RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Medical residents can offer ideas for new information services, as most of them are 'digital natives', although reviews of the use of social media in health care settings do not provide data on their information behaviour. OBJECTIVE: A scoping review aimed at providing a research map for the information behaviour of medical residents and their use of social media, listing the aspects of the information behaviour studied and the theories and methods used. METHODS: A search was carried out in pubmed, embase, cinahl and lisa in April of 2018, with the results limited to the period from 2010 onwards. RESULTS: Thirty-nine relevant articles from 38 different studies were identified. The presence and use of social media was the most researched aspect, followed by information sharing, the relationships established and, finally, the search for and use of information. These aspects are researched mainly from the point of view of doctor-patient interactions. Only one study incorporated a theory of its design. Surveys were the most frequently used method. CONCLUSION: Research does not delve into medical residents' information behaviour on social media, despite the residents themselves using these media (in the context of everyday life, at least). More research is required.