WISE: A Support Group for Graduate and Post-Graduate Women in STEM.

Women remain underrepresented in many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) support groups were developed in 2001 as an intervention to foster community in graduate and postgraduate women in STEM at a large academic research institution. Since the WISE program's inception, over 1,500 women have participated. From 2011 to 2018, anonymous, voluntary surveys were distributed at the end of every academic year to WISE group members. Surveys consisted of quantitative and qualitative data regarding participants' perceptions of and experiences in the WISE groups. From 2011 to 2018, 76.4% of survey respondents (n = 416) reported that WISE groups were an excellent experience overall. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data demonstrated four major benefits of WISE group participation: creation of community, having a safe space, emotional support, and peer mentorship. Suggestions for improvement included increasing access to groups. The WISE group program was a well-liked intervention that may support graduate and postgraduate women in STEM. Study limitations, as well as implications for future research, practice, and advocacy are noted.

An Intervention in Social Connection: Medical Student Reflection Groups.

OBJECTIVE: Rates of medical student depression and suicide are higher than aged-matched peers. Although medical schools have implemented wellness interventions, no program has reported on interventions targeting social support. As one potential intervention, reflection groups for medical students led by psychiatry residents were designed and implemented. It was hypothesized that groups would encourage connectedness among peers, teach coping and emotional self-awareness skills, increase empathy, and decrease loneliness. METHODS: Voluntary, biweekly support groups were implemented between 2017 and 2018 at Stanford University School of Medicine for first- and second-year medical students. Participants were surveyed at baseline and 6 months. Surveys included qualitative assessments of groups and validated surveys to assess empathy, wellness, and loneliness. Separate surveys assessed attrition. Analyses included statistical analyses (descriptive statistics) and thematic analysis. RESULTS: In both cohorts, a total number of 30 students participated in groups, and 18 completed post-surveys. Students reported groups improved well-being (55.6% strongly agreed, 27.8% agreed), enhanced self-awareness (44.4% strongly agreed, 38.9% agreed) and ability to empathize (50.0% strongly agreed, 27.8% agreed), and promoted connection (61.1% strongly agreed, 33.3% agreed). Initial attrition was high, with 84% of students not continuing due to feeling too overwhelmed by classes. CONCLUSIONS: Thematic analysis demonstrated groups may benefit students in improving impostor syndrome and connection with others (decreased loneliness), allowing exposure and tolerance to diverse perspectives, increasing insight into the importance of self-care and emotional self-awareness, allowing practice for collaborative skills, and increasing thoughtful approaches to patient care. There is preliminary evidence reflection groups may be a feasible, effective intervention to improve loneliness and social belonging in medical school.

Thalamic microinfusion of antibody to a voltage-gated potassium channel restores consciousness during anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: The Drosophila Shaker mutant fruit-fly, with its malfunctioning voltage-gated potassium channel, exhibits anesthetic requirements that are more than twice normal. Shaker mutants with an abnormal Kv1.2 channel also demonstrate significantly reduced sleep. Given the important role the thalamus plays in both sleep and arousal, the authors investigated whether localized central medial thalamic (CMT) microinfusion of an antibody designed to block the pore of the Kv1.2 channel might awaken anesthetized rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with a cannula aimed at the CMT or lateral thalamus. One week later, unconsciousness was induced with either desflurane (3.6 +/- 0.2%; n = 55) or sevoflurane (1.2 +/- 0.1%; n = 51). Arousal effects of a single 0.5-microl infusion of Kv1.2 potassium channel blocking antibody (0.1- 0.2 mg/ml) or a control infusion of Arc-protein antibody (0.2 mg/ml) were then determined. RESULTS: The Kv1.2 antibody, but not the control antibody, temporarily restored consciousness in 17% of all animals and in 75% of those animals where infusions occurred within the CMT (P < 0.01 for each anesthetic). Lateral thalamic infusions showed no effects. Consciousness returned on average (+/- SD) 170 +/- 99 s after infusion and lasted a median time of 398 s (interquartile range: 279-510 s). Temporary seizures, without apparent consciousness, predominated in 33% of all animals. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the idea that the CMT plays a role in modulating levels of arousal during anesthesia and further suggest that voltage-gated potassium channels in the CMT may contribute to regulating arousal or may even be relevant targets of anesthetic action.