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Resumen: Los cuidados paliativos son «responsabilidad ética de los sistemas de salud». La OMS propone la educación médica de grado y posgrado como una dimensión para evaluar su desarrollo en un país. En Latinoamérica, solo el 15% de las facultades de medicina tienen una asignatura de Cuidados Paliativos. En Argentina no existe aún consenso sobre contenidos básicos en los currículos de grado en Medicina. Método: este estudio buscó consensuar cómo debe ser un currículo de grado en Medicina Paliativa en Argentina utilizando la metodología Delphi. Se recogieron datos sociodemográficos (2019–2020), profesión, años de experiencia, educación universitaria, contenidos temáticos, modalidad pedagógica, plan de estudios y carga horaria. El análisis cuantitativo se realizó utilizando porcentajes y valores medios para indicar el nivel de acuerdo en las escalas de 5 puntos. Los rangos intercuartílicos se calcularon para proporcionar indicadores de acuerdo y consenso. Se realizó el análisis temático de contenidos. Resultados: se convocaron 250 expertos, de los cuales 85 respondieron a 2 rondas de consulta. Se alcanzó un alto grado de acuerdo para proponer 10 recomendaciones generales, dinámicas, flexibles, adaptadas a diferentes contextos. El 98% consideró necesaria la enseñanza de los cuidados paliativos de manera transversal y sugirieron una asignatura específica contextualizada a situaciones de pacientes crónicos y en fin de vida. Sin embargo, se observó una tensión entre el modelo de formación tradicional y la educación basada en competencias. El aprendizaje experiencial es apropiado, pero se recomendó la unión de la teoría con la práctica. Conclusión: por primera vez en Argentina se convocó un consenso de expertos que definió un conjunto de recomendaciones sobre contenidos, metodología de enseñanza, ciclo académico y competencias en cuidados paliativos. Abstract: Palliative care is an “ethical responsibility of healthcare systems”. The WHO proposes undergraduate and postgraduate medical education as one dimension to assess its development in a country. In Latin America, 15% of medical schools have an undergraduate palliative care course. In Argentina, there is still no consensus on the essential content of undergraduate medical curricula. Method: This study sought to reach a consensus on what an undergraduate curriculum in palliative medicine should look like in Argentina using the Delphi methodology (2019–2020). Sociodemographic data, profession, years of experience, university education, thematic content, pedagogical modality, study plan and hourly load were collected. Quantitative analysis was performed using percentages and mean values to indicate the level of agreement on 5-point scales. Interquartile ranges were calculated to provide indicators of agreement and consensus. Thematic content analysis was carried out. Results: Two hundred fifty experts were convened, of whom 85 responded to two rounds of consultation. A high degree of agreement was reached on ten general, dynamic, and flexible recommendations adapted to different contexts. 98% considered it necessary to teach palliative care transversally and suggested a specific course contextualised to chronic patients and end-of-life situations. However, there was a tension between the traditional training model and competency-based education. Experiential learning is appropriate, but linking theory and practice was recommended. Conclusion: For the first time in Argentina, a consensus of experts was reached, which defined a set of recommendations on content, teaching methodology, academic cycle and competencies in palliative care.

About 75% of population will die from one or more chronic progressive diseases. From this projection WHO urged countries to devise strategies for strengthening palliative treatment as part of comprehensive care. In Catalonia, Spain, direct measurement of the prevalence of these patients with NECPAL CCOMS-ICO© tool was 1.5% of the population. This tool is an indicative, not dichotomous, quali-quantitative multifactorial evaluation to be completed by the treating physician. In Argentina there is no information on these patients. Our goal was to explore and characterize the proportion of chronically ill patients in palliative care needs, by NECPAL CCOMS-ICO© tool, in an accessible population of the City of Buenos Aires. General hospitals of the Health Region 2 (Piñero, álvarez and Santojanni) and its program areas were surveyed. In Health Region 1, we surveyed the Udaondo gastroenterology hospital. A total of 53 physicians (704 patients) were interviewed. It was identified that 29.5% of these patients were affected by advanced chronic diseases; 72.1% of them were NECPAL positive, younger (median 64) than in others studies, and more than 98% presented high levels of comorbidity. Palliative care demand (31.4%) and needs (52.7%) were recorded. Specific indicators of fragility, progression, severity and kind of chronic disease were described. The main finding was to identify, with an instrument not based on mortality that, in Buenos Aires City, 1 in 3 patients with chronic diseases could die in the next year and had palliative care needs.