this piece contains so much factual error that the validity of the whole colume is open to question.
1. His quote about US and Canadian income if far off. (I had been a physician in both). Family doctors get a lot more, and after paying insurance, other specialties might get less.

2. Those receiving such income typically are responsible for their own pension, easily 30 years or more. Neither does it carry any long term benefits eg health care/drug cost after retirement, which is major expenses.

3. north america, a place with the highest inequality index, is not a proper comparison sample. North america doctors command the highest income of all developed nations, with significant disparity when compared with others eg. the Common Market.

4. doctors there are responsible for their own continuing education with very strict requirement , which is not a small amount, or else one cannot renew his/her license.

Medical expenses are often used unnecessarily, it really is a free for charge market.
The medical profession's pay should be tied to its effort to contain unnecessary medical demand.