Dr. Rusakov graduated from Boston University with degrees in Behavioral Biology and French, and then went on to the University of Minnesota Medical School. She completed her residency in pediatrics at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore.

She has conducted research in neurobiology which resulted in publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. She volunteered to assist hospice patients at a nursing home in Boston as well as young cancer patients at the NYP Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. She has also tutored Somali high school students in Minneapolis and was a visitors' guide at the butterfly conservatory of the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side.

Outside of work, she enjoys teaching hot yoga, reading, and traveling - especially to countries where she can speak the language - Spanish, French, Russian, and Hebrew!