Masumeh Saeidi Medical Education Bulletin 2783-1809 7 1 2026 06 01 Burnout Among Oncology Residents: From Individual Burden to Educational Responsibility 1275 1278 251266 10.22034/meb.2026.598286.1139 EN Zahra Rezaei Borojerdi Medical Oncologist, Hematologist, and Stem Cell Transplantation Specialist, Department of Hematology and Oncology, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 0000-0002-8027-0646 Journal Article 2026 08 20 Burnout is a major occupational and educational challenge among medical residents, characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Long working hours, frequent on-call duties, increasing clinical responsibilities, and assessment pressures place residents at considerable risk, with potential consequences for learning, clinical decision-making, patient safety, and workforce retention. Oncology and radiation oncology residents face additional emotional and ethical burdens due to repeated exposure to cancer-related suffering, treatment complications, poor prognoses, and death.<br>Individual-focused interventions alone often yield limited and short-lived effects. This letter argues that burnout among oncology residents should not be framed as an individual failure of resilience but as an indicator of the educational environment and a matter of educational accountability. In Iran, structural health-system constraints and the stigma surrounding mental health may further intensify this burden. Confidential burnout monitoring, accessible mental health support, Balint groups, and organizational reforms should be integrated into oncology residency training to safeguard both trainee well-being and the quality of cancer care. https://www.medicaleducation-bulletin.ir/article_251266_84732c6cd677cadb59bca480e458a91c.pdf