Background
Mentorship supports academic success, identity formation, and psychosocial development in medical education. However, in many low-resource settings, structured mentorship is absent or inconsistently applied. This study evaluated student perceptions and the impact of a national pilot mentorship initiative designed to address this gap.

Methods
Med Synapses Program was implemented for clinical-year medical students in Palestine. 60 students from years 4-6 were enrolled. Mentors were recruited through outreach, forums, and professional networks. Interested physicians completed a form confirming availability, areas of expertise, and mentoring experience. 18 MDs were selected from five countries, mainly the USA. After program completion, 31 students (51.7%) completed a mixed-methods survey covering prior mentorship access, engagement patterns, satisfaction, and open-ended feedback. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and qualitative responses were thematically reviewed.

Results
68% viewed mentorship as essential, yet 81% had never had a mentor. Institutional support for mentorship was limited: 48% reported no available resources, and 39% were unaware of any. During the program, mentor contact was typically monthly (84%), primarily via video (55%) and email (32%), in sessions lasting 30-60 minutes (55%) or up to two hours (32%). Mentees valued mentors aligned with their career interests (84%), active in research (84%), and able to provide guidance (87%). 90% reported that the preparatory training on mentorship fundamentals improved their experience. Preferences for mentorship format were evenly split between group, individual, and hybrid models.

Conclusion
Structured mentorship is both necessary and feasible in low-resource medical education settings. This model offers a scalable framework adaptable to similar environments. Future programs should emphasize mentor preparation, structured action plans, hybrid delivery models, and extended timelines.