I recall in the last month of grad school (I did my master's in library science), over 50% of the class was sick but still churning out their papers and seminars..and it was a hot August, that final month.

My undergrad is in English lit., so library science which requires mandatory courses in statistical analysis and a few other technical subjects, really meant I had to rewire my right-hand leaning brain. With the first job I had, for the first 4 months, my head literally ached. I think I had to get my brain seriously realigned and disciplined to undertake systems analysis, configure software and design databases.

But the career choice has given back to me alot.

By the way, polly, have you ever considered biomedical engineering or biomechanical engineering might be a more accurate term? I was a medical librarian in a rehabilitation hospital for the physical disabled. There were several specialized facilities where we worked. At the pediatric rehabiltitative care hospital beside ours, the hospital had a biomechanical engineering department that did design and research on artificial limbs, different types of wheelchairs for different disabilities, other mobility aids.. It would be a terrific way of applying mechanical engineering (and probably electrical engineering concepts) to greatly improve quality of life for others. I understand this line of engineering, does minimally draw engineering students at the master's level.

I also worked as a librarian in a fire protection library for almost a decade. We had 10 fire protection engineers, which drew engineers from: civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering disciplines...funnelled towards fire protection engineering design and life safety. There is no question, the tangible result for the engineers in helping others in fire and life safety.

Just hope you get hired by organizations that have an organizational mandate to help others. (Construction engineering companies aren't quite like that...I just finished a job for one.)