There was a time when so-called French intellectuals were valued. Specifically, people who LEARNED and KNEW a bit about a lot of things. Not much depth in anything. Very interesting dinner guests. And amazing pseudo-intellectuals.
What we have created in the US, as far as this topic, is kind of like pea-soup. You know it is at boil because, well, it appears to be, and because of the infrequent little bubbling on top. To be clear, it may be awesome pea-soup. But: that is all it is. Hardly a meal.
The vertiginously degrading upper education paradigm in the US has and continues to turn out the best at what I term HAUTE.EDU.
The “arcane” disciplines referenced in this question, e.g. doctors, engineers, lawyers, are all pea-soup. By and large, entirely boring on any topic other than their professed competency. Of course, we now have all manner of college and university study courses that range from incomprehensible to insipid to infuriating to groundwork for social upheaval. Those graduates might find jobs with major businesses who are entirely abandoning meritocracy for the benefit of political correctness. Otherwise, retail clerical is in their future. Stop that! Nothing disparaging about retail clerical! Trust that some years, I really yearned for one of those fine jobs.
Thus, why teach any fundamentals? Damned be the talking-heads who confuse advertising and marketing with sales. Such an archaic idea: teach people how to sell!