At PCOM Georgia's Research Slam, an event where faculty and students share their latest investigations among their peers, one project stood out: osteopathic medical student Zoë Rushetsky's (DO '27) global health work in Honduras—a project she helped lead from its inception.
Founded in 2020 while she was a biology student at Florida State University (FSU), the Global Health Collaboration Program (GHCP) has been Rushetsky’s north star when it comes to research and her academic development. Her recent recognition as Student Researcher of the Year reflects her dedication and work with GHCP.
GHCP emphasizes integrating global health perspectives by engaging diverse populations and addressing gaps in the literature. The team is composed of pre-med, pharmacy, engineering and bio statistics students from The National University Autonomous of Honduras (UNAH), the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and FSU. This year, Rushetsky facilitated a partnership between GHCP and PCOM Georgia to expand student participation in the global health initiatives.
As the Mental Health Team Lead, Rushetsky aimed to uncover health disparities and barriers in Honduras with the other members of GHCP. While she was unable to make the trip, she helped coordinate logistics, training, and cultural sensitivity efforts, ensuring the project was ethically sound and organized throughout every stage of the process.
The team's research revealed alarming disparities: of those surveyed, 42% of the Honduran population noted feelings of anxiety and depression, disorders often overlooked due to cultural stigma and lack of mental health resources.
“I think culturally, people don't see mental health as an illness, and there are few doctors promoting awareness about it in Honduras,” Rushetsky explained. “We provided education on practical coping strategies to manage symptoms and bridged accessibility to health services… That was a big part of our trip, advocacy and creating initiatives to help Hondurans.”
Rushetsky's commitment to research and helping others extends beyond Honduras.
Rushetsky became the GHCP Research-Senior Manager of US Communications and co-manager of the surgical team, overseeing all data collection, manuscript preparation and conference presentations.
Her leadership and collaborative research representing both PCOM Georgia and GHCP on mental health disparities and behavioral risk factors has been showcased at Harvard's New England Science Symposium (NESS) conferences, earning praise for its “cultural relevance and community-based strategies,” and her presentations have sparked discussions on addressing mental health stigma across other diverse populations, with future plans to study the Sierra Leone region.
This spring will mark her second year presenting at Harvard NESS, where she will share findings for the surgical and pediatric team for GHCP and PCOM Georgia, a project overseen by many Principal Investigators (PIs) including Donald Penney, MD, MSC, FACEP, Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Chair of Clinical Science at PCOM Georgia.
When asked how this research experience has shaped her medical aspirations, she credits GHCP as the foundation.
“It helped immensely. I entered college not knowing how to do research. Now I know how to collect data, communicate effectively, and support my peers with what I’ve learned,” she said. “I advise them on literature, what journals to read, and how to reach out to contributors without hesitation.”
Other notable research achievements for Rushetsky include her paper on an aneurysmal bone cyst of the skull, which she is currently in the process of publishing, presenting at national conferences, diagnosing a Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, a disorder that causes the uterus to be absent and the vagina to end in a “blind pouch” and authoring more research about it.
Recognized as a rising star in research, she is steadfast in pursuing her dream of neurosurgery. While she realizes that neurosurgery is one of the most challenging disciplines to match into, she is unwavering in her commitment to pursuing it.
“I know this because time seems to disappear when I'm fully immersed in my work, reaffirming how much I truly enjoy what I'm doing.”
Learn more about student research at PCOM.
PCOM Georgia has been serving students and the community for 20 years as a branch campus of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a private, not-for-profit, accredited institution of higher education established in 1899. Located in Suwanee (Gwinnett County), PCOM Georgia offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine, pharmacy and physical therapy. Graduate degrees are offered in biomedical sciences, medical laboratory science and physician assistant studies. The campus joins PCOM South Georgia in Moultrie in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state. Emphasizing "a whole person" approach to care, PCOM Georgia focuses on educational excellence, interprofessional education and service to the community. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 678-225-7500. The campus is also home to the Georgia Osteopathic Care Center, an osteopathic manipulative medicine clinic, which is open to the public by appointment. For more information, visit pcomgeorgiahealth.org.
For general media inquiries, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at 215-871-6300 or communications@pcom.edu. Visit our media relations page to view contact information for public relations personnel.
Joy Williford
Assistant Director, News and Media Relations
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: joyde@pcom.edu
Office: 470-572-7558
© 2026 Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
