<Tr> <Th> Relatives </Th> <Td> Molly Thompson (half - sister - in - law) Lexie Grey (deceased - half - sister - in - law) Maggie Pierce (biological half - sister - in - law) Owen Hunt (brother - in - law) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> certifications </Th> <Td> M.D. F.A.C.S </Td> </Tr> <P> Derek Christopher Shepherd, M.D., also referred to as "McDreamy", is a fictional surgeon from the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actor Patrick Dempsey . He made his first appearance during "A Hard Day's Night", which was broadcast on March 27, 2005 . Derek was married to Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) for 12 years, before their divorce in 2006 . Before his death in 2015, Derek was happily married to his longtime girlfriend Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). The couple are often referred to as "Mer & Der" and they have three children together . Shepherd was formerly the Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, but abruptly resigned as chief in season 7 following the shooting . For his portrayal of Shepherd, Dempsey was nominated in 2006 and 2007 Golden Globe for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama for the role, and the 2006 SAG Award for the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series award . </P> <P> Derek arrives at Seattle Grace Hospital as the new Head of Neurosurgery from New York City . He is a Bowdoin College graduate and attended Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons alongside his childhood best friend Mark Sloan and ex-wife Addison Montgomery and Private Practice characters Naomi Bennett and Sam Bennett . Derek was a student of Dr. Richard Webber and was enticed to come with an "offer he couldn't refuse"--the position of Chief of Surgery, which he eventually turned down . He specializes in highly complex tumors and conditions of the brain and spine and came to Seattle Grace with a reputation for taking on "lost causes" and "impossible" cases that most of his peers would turn down . As an attending he is both well - liked and feared--well - liked by patients and his scrub nurses for his compassion and gentlemanly bedside manner and feared by interns and residents who are intimidated by his reputation and high standards . He is passionate about his job and has been known to expel staff or remove interns and residents (or at least threaten them) from his service for being disrespectful about patients or if he deems their attitude to be detrimental to his patient's well - being . </P>

When did derek shepherd leave grey's anatomy