The article describes the signs of the phenomenon of emotional burnout and presents the features of emotional burnout of oncologists. It is shown that most oncologists are characterized by burnout during the "resistance" phase. Resistance is a psychological defense developed by a person in response to increasing stress during work and expressed in a tendency to limit emotional contact with patients. It is shown that for an effective interaction with a cancer patient, a doctor must observe professional boundaries. Professional boundaries allow the doctor not to avoid contact with the oncological patient, and not to overly immerse himself in the patient's experiences. The authors point out the need for professional psychological training of an oncologist.