<p>One of the notable things about the United States is that we, unlike residents of lots of other countries, are largely not "locked’ into a social class and careers by birth. We have the opportunity to change our careers should we choose to work and do so. This flexibility is indeed a luxury. Acquaintances from the UK have remarked on this. It was not something I had ever thought of until they brought it up.</p>
<p>I have a BA in Anthropology (with a secondary level teaching certificate), started grad school working for an MA in Asian Studies and ended up with an MPH in Health Care Planning and Administration and a certificate in Urban Planning, worked in health care for 10 years, and then went to law school. Currently a partner in a law firm in private practice for the past 20 years. Purely serendipitous. Never thought of, much less planned on, being an attorney.</p>
<p>My wife, similarly, is an accidental physician. She has a Bio UG, an MS in Zoology and an MPH in Environmental Management. Several years later, medical school seemed like a good idea at the time. I went back to law school when she completed her residency and went into private practice. Seemed like a good idea at the time.</p>
<p>I have a college friend who was an English major, got his MFA and his PhD and was on tenure track in the English department at a major university. A published author. Decided he really wanted to be a physician after all. Took several years of premed classes, and applied to medical schools. He’s now in practice (a gerontologist I believe) and recently published a well received book of short stories. I have another college friend who was an English and Philosophy major (graduated summa) and later became a petroleum engineer. I can think of numerous other examples.</p>
<p>Certainly for professional programs, your undergraduate major needn’t materially restrict your opportunities. As others have noted, you may need to make up some prerequisites, but it is indeed possible to jump to another discipline or career should you choose to do so and if you are willing to do the work to get there.</p>