Being both a Healer and Magizoologist?

So this is sort of a question, but I'm also just looking for both admin and members' opinions/feedback.

My current WIP, Leo Emerson, who I adopted from JT (his main character is @Jonathan Emerson) 2 and 1/2 years ago, is going to be a Healer/Magizoologist. Now JT had the idea that Leo would go off to Jehenne de Brigue and study to become a Healer for his first 4/5 years there, but after the War he'd go back and focus solely on Magizoology (in memory of his mother who was a muggle veterinarian). After he graduated this would effectively make him both a Healer and a Magizoologist. (Or at least that's what JT and I had thought/planned?) Currently, Leo has his own private practice where he sees both animal and human patients.

What I wanted to know/get feedback on though: Is this 1) possible to do as a graduate from JDB, 2) possible to do in general, even for a rather smart and capable wizard, and 3) realistic for both MH/HP canon and lore?

If it's not then I'll just be making him a Magizoologist, who sees animals (both non-magical and magical) at his clinic, as that's what I'd prefer him to do if he can't realistically do both.

Personally, this doesn't seem implausible. It reminds me of people I know who got PhDs and then went back to school to become lawyers, and now work in the intersection of both fields. As long as your character has a reasonable timeline that he finished both of his "degrees" in, I don't see a reason this couldn't happen.

*bumps*

Just wanted to get a bit more feedback...

Would it be reasonable for Leo to study to become a Healer and Magizoologist at the same time (meaning he'd specialize in both at JDB)? Or would he have to do general Healing first (for, say, four years), and then take Magizoology afterwards (for his final two years)?

I'm just trying to figure out what and when his specialities were at JDB at the moment, and I realized I should probably figure this out first. ;]

The healer-in-training program itself is very extensive and time consuming, so while I think it's doable, I think his grades may suffer for it. The only way I'd see it being possible is if he went to the Wetterstrand School, which kinda specializes in both programs.

Okay. I was kinda thinking that might be the case. Thanks Fee. :]

I may just have him become a Magizoologist then... He could still specialize in