How Gigi Rusnak Brings Lived Experiences to Refine Patient Care Through Connection and Virtual Access

Long before Gigi Rusnak ever stepped into a clinic as a professional, she knew the kind of practitioner she wanted to become. In fifth grade, after struggling with severe acne, she found herself visiting a nurse practitioner every few months. “He fixed my acne,” she recalls. “On one of our last visits, I told him that I wanted to be a dermatologist like him. That's when he explained to me how to become a nurse practitioner. I didn’t know the difference between the titles, but I wanted to pursue whatever he was doing.” 

The early years of Rusnak’s career unfolded inside dermatology clinics and med spas, where she witnessed a pattern she couldn’t ignore. “I saw that patients were ushered in and out with only minutes to speak, complex symptoms reduced to quick assessments, and a pace of care that didn’t leave enough time for connection,” she says. Those experiences shaped her belief that dermatology should offer more than brief exchanges and quick diagnoses.  Today, that vision underpins Dermatolo-G, a telemedicine service built on the simple promise that patients will be heard.

Through high school, college, and beyond, she stayed focused, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, then a Master's from Georgetown. The clarity of the moment guided her to become a nurse at just 21 years of age. She worked as a bedside nurse during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Later, she joined a dermatology clinic as a nurse practitioner, determined to pursue the work she’d imagined since childhood.

What she didn’t imagine was becoming a fully virtual practitioner. “The virtual thing was never the plan,” she says, “but it’s turned out to be even better than I thought.” Telemedicine opened a different kind of door, one that let her practice the way she had always hoped: unrushed, observant, and centered on total patient care. Half-hour appointments gave people room to share more, and in that time, patterns emerged. 

Rusnak notes that patients often returned not just for dermatology but for guidance in other areas of their health. “People aren’t heard enough,” she explains. “I’ve diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis or a life-threatening rash without even touching the person.” This observant care has allowed her to take the time to connect the dots between symptoms that would otherwise be considered separately. “I knew listening deeply could change outcomes, and that’s what I’ve always sought out to do. Bring a difference.”

Dermatolo-G grew from that philosophy. The model is accessible, where patients can attend appointments from home, work, or school, without sacrificing hours to waiting rooms or long drives. Prescriptions are sent directly to local pharmacies, and communication doesn’t end when the call does; patients can reach Rusnak through a secure portal or text, receiving the same thoughtful attention between visits as during them. For those without insurance, she helps secure coupons to reduce prescription costs. Her schedule is equally flexible. Early mornings and evening hours exist because her patients’ lives don’t fit neatly into a 9-to-5 framework, and she adapts to that reality. “Healthcare should work around people’s lives,” she says, “not the other way around.”

What makes her approach distinct is the depth of the relationship she builds with each person she sees. She offers the space to speak, asks questions that dig deeper, and offers the sense that someone is finally stitching their symptoms into a coherent picture. She often declines to charge for follow-up visits she initiates, explaining simply, “If I want to see how they’re doing, why would I charge them?” For her, quality comes before volume, and care comes before structure.

Rusnak believes that accessible telemedicine can also strengthen the broader dermatology ecosystem. By handling conditions well-suited to virtual care, such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, hair loss, and chronic rashes, she aims to free in-person clinics to focus on cases requiring physical assessments or potential biopsies. 

Her goals for the future remain rooted in the same principles that brought her here. She wants to help as many patients as she can without ever compromising the depth of care she provides. For now, she remains energized by the daily conversations that make her work feel effortless. “This is all I’ve ever wanted to do,” she says. “I don’t feel like I’m working when I’m with my patients.”

Dermatolo-G may be a small practice, but its impact reaches far beyond its size. By offering care that is thoughtful, approachable, and deeply personal, Rusnak is reshaping how dermatology fits into people’s lives, showing that meaningful medicine may thrive if connection comes first.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.