Identifying competencies for emergency medicine in Chile: Modified Delphi technique

Emergency Medicine (EM) in Latin America and other Spanish-speaking regions is in a stage of development, especially in Latin America and other Spanish speaker populations. Among challenges for further consolidation are the development of specialized scientific societies, research in the area and training of specialists according to local needs, aligned with international standards. In Chile, there are 14 EM training programmes that follow guidelines based on national and international documents, but there is no clear consensus regarding the minimum competencies that specialists in this discipline should achieve during their training programme. Objective: This study seeks to reach a consensus, through a panel of experts, on the minimum competencies that should be included in an EM curriculum in Chile. Method: A modified Delphi technique was used, selecting a panel of experts who were sent an online questionnaire on a list of minimum competences organized into 7 roles, based on international standards. Results: 2 rounds of questionnaires were carried out, with a response rate of 45.2% and 34.5% respectively, obtaining consensus on 197 out of 204 competencies. Conclusions: This consensus can serve as a basis for the development of training programmes in the country and can be adapted for other Spanish-speaking countries, serving as an impulse for the academic development of the EM in these regions.