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Duke medical school's signature year of independent study gives students like Erin Bressler (pictured) an unparalleled opportunity to investigate research, clinical, or policy interests in-depth under the guidance of leading Duke faculty. Bressler works in the lab of National Medal of Science recipient Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, noted for discovering a superfamily of cell receptors that are now the target of some 40 percent of all pharmaceuticals developed today. Lefkowitz has mentored more than 200 students in his 40 years at Duke, many of whom have gone on to be pioneers in their own right--including medical school deans, biotech CEOs, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and more.