Cristina Yang leaves Grey's Anatomy at the end of Season 10, which aired in 2014. Her character departs to take a prestigious job in Zurich, Switzerland, offered by Preston Burke, becoming the head of a cardiothoracic surgery department there. Sandra Oh, the actress who played Cristina, chose to leave the show because she felt creatively ready to move on after giving her best to the role. Cristina's exit was written as a positive career move, allowing her to leave on a high note rather than through a dramatic or tragic event.
The Season 10 finale titled "Fear (Of the Unknown)" shows Cristina saying emotional goodbyes, especially to Meredith Grey, and then leaving for Zurich. The farewell was fitting for her ambitious character and left the door open for the character's future off-screen success.
