Teddy Altman
Encyclopedia
Theodora "Teddy" Altman, is a fictional surgeon on the ABC
television series Grey's Anatomy
portrayed by actress Kim Raver
. She is the new cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital.
, completing her surgical residency at George Washington University Medical School
and her fellowship at the Mayo Clinic
in Florida. Working previously at Columbia as an attending physician, Dr. Altman left her job following the death of her best friend, who was killed during the collapse of the second tower.
Upon leaving her job, Dr. Altman joined the army and met Owen Hunt
during her tour in Baghdad. In episode 18 of the sixth season, "Suicide is Painless", more light is shed on the pre-Grey’s relationship of Teddy and Owen Hunt. While they had a fun, playful relationship, many of the officers were convinced of deeper feelings between the pair. When Owen’s unit was killed, and he was stranded in the desert, Teddy was one of the first on the scene. It was implied that she was heavily involved in the search for Owen.
, claiming her to be a "cardio goddess". Teddy later figures out that Owen brought her as a present for his girlfriend, appearing more surprised by the fact Cristina was his girlfriend. Initially excited at the prospects of a new cardio attending, Cristina becomes very disappointed and begins to constantly question Dr. Altman's abilities and skills as a surgeon after her concerns are ignored by Bailey and the Chief. However she becomes very impressed by Dr. Altman soon after diagnosing a child with cardiac asthma after only a brief exam and asking three questions, and when she opens him up and discovers he has a coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula
, which she repairs surgically and allows Cristina to first assist, allowing her to attach the coronary artery to the aorta. Following his removal from bypass, the patient goes into V-Fib and starts bleeding from the repair site. Dr. Altman remains extremely calm and talks Cristina through resolving the rhythm and repairing the site without rearresting the heart.
After admitting that she is very much in love with Owen, he tells her that he loves Cristina. She then assigns Cristina to her first solo cardio case. In the OR, Cristina struggles with the surgery and Teddy refuses to help her. Cristina eventually succeeds in the surgery but Owen questions her underlying motives in assigning such a difficult surgery and refusing to assist when the patient was coding. She is left speechless and decides to leave Seattle Grace. Cristina chases after her, begging her to stay, asking her what it would take to keep her here. She responds that she wants Owen and Cristina blurts out that she can take him, but to stay and teach her. Teddy agrees to stay, but Owen tells Cristina that she can't just let him go. They remain as a couple. Teddy doesn't want Cristina on her service. However, Teddy begins to miss how well Cristina performed on her service.
Towards the middle of the series Teddy becomes good friends with Arizona Robbins
.
In order to get over Owen, Arizona sets Teddy up with Mark Sloan. Teddy and Mark enjoy their relationship despite knowing that neither wants the other, they want Owen and Lexie respectively. Teddy and Mark break-up in "Shiny, Happy People", when Teddy walks in on Mark and Reed Adamson. She does not seem upset by this break-up due to the fact that they were never exclusive.
In episode 18, "Suicide is Painless", Teddy helps her patient to commit suicide, which is law in Washington State. However this creates tension with Owen Hunt who disagrees with Teddy helping to throw a woman’s life away.
Towards the end of the season, Teddy has to fight for her job as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Seattle Grace Mercy West. In ‘Hook, Line and Sinner’, Derek interviews other candidates for the position. Cristina asks Owen to put in a good word for Teddy; he does the opposite by telling Derek that she would land on her feet. Ultimately the other candidate refused to take the post and Teddy received a full time contract.
Throughout the season Owen Hunt was shown to be struggling with his feelings for Teddy despite his relationship with Cristina Yang. This comes to a head in "Shiny, Happy People" when Teddy finally learns that Owen betrayed her and tried to get Derek to give her job to another candidate. Teddy is shown to be hurt by Owen’s betrayal.
However in the season finale, "Sanctuary" and "Death and all his friends", Cristina Yang forces Owen to choose between herself and Teddy. Owen ultimately chooses Yang, understanding this Teddy helps Owen to get back into the hospital. Teddy is also shown to be an excellent teacher to Cristina Yang, and ultimately has equipped Cristina with the skills required to save the life of Derek Shepherd.
Later in the third episode, Dr. Perkins service with the hospital ends, handing over his remaining patients to Dr. Wyatt. This supposedly ends his relationship with Teddy, but not before saying that maybe the reason Teddy became attached, despite both intending to not become so, was because she falls for people whom are either otherwise engaged or only in town for a month.
In the fourth episode Jackson Avery
flirts with Teddy, but she rejects him. She tells him that he has the potential to be a great doctor, but he does not need to flirt to get ahead in life.
In episode 10, she meets Henry Burton, a patient with the rare genetic condition Von Hippel-Lindau disease
who can no longer afford to pay for his medical care. Teddy marries him in the following episode so that he can use her health insurance. She only comes to appreciate the gravity of this decision in the next episode, when Henry suffers a near fatal complication of his illness. Teddy discovers that he has listed her as his emergency contact and is forced to make a life-or-death decision regarding his care, not as his doctor but as his wife. Though the newly-weds both maintain that theirs is a simple marriage of convenience, and Teddy continues to date men other than Henry, there are hints that they have deeper feelings for each other. While high on painkillers, Henry confesses his feelings for Teddy, but she tells him she doesn't feel the same way.
