An alternative to medicine?

Less than 10 per cent of the students who got A-level chemistry this year will have gone on to do a degree in the subject in the autumn. A large number instead chose medicine and veterinary science. A significant proportion opted for other science degrees, including engineering and IT, and some are doing arts and social science degrees, law, finance and business.    

While I would not suggest that all A-level chemistry students should go on to study the subject at university, surely the current numbers are of concern? The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) recently issued a dire warning for the British economy and the country's position as a world leader in technical and scientific advances unless the number of chemistry graduates in the UK increases. What can we do?