Capot,
Respectfully, you are missing the point here.
None of the responses denigrates or minimises the comparitive medical profession. I'm sure the vast majority agree that medical professionals are underpaid and endure long hours. If this was the logic and reasoning of Calder's very poorly researched article I'm also quite sure most pilots reading it would be nodding their heads in agreement.
However, Calder has slipped up and made a fool of himself among those who know what they are talking about regarding fatigue. It's onerous, as I'm quite certain it is among the medical profession.
Calder suggesting (falsely) that pilots have it so good does NOTHING to improve the lot of said medical profession. It merely continues to undermine and dis-respect pilot professionals' daily reality in the media.
For far too long we have turned the other cheek. Hence, useless hacks like Calder continue to find an outlet for their chip wrapper fodder.
As a profession, we need to do a far better job of holding folks like Calder accountable for such drivel. I can assure you of this; if a pilot or medical professional made such a simple mistake in detail our bosses would have our guts for garters (rightfully so). What professional "harm" is likely to befall Calder for such a clumsy attempt?
dd