Empathy is a relevant competence in the study and practice of medicine whose development could depend on the functioning style of each family. This study aims to compare the distribution of empathy levels, about functionality or dysfunction, and the three styles, which can be derived from family functioning in the families of Argentine medical students. Previously providing evidence of the validity of the family functioning measure. As well as provide evidence of the validity of the measure of family functioning. Methods: Ex post facto design: 306 Argentine medical students who had already taken the Jefferson Scale of Empathy—Spanish Edition (JSE-S) and the abbreviated Spanish Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-20). A gender-weighted linear regression analysis was made, establishing an ANOVA and multiple comparisons via DMS to determine the effect of functional and dysfunctional families’ balanced, intermediate and extreme functioning styles concerning empathy. Results: Students who presented dysfunction in familial cohesion and adaptability showed measures of empathy greater than those classified as functional. Differences of cohesion were statistically significant in compassionate care, perspective taking and general empathy. These components were significantly higher in students from families classified as extreme than balanced ones. Students classified within families with either extreme or dysfunctional styles showed greater levels of empathy than more adaptive and functional ones, except in the ‘walking in patient’s shoes’ component where differences were not observed. Conclusions: Individual resilience as an intervening variable in the presence of empathy is discussed. Implications: The study of empathy, its associated variables, and the conditions of its development remains a central theme in relation to students and professionals of the health sciences. To achieve an effective professional practice, it is necessary to develop human capacities such as empathy and personal resilience.

Physicians' empathy is an advantage for a better patient care and resolution of disease, and is considered a relevant part of professional training. To measure the level of empathy and its components in medical students of the city of Córdoba, Argentina. This was an exploratory, cross-sectional study. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy was administered, in its Spanish version for health sciences students (version S), validated in Mexico and Chile, and culturally adapted to Argentina based on experts' opinion. A two-factor analysis of variance (model III) was used to assess mean differences between sexes and school years, and the interaction between these factors. 306/497 students from first through fifth year assessed in November 2016. The sample was stratified by school year and sex. Significant differences were observed in overall empathy and in compassionate care in both factors. These differences increased over the years (higher among fifth year students and lower among first year ones), and women showed higher values than men in terms of empathy and compassionate care. Overall empathy, and the compassionate care component specifically, increased from first through fifth year (and were higher among women compared to men), which evidenced the progressive development of the affective component of empathy. The percentage of development of overall empathy and the cognitive components showed little progression.