The Liaison Committee on Medical Education cited three areas of strength in the preliminary accreditation report for Central Michigan University's College of Medicine.

The report, made available on CMU's website on Wednesday, cited engagement with the regional community, a successfully-created structure for implementing a regional approach to medical education and the university's experience with distance learning as strengths of CMED.

Along with the strengths, the report cited six areas of “insufficient progress toward compliance” and 10 areas in “compliance with monitoring” after an LCME survey team evaluated CMED in November.

The report also cited the completion of CMU's on-campus medical facility as a strength.

"The College of Medicine’s recent completion, on time and under budget, of its core teaching and administrative facility enhances the college’s ability to recruit both faculty and students," the report stated.

CMED Dean Ernest Yoder said he was excited after hearing the school would receive preliminary accreditation and be one of only 137 M.D.-granting medical schools.

"CMED is very pleased with the findings of the LCME," Yoder wrote in a letter regarding the accreditation report. "The LCME cites CMU’s extensive experience with distance learning and multiple delivery methods for instruction as a key strength along with the engagement of members of the regional community in the creation of CMED’s mission to train future physicians to address a growing shortage of doctors in mid- and northern Michigan."

Six areas were acknowledged as having "insufficient progress toward compliance" in the report, including a need for improvement on the standards of conduct for faculty and students, a lack of instructional faculty, a lack of detailed plans for medical students’ research plans and a need for a better method of evaluating the learning environment. Ten areas were cited as compliant, with a need of monitoring.

LCME is requiring CMED officials to submit three interim reports over the course of the year to update the state of areas with insufficient progress or a need of monitoring.

Yoder said the ongoing conversations with LCME will help to ensure that the school is prepared for the first class in the fall of 2013. Yoder said the areas of insufficient progress were not concerning but will rather help to guide development of the school, curriculum and staff.

The first interim report, due to LCME by April 15, will address student assessment, educational program objectives, policy and procedures for adverse actions, regional accreditation, bylaws and information about selection criteria and procedures.

"We've seen the expectations for the three interim reports due in April, August and December, so we will submit the required information in those reports, and they will acknowledge receipt," Yoder said. "If they have additional questions, then they would generate those for us, and if they wanted anything additional besides what we sent in the reports, they would ask for that"