Edward Simanton is the director of educational outcomes and assessment for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. As the job title implies, he has two important functions: (1) to work with faculty to ensure student progress is measured effectively and grades are assigned fairly; and (2) to work with students and faculty to evaluate the effectiveness of each course. He also directs research to measure the overall educational impact of the entire medical school’s curriculum.

For the past 10 years, Simanton served as director of evaluation and assessment at the University of South Dakota’s Sanford School of Medicine. Prior to that, he served as director of the Bureau of Educational Services and Applied Research — and senior statistician for the Office of Medical Education — at the University of North Dakota, where he also completed his Ph.D. in education research.

Simanton has published nine articles in peer-reviewed publications and delivered more than 50 peer-reviewed presentations during his career, which he began as a music educator.

He is a 2011 recipient of the Department of Family Medicine Educator and Scholar Award and a 2007 recipient of the Learning Resource Fund Innovative Education Project Award, and in 2013, he was certified in Leadership Education and Development.