This is very distressing, though difficult to change except through real efforts to popularize science - to allow a broader audience to understand the appeal and excitement in figuring out why the world works the way it does. Cutting-edge research is increasingly interdisciplinary, and most traditional science education doesn't reflect that. Some of the most exciting science getting done today involves disciplines ranging from physics, chemistry, materials science, molecular biology, and electrical engineering. Educationally, however, walls between these disciplines remain extremely tall and difficult to surmount. In particular, much more could be done at early stages of physics education to point out current exciting research that touches on many areas of expertise.
Scientists generally do a lousy job conveying the relevance of their work.
We need to do a better job conveying, both to our students and to the general populace, the motivation behind the work we're presenting. I think one reason so many people drop out of physics programs is that they are forced to sit through two years of very old, very dry stuff without much explanation of why these fundamentals are important and interesting. Again, tough to change overall, but worth thinking about.