Cristina Yang

Grew up… without her biological father who died when she was 9 years old. He was in a fatal car accident, and Cristina was at the scene and did her best to stop his bleeding. Since then, she has dedicated herself toward the goal of becoming a healer, specifically a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Living… to be the best doctor in the nation. Cristina landed a spot at a prestigious internship program at Seattle Grace Hospital in Washington. It’s here that she’ll learn the skills she needs to become a celebrated surgeon.

Profession… surgical intern at Seattle Grace Hospital. Cristina isn’t content with simply being the best in her class at Stanford Medical School, she also wants to be the best at Seattle Grace. 

Interests… science. Cristina is a believer in the power of rationality and scientific thinking. Sometimes these beliefs get in the way of her relationships. Her strictly logical mind often prevents her from being able to empathize with friends, co-workers and even patients.

Relationship Status… single. Dr. Yang knows that she doesn’t have much time for a serious relationship, but she enjoys having fun too. Cristina is attracted to intelligence as much as or even more than good looks, and that’s what she wants to be appreciated for as well. As she once said, “Oh, screw ‘beautiful’! I’m brilliant! You wanna appease me, compliment my brain!” Maybe Seattle Grace’s chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Preston Burke, is man enough for the job.

Challenge… making friends. She’s always seen her colleagues as potential rivals rather than friends, but she’s got a chance to change that habit in her new job at Seattle Grace. She’s especially close to fellow intern Meredith Grey.

Personality… confident, strong, and always willing to speak her mind. Cristina is driven, hyper-intelligent, and ambitious. She knows that she’s got the ability to become the best doctor at Seattle Grace, and she’s not afraid to show off her talents. Whenever she accomplishes something, she sings her victory song: “You want to be me but you caaaan’t! You want to be me but you caaaan’t!”