See How the ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Cast Has Changed Since Their First Seasons (PHOTOS)

Ellen Pompeo on 'Grey's Anatomy'
Ron Tom/ABC

With Grey’s Anatomy romping through its 19th season, it can be hard to picture our favorite TV surgeons when they were first introduced.

Throughout these wonderful 19 years, we have seen a myriad of characters walk in and out of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (formerly Seattle Grace, then Seattle Grace Mercy West). We have celebrated their successes and cried at their losses. From day-one stars like Sandra Oh (Dr. Christina Yang) and Patrick Dempsey (Dr. Derek Shepherd) to current favorites like Camilla Luddington (Dr. Jo Wilson) to those still around from the beginning like Chandra Wilson (Dr. Miranda Bailey) and James Pickens Jr. (Dr. Richard Webber), we miss those we’ve had to say goodbye to terribly, and we cherish those we haven’t.

This season, we are faced with the loss of the series’ leading lady, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), who is moving to Boston with her daughter, Zola (Aniela Gumbs), both to get Zola the best possible education and to embark on a study to cure Alzheimer’s. As a send-off for Pompeo, we are taking a trip down memory lane, reminiscing on these stars’ introductory seasons compared to their latest.

Grey’s Anatomy, Season 19, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC

Ellen Pompeo in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
Ron Tom/Everett Collection

Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey in Season 1

Ellen Pompeo in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey in Season 19

Chandra Wilson in Grey's Anatomy - Season 1

Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey in Season 1

Chandra Wilson in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey in Season 19

James Pickens, Jr. in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
ABC

James Pickens, Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber in Season 1

James Pickens, Jr. in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

James Pickens, Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber in Season 19

Patrick Dempsey in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
Scott Garfield/Everett Collection

Patrick Dempsey as Dr. Derek Shepherd in Season 1

Patrick Dempsey in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 17
ABC

Patrick Dempsey as Dr. Derek Shepherd in Season 17

Justin Chambers in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
ABC

Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev in Season 1

Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 16
ABC

Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev in Season 16

Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
ABC

Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang in Season 1

Sandra Oh in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 10
Kelsey McNeal/Everett Collection

Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang in Season 10

Chandra Wilson and Isaiah Washington in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
Scott Garfield/Everett Collection

Isaiah Washington as Dr. Preston Burke in Season 1

Isaiah Washington in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 10
ABC

Isaiah Washington as Dr. Preston Burke in Season 10

Katherine Heigl in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 1
ABC

Katherine Heigl as Dr. Izzie Stevens in Season 1

Katherine Heigl in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 6
ABC

Katherine Heigl as Dr. Izzie Stevens in Season 6

GREY'S ANATOMY - T.R. Knight
FRANK OCKENFELS/ABC

T.R. Knight as Dr. George O'Malley in Season 1

T.R. Knight in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 5
ABC

T.R. Knight as Dr. George O'Malley in Season 5

Kevin McKidd in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 5
Eric McCandless/Everett Collection

Kevin McKidd as Dr. Owen Hunt in Season 5

Kevin McKidd in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Kevin McKidd as Dr. Owen Hunt in Season 19

Kim Raver in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 6
Randy Holmes/Everett Collection

Kim Raver as Dr. Teddy Altman in Season 6

Kim Raver in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Kim Raver as Dr. Teddy Altman in Season 19

Catarina Scorsone in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 7
ABC

Catarina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd in Season 7

Caterina Scorsone in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Caterina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd in Season 19

Camilla Luddington in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 9
ABC

Camilla Luddington as Dr. Jo Wilson in Season 9

Camilla Luddington in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Camilla Luddington as Dr. Jo Wilson in Season 19

Kelly McCreary in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 10
ABC

Kelly McCreary as Dr. Maggie Pierce in Season 10

Kelly McCreary in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Kelly McCreary as Dr. Maggie Pierce in Season 19

Chris Carmack in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 15
ABC

Chris Carmack as Dr. Atticus Lincoln in Season 15

Chris Carmack in 'Grey's Anatomy' Season 19
ABC

Chris Carmack as Dr. Atticus Lincoln in Season 19