Piedmont Technical College helps Chloe Cox reach her goals

Chloe Cox’s goal of a career in healthcare is personal. When she was in high school, her grandmother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Spending time with her grandmother and observing her care made Cox realize she wanted to work with the elderly and, specifically, with Alzheimer’s patients.

During her freshman year at Greenwood High School, Cox began taking health science classes at the G. Frank Russell Technology Center. As a high school junior, she enrolled in the Health Care Quick Start Program at Piedmont Technical College (PTC). This Dual Enrollment program allowed her to take college courses tuition-free while in high school.

Cox said she took classes including introductory English, math and science courses. By the time she graduated from high school, she had earned 34 college credits and was able to enroll in Clemson University as a sophomore.

“I started Clemson in fall of 2021 as an anthropology major with a minor in life sciences,” Cox said. “All of the classes I took at PTC gave me a great start in the program and saved me a lot on my college education.”

Cox enjoyed her classes at Clemson, especially those focused on biological anthropology. One highlight was traveling to Hungary for a field study analyzing ancient human skeletons at the University of Szeged. The university houses skeletal remains dating back to the Neolithic period and students collected and analyzed data on skeletons from one collection, deciphering factors including their age of death, gender and cause of death.

“We looked at skeletons that were 5,000 and 8,000 years old,” Cox said. “One of the skeletons I studied was a 2-year-old who had meningitis and scurvy.” 

Cox graduated from Clemson in 2024 with a career goal in sight, to become a physician assistant (PA). She has returned to PTC to prepare to apply for Master of Physician Assistant programs. 

“I had met a PA through my grandmother and realized this is the career I want,” Cox said. “Becoming a PA will allow me to specialize, and opens up the possibilities of research or a Ph.D.”

In January, Cox began PTC’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certificate program. The one-semester program includes coursework in basic first aid and emergency medical care. The practical nature of the program will allow Cox to earn her EMT license and CPR certification and will give her the patient-contact hours she needs to become an EMT and to apply to graduate school. 

“The EMT program gives students the basic knowledge of common medical and trauma emergencies and the methods to treat them,” said instructor Nick Edwards, who is himself a full-time paramedic with Anderson County EMS. “It also provides them with the basic knowledge of the skills needed to treat patients in the field such as checking blood pressures, performing CPR and splinting injuries. Even though the course provides them with basic knowledge, we like to say that the real learning happens after they start working and treating patients.

“As part of our EMT program, each student is required to complete a field internship,” Edwards said. He requires students to complete at least 36 hours in their field internship, way above the 10 patient-contact hours required by the state Department of Public Health.
Edwards says that in Cox's case, the EMT program is a great stepping-stone to becoming a PA. 

“Not only does the program allow students to learn how to interact with and treat patients, but it also allows them to experience how EMS operates in the field and gives them more understanding towards EMS crews when they are assuming patient care from them in the emergency room setting,” he said.

Cox said she loves the practical nature of the program.

“It’s been great to be back in school and to be focused on attaining my career goals,” she said. 

“From when I was a Dual Enrollment student in high school to now, PTC has been instrumental in helping me reach my goals.”