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The Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning (CAT) provides the possibility to host visiting academics as Educational Visiting Scholars at Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��. During their visit the scholars are considered members of the CAT community and they will have numerous opportunities to engage with UU staff as well to participate in CAT activities. At the beginning of September we had the wonderful opportunity to host from . She visited prof. dr. Olle ten Cate at UMCU to learn more about interprofessional learning. To learn more about her stay and experience we asked her some questions.

Maura Polansky PhD

• Department: Adjunct Associate Professor of Health, Human Function and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Research interests: Health professions education and collaborative medical practice.

Why did you want to visit the Centre for Academic Teaching and the UU?

“I am an educator and scholar in health professions education. I am spending this year learning about others in the field internationally. I have been familiar with the PhD program previously led by Olle ten Cate for a number of years and wanted to learn more about the new PhD program in Life Sciences under Marieke van der Schaaf. I wanted to also expand my network in the field that might lead to future collaborations.”

What is the most important thing you learned during your visit and what will you take into your work?

“The PhD degree process in the Netherlands is very different from the US (of which I was already aware). However, I have come to better understand the potential benefits and challenges of these two models. Understanding these differences may help me to design new programs (or adapt existing ones) to better meet the learning needs of students.”

What would you recommend to a next visiting scholar?

“I think it is helpful to have some specific aims in mind before coming, but to also be open to exploring new opportunities which might arise from those you meet.”