Forging the "Bamboo Ceiling": A Narrative Review on the Impact to the Advancement of Asians, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Medicine.

Abstract

The "bamboo ceiling" encompasses the systemic barriers that limit upward mobility of Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in the professional setting. While having a broad reaching effect on many people in academic medicine, the bamboo ceiling is often considered to be of lower priority in the context of diversity and can be overlooked. In this review, we investigate the existing information on the bamboo ceiling, focusing on its origins, misconceptions, and manifestations especially as they pertain to the field of medicine. Disaggregating data on API populations would allow for greater understanding of the effects of the bamboo ceiling.