Dr. Altman attended University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, completing her surgical residency at George Washington University Medical School and her fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. Working previously at Columbia (presumably Columbia University Medical Center) 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.

Season Six

Owen brings her to Seattle Grace-Mercy West as a present for Cristina Yang, 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 Christina. She then assigns Christina to her first solo cardio case. In the OR, Christina struggles with the surgery and Teddy refuses to help her. Christina 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. Christina chases after her, begging her to stay, asking her what it would it take to keep her here. She responds that she wants Owen and Christina 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 was on her service.