Breaking the bamboo ceiling: Empowering Asian pharmacy students for leadership

Despite representing over 20 % of pharmacy students, Asian and Pacific Islander (API) remain underrepresented in leadership positions in the United States. This article examines barriers API pharmacy students face in pursuing leadership roles and offers strategies to navigate these challenges. Stereotypical assumptions that API students are “quiet and passive” may hinder their advancement to leadership and create a bamboo ceiling that limits their progress. As a result, they may feel the need to detach from their ethnic identity to achieve leadership success, which may lead to immense stress and pressure. Pharmacy schools and professional organizations can provide targeted support by understanding the barriers to leadership, emphasizing leadership styles compatible with API cultural values, and promoting mentorship. This article highlights the opportunities for API pharmacy students to overcome aforementioned challenges and actuate their leadership potential. •Asians and Pacific Islanders (API) are underrepresented in leadership roles.•Historical internal cultural values and external stereotyping may hinder APIs developing leadership skills.•Increased Asian role models and leadership development is needed.