniotti), the love - interest of Meredith's half - sister Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary), who also serves as head of cardio; and Benjamin Warren (Jason George), an anesthesiologist - turned - resident, who has to balance his own desire to succeed with his wife Miranda Bailey's new role as Chief of Surgery . Season eleven sees the departure of Derek Shepherd, and in season twelve, attending cardio surgeon Nathan Riggs (Martin Henderson) joins the show . In the early episodes of season fourteen, Riggs leaves the series to start a life with Owen's long - lost sister; by the season finale, Kepner and Robbins also depart the show . </P> <P> Shonda Rhimes wanted to make a show that she would enjoy watching, and thought it would be interesting to create a show about "smart women competing against one another". </P>

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