Sponsorship and Career Advancement for Asian Medical Faculty

What barriers do midlevel Asian faculty members face in achieving career advancement in academic medicine, and how is sponsorship perceived as a potential solution?In this qualitative study at a large academic medical center, 32 self-identified Asian or Asian American midlevel faculty members reported barriers, including cultural norms discouraging self-promotion, limited access to decision-makers, and unclear pathways to sponsorship. Although sponsorship was viewed as essential for advancement, fewer participants believed they had a sponsor after receiving a formal definition.These findings suggest that academic medical institutions may need intentional, relationship-centered sponsorship initiatives to address unique advancement challenges experienced by Asian faculty members and illuminate opaque leadership pathways.

Corresponding Author: Dale Sebastian, MBBS, MD, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, 300 George St, Ste 901, New Haven, CT 06511 (dale.sebastian@yale.edu).

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