In that ER center, the scheduling of ER Doctors was done manually, by one of the ER doctors. Of course not the most senior doctor. But not the most junior doctor either, cause that doctor will be bullied into giving someone a preferred schedule. So the job was given to one of the junior doctors, like 3rd or 4th newest doctor out of about 15 ER doctors.
These are doctors with big egos and with family, and all have legitimate reasons not to work certain days/nights/shifts.
And this new, young ER doctor starting out his career confessed coming up with the weekly schedule to satisfy as many of the doctors as possible was the MOST stressful aspect of his job. And this is an ER doctor we are talking about. Granted he worked in a hospital in a suburb so not as many shootings/etc. I thought that was hilarious to hear.