 Muldaur was not required to audition for the role of Pulaski . Instead , she was given 15 VHS <unk> of the first season . She found it " very exciting " , noting it " got better and better and better " as she watched it . Christina <unk> was also considered for the part of Pulaski , a decision Berman described as " very tough " . Muldaur finally agreed to play the role , but asked Roddenberry to change the name of the character to Kate , which became Katherine . The character of Katherine Pulaski was modeled on Doctor Leonard McCoy from The Original Series . Like McCoy , Pulaski feared <unk> and disliked <unk> colleagues . The dynamic between McCoy and <unk> was revisited with the relationship between Pulaski and Lieutenant Commander Data . Muldaur believed that Roddenberry deliberately created the parallel between the two characters on the two shows . 
