taiwanese culture places a high value on education, and many taiwanese americans are very highly educated and hold advanced degrees from numerous prestigious universities around the united states. they often engage in high-end occupations such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, professors, and scientists. in addition, taiwanese americans occupy positions in the aerospace, defense, research, academic, and health care sectors. several distinguished academics, including nobel prize winners, are taiwanese americans. among taiwanese americans, medicine is regarded as particularly high status for historical reasons. during japanese rule (1895-1945), taiwanese were barred from politics and administration but were encouraged to become doctors and teachers, leading to this profession being regarded as a high status means of social advancement.