One major objective of the nuns is to develop skills in Tibetan medicine so that they can take more responsibility for their own health care and that of others. LNA had initiated an Amchi Training Program in July 2003, funded by Bioligo in Switzerland. The students hailed from the most remote nunneries of Ladakh and Zanskar. Nine students were trained for 3 years at a medical institute in Darjeeling, India, and in 2006 returned to Ladakh to complete the final three years of their studies. The medical studies are rigorous, and the nuns also continue with Dharma and Tibetan language classes. During school breaks, Ven. Dr. Palmo works with the students to learn about local medicinal herbs cultivation and the preparation of herbal medicines. The Amchi students will finish their studies in May 2009 and plan to open a clinic and pharmacy at the LNA center in Leh as well as offer mobile clinics to nunneries and villages throughout Ladakh.

To improve the well-being of the nuns of Ladakh, in 2004 and again in 2005, LNA distributed herbal medicines to four nunneries and to students in the hostel in Leh.

Overall, the health of the nuns is visibly improving, with many elderly nuns proudly reporting to LNA staff that they no longer need to use walking sticks and many have even gained weight and feel much stronger.

In March, 2007, the classes for the Amchi students commenced. They attended medicine classes from Amchi T. Palmo and Amchi Thinless Yangjor.  They also had classes on Tibetan Grammar and Dharma teachings from our residential teacher, Ven. Geshe Tsultrim Tharchen. During the two weeks of practical they prepared medicine from the herbs, which they collected twice during the course. They learnt about the causes, sickness, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments of various ailments, specifically, those prevalent at high altitudes.