Silos have one purpose: storage. On a farm, they store grain. For the military, they store arms. They have no windows. They don't need them. The only connection to the outside world is when their contents are removed for use.
We talk about silos in education to show the separation that, all too often, exists between disciplines.
For a number of years, I served on an advisory council for liberal arts while I taught in a professional program for physician assistant students. That may seem like a strange combination but I don't believe in educational silos. Maybe that's because my background, prior to studying medicine, was much more focused on the arts and the social sciences than biological and chemical sciences. That diverse background has served me well as both a medical provider and an educator.
Students with a background in English Literature or Public Health, students from diverse backgrounds, students who have experienced homelessness all bring unique perspectives that enrich their cohort and their patient care.
While most of my work now deals with feasibility, trouble shooting, and spotlighting potential challenges for new and existing programs, I relish the opportunity to escort people out of their silos, out of their comfort zones and into a broader context of humanity through experiential learning. Those are the lessons that can't be taught in the classroom. Let's abandon the silos and open the windows.
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