Altogether 302 folk medical practioners from rural areas in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region have received authorized professional diploma after three to five years' vocational training program, source from the regional department of health said.

A total of 652 Tibetan folk doctors without educational specialty background have been enrolled and educated with professional courses in Tibet Medical Institute since the program started in 2005.

By far, 302 trainees enrolled from 2005 to 2007 have successfully graduated and received their professional diploma. The rest 300 people enrolled in 2008 and afterwards are still studying on campus.

The program enables these medical practioners in some rural farming or pastoral areas to exercise ethnic feature technologies including Tibetan moxibustion, fire pot treatment, Tibetan medicine bath, phlebotomy treatment and etc., to diagnose and cure ordinary diseases or rare diseases.

Besides, the regional health concerned authorities have also conducted trainings over applicable medical technologies for more than 600 backbone Tibetan medical specialists and rural doctors, largely elevating their skills and service levels.

At present, the number of Tibetan medical and medicinal specialists in practice across the entire region is reported to total 1,536 people.