In his 2026 Spring Address, Sacramento State President Luke Wood emphasized supporting the arts and artists on campus. 

“Art supercharges creative and critical thinking,” President Wood said.

But art doesn’t just thrive on Sac State’s main campus. The College of Continuing Education [CCE] has artists to support, too.
Rachel Ertassi spent the Fall 2025 semester, her first in CCE’s Master of Public Health [MPH] program, juggling work, class, and book events. Her second book was written just before she started the MPH program. 

“I decided that I wanted to obtain my Master’s of Public Health so that I could be a part of restructuring the system practitioners found themselves working in,” Rachel said. 

Her latest novel is titled Turn of the Tide, a suspense thriller set in Bodega Bay. 

“It is a cabin fever-style story about a group of friends who go up to a beach house for an extended weekend in Bodega Bay and experience some very intense conflict that causes them all to turn on each other,” Rachel said.

Our Hero’s Journey

A Bay Area native, Rachel moved to Sacramento in 2013 to study psychology at Sac State.

After graduating, she worked in Interventional Psychiatry, where she treated patients with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Esketamine nasal spray to alleviate their symptoms of depression. 

“I worked with some really talented physicians, and it inspired me to go back to school for pre-med to apply to become a Physician’s Assistant/Associate,” Rachel said. “I obtained a certification as a Medical Assistant, as well, to help bolster my application and get me some additional clinical experience outside of mental health.”
While working in Vascular Surgery at Dignity Health, she learned that there is a lot of pressure placed on providers to see as many patients as possible. 

“The patients are often seen as numbers in a business rather than people in need of healthcare. This is often because the physicians are seen as tools rather than providers and the upper management will utilize every possible second of their schedule that they can to get in as many ‘numbers’ or patients as possible,” Rachel said. 

It was then that she decided she wanted to provide a better environment for clinicians to practice the way that they feel will allow them to provide the best care for their patients, even if that means longer appointments and less of them in one day. 

“I want to be an advocate for the patients and the healthcare team,” Rachel said.

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The Midpoint of Rachel’s Story

While she’s still new to the program, Rachel has quickly found that the MPH instructors want their students to succeed. 

“They are available to touch base with as often as they can be and they are willing to work with students to make sure everyone has a fighting chance to learn the material and do well in the program,” Rachel said. “They only ask for communication, which I think is another lesson in itself about the working world. 

Dr. Michael Mink is a professor in the Department of Public Health at Sac State. In the Fall 2025 semester, Rachel was in two of his MPH courses. He said she is always a delight to have in class and a highly valued member of the MPH student body.

“Rachel is an outstanding student – highly engaged, thoughtful, diligent, and personable. She contributes insightful comments during class discussions on a regular basis and asks incisive questions that further the learning experience,” Dr. Mink said. 

Attending classes, working full-time, and managing her life as an author was a challenge at first.

“When the semester started and I was working five days a week, I felt like I was just attending school, but I was not learning or retaining anything,” Rachel noted, adding she knew she couldn’t just show up. “I had to be present.”

At the clinic she works at, she transitioned to a four-day work week. But to navigate writing-related events, as well, she knew she had to let go of some things she enjoyed doing.

“I had to make sacrifices here and there, Rachel said, explaining she kept a detailed calendar of everything going on in her life. “I would not schedule a book event on an exam weekend when I should be tying up loose ends and preparing. School is my highest priority. Education, unfortunately, is not free and I am choosing to be here. Nobody is forcing me to get my MPH. It would be a disservice to myself not to take it seriously and give it everything I can.”

That attention to detail was noticed by her professor.

“I continue to be impressed with the way she balances her many obligations and remains firmly grounded in service to public health,” Dr. Mink said. “I recently purchased her latest novel and can’t wait to dive into it!”

The Next Chapter

When she completes the MPH program, Rachel wants to run her own clinic as a program director. 

“After obtaining my Medical Assistant certificate, I worked in Vascular Surgery for a while, which was really neat. Then I shifted to a position with Sierra Donor Services and worked as a Family Care Coordinator for organ donation,” Rachel said. “While I was working in the ICU with donor services, my mom died unexpectedly. It was a challenge for me to continue working in the ICU after that, so I left that role and returned to psychiatry, where my heart is. I love treating depression because people do get better. It is incredibly rewarding. I look forward to putting my MPH to good use and helping my community in the medical field for years to come.”

She also has no plans to stop writing. 

“It is a great creative outlet for me. One of the psychiatrists that I work with says that, ‘Art is our most primitive coping mechanism. It is so important to create and consume to regulate ourselves.’ I love that concept and I agree. I will always try to create in my downtime, and I will continue to write because I love it.”

Both of Rachel’s books can be found at local bookstores and online.