In the episode "Song Beneath the Song," Teddy tells Cristina that she can no longer teach her after Cristina does a surgery on Callie Torres
that she opposed. Teddy clarifies her reasoning to Owen in "White Wedding" when she says that Cristina is 'dangerous' at the moment and overly confident, that she 'got lucky' with Callie. She asks Owen if Cristina could handle possibly killing Callie Torres or someone else and tells him that she'll keep Cristina off her service until she feels Cristina is ready to return. Later in the episode Teddy's on and off boyfriend Andrew Perkins returns and asks her to go with him to Germany and work at a hospital there. Teddy tells Henry Burton that she decided to go to Germany with Dr. Perkins, which prompts Burton to ask a divorce from Teddy. She agrees and implies Burton does not need her any longer because he has his old job back and his own insurance. In the season finale Teddy decides against her earlier decision to go to Germany along with Dr. Perkins and decides to stay back with Henry. She tells Henry that he is her husband and has started to fall in love with him.
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television series Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
portrayed by actress Kim Raver
Kim Raver
Kimberly Jayne "Kim" Raver is an American actress.She is best known for her numerous roles on TV: as Kim Zambrano on Third Watch, Audrey Raines on 24, Nico Reilly on Lipstick Jungle, and, most recently, Teddy Altman on Grey's Anatomy.-Personal life:Raver was raised in New York City by her mother,...
. She is the new cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital.
Background
Dr. Altman attended University of Texas Southwestern Medical CenterUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center is one of the biomedical research institutions of the University of Texas System, incorporating three degree-granting institutions, four affiliated hospitals, including Parkland Memorial, the teaching hospital, and biomedical research...
, completing her surgical residency at George Washington University Medical School
George Washington University Medical School
The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences was established in 1824 due to the need for doctors in the District of Columbia but formally opened its doors a year later in 1825. It is the eleventh oldest medical school in the country and the first medical school...
and her fellowship at the Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
in Florida. Working previously at Columbia as an attending physician, Dr. Altman left her job following the death of her best friend, who was killed during the collapse of the second tower.
Upon leaving her job, Dr. Altman joined the army and met Owen Hunt
Owen Hunt
Owen Hunt is a fictional character on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by Kevin McKidd. He was introduced in season five as a US Army trauma surgeon who served in war-torn Iraq, and consequently joins Seattle Grace to teach medicine as a surgical attending, sometimes with...
during her tour in Baghdad. In episode 18 of the sixth season, "Suicide is Painless", more light is shed on the pre-Grey’s relationship of Teddy and Owen Hunt. While they had a fun, playful relationship, many of the officers were convinced of deeper feelings between the pair. When Owen’s unit was killed, and he was stranded in the desert, Teddy was one of the first on the scene. It was implied that she was heavily involved in the search for Owen.
Season Six
Owen brings her to Seattle Grace-Mercy West as a present for Cristina YangCristina Yang
Cristina Yang is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy. The character is portrayed by actress Sandra Oh, who won a Golden Globe and a SAG Award in 2006 for the role...
, claiming her to be a "cardio goddess". Teddy later figures out that Owen brought her as a present for his girlfriend, appearing more surprised by the fact Cristina was his girlfriend. Initially excited at the prospects of a new cardio attending, Cristina becomes very disappointed and begins to constantly question Dr. Altman's abilities and skills as a surgeon after her concerns are ignored by Bailey and the Chief. However she becomes very impressed by Dr. Altman soon after diagnosing a child with cardiac asthma after only a brief exam and asking three questions, and when she opens him up and discovers he has a coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula
Fistula
In medicine, a fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between two epithelium-lined organs or vessels that normally do not connect. It is generally a disease condition, but a fistula may be surgically created for therapeutic reasons.-Locations:Fistulas can develop in various parts of the...
, which she repairs surgically and allows Cristina to first assist, allowing her to attach the coronary artery to the aorta. Following his removal from bypass, the patient goes into V-Fib and starts bleeding from the repair site. Dr. Altman remains extremely calm and talks Cristina through resolving the rhythm and repairing the site without rearresting the heart.
After admitting that she is very much in love with Owen, he tells her that he loves Cristina. She then assigns Cristina to her first solo cardio case. In the OR, Cristina struggles with the surgery and Teddy refuses to help her. Cristina eventually succeeds in the surgery but Owen questions her underlying motives in assigning such a difficult surgery and refusing to assist when the patient was coding. She is left speechless and decides to leave Seattle Grace. Cristina chases after her, begging her to stay, asking her what it would take to keep her here. She responds that she wants Owen and Cristina blurts out that she can take him, but to stay and teach her. Teddy agrees to stay, but Owen tells Cristina that she can't just let him go. They remain as a couple. Teddy doesn't want Cristina on her service. However, Teddy begins to miss how well Cristina performed on her service.
