>The CAA degree seems like such a huge departure from your prior education and degree.

Part of why CAA interested me is it's not actually a big departure from my previous education. I spent my first two years on the ChemE path, which means I have all the chemistry reqs required. I did two semester of biology as an elective too, and of course have all the math (calc, stats) and physics reqs finished. I was surprised when looking at the prereqs that for most CAA programs I'm only missing an anatomy & physiology course, which would be fairly easy to get and I'd actually look forward to the chance to boost my GPA a bit.

I have no experience working in the healthcare industry but do have an interest in it. I won't dive into my justifications but I think it's a field I could enjoy.