Jordyn Gagon grew up in Price, Utah, a rural town where healthcare inequities were just a part of everyday life. That experience, combined with her undergraduate studies in Health, Society, and Policy, sparked her drive to become a physician for underserved communities.
As a RUUTE Scholar and medical student at the University of Utah, Jordyn has explored what it means to care for patients with complex needs, especially in rural and low-resource settings. Her summer research with the INSPIRE Project—a simulation-based training to reduce stigma toward pregnant individuals with substance use disorder—brought her full circle. She helped prototype the training in Moab and her hometown of Price, Utah, giving her a unique lens on how to tailor medical education for rural providers.
“I’ve realized that stigma is one of the biggest barriers to care,” Jordyn says. “I’m proud to be part of a project that’s working to change that.”
She also authored her first manuscript on the healthcare experiences of pregnant individuals with SUD, an accomplishment she credits to the mentorship and collaboration of the INSPIRE team.
As she continues her medical training, Jordyn is passionate about the intersection of social drivers, policy, and health outcomes — and ensuring that rural patients don’t fall through the cracks.