Towards the middle of the series Teddy becomes good friends with Arizona Robbins
Arizona Robbins
Arizona Robbins is a fictional character on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by Jessica Capshaw. She was introduced in the show's fifth season as an attending surgeon and the new head of pediatric surgery.Originally contracted to appear in three episodes, Capshaw's contract was...
.
In order to get over Owen, Arizona sets Teddy up with Mark Sloan. Teddy and Mark enjoy their relationship despite knowing that neither wants the other, they want Owen and Lexie respectively. Teddy and Mark break-up in "Shiny, Happy People", when Teddy walks in on Mark and Reed Adamson. She does not seem upset by this break-up due to the fact that they were never exclusive.
In episode 18, "Suicide is Painless", Teddy helps her patient to commit suicide, which is law in Washington State. However this creates tension with Owen Hunt who disagrees with Teddy helping to throw a woman’s life away.
Towards the end of the season, Teddy has to fight for her job as Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Seattle Grace Mercy West. In ‘Hook, Line and Sinner’, Derek interviews other candidates for the position. Cristina asks Owen to put in a good word for Teddy; he does the opposite by telling Derek that she would land on her feet. Ultimately the other candidate refused to take the post and Teddy received a full time contract.
Throughout the season Owen Hunt was shown to be struggling with his feelings for Teddy despite his relationship with Cristina Yang. This comes to a head in "Shiny, Happy People" when Teddy finally learns that Owen betrayed her and tried to get Derek to give her job to another candidate. Teddy is shown to be hurt by Owen’s betrayal.
However in the season finale, "Sanctuary" and "Death and all his friends", Cristina Yang forces Owen to choose between herself and Teddy. Owen ultimately chooses Yang, understanding this Teddy helps Owen to get back into the hospital. Teddy is also shown to be an excellent teacher to Cristina Yang, and ultimately has equipped Cristina with the skills required to save the life of Derek Shepherd.
Season Seven
On the season seven's premiere, Teddy is over Owen and in a relationship with Dr. Andrew Perkins. In the second episode of the season Teddy worries that Andrew may not like her because she talks too much, but he tells her at the end of the episode that it does not bother him at all.Later in the third episode, Dr. Perkins service with the hospital ends, handing over his remaining patients to Dr. Wyatt. This supposedly ends his relationship with Teddy, but not before saying that maybe the reason Teddy became attached, despite both intending to not become so, was because she falls for people whom are either otherwise engaged or only in town for a month.
In the fourth episode Jackson Avery
Jackson Avery
Jackson Avery is a fictional surgeon on the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by Jesse Williams. He was a recurring character in the sixth season before being made an official series regular for season seven...
flirts with Teddy, but she rejects him. She tells him that he has the potential to be a great doctor, but he does not need to flirt to get ahead in life.
In episode 10, she meets Henry Burton, a patient with the rare genetic condition Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Von Hippel-Lindau disease
Von Hippel–Lindau is a rare, autosomal dominant genetic condition in which hemangioblastomas are found in the cerebellum, spinal cord, kidney and retina. These are associated with several pathologies including renal angioma, renal cell carcinoma and pheochromocytoma...
who can no longer afford to pay for his medical care. Teddy marries him in the following episode so that he can use her health insurance. She only comes to appreciate the gravity of this decision in the next episode, when Henry suffers a near fatal complication of his illness. Teddy discovers that he has listed her as his emergency contact and is forced to make a life-or-death decision regarding his care, not as his doctor but as his wife. Though the newly-weds both maintain that theirs is a simple marriage of convenience, and Teddy continues to date men other than Henry, there are hints that they have deeper feelings for each other. While high on painkillers, Henry confesses his feelings for Teddy, but she tells him she doesn't feel the same way.
In the episode "Song Beneath the Song," Teddy tells Cristina that she can no longer teach her after Cristina does a surgery on Callie Torres
Callie Torres
Calliope Iphegenia "Callie" Torres, M.D., is a fictional character from the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, portrayed by actress Sara Ramírez...
that she opposed. Teddy clarifies her reasoning to Owen in "White Wedding" when she says that Cristina is 'dangerous' at the moment and overly confident, that she 'got lucky' with Callie. She asks Owen if Cristina could handle possibly killing Callie Torres or someone else and tells him that she'll keep Cristina off her service until she feels Cristina is ready to return. Later in the episode Teddy's on and off boyfriend Andrew Perkins returns and asks her to go with him to Germany and work at a hospital there. Teddy tells Henry Burton that she decided to go to Germany with Dr. Perkins, which prompts Burton to ask a divorce from Teddy. She agrees and implies Burton does not need her any longer because he has his old job back and his own insurance. In the season finale Teddy decides against her earlier decision to go to Germany along with Dr. Perkins and decides to stay back with Henry. She tells Henry that he is her husband and has started to fall in love with him.
External links
- Grey's Anatomy at ABC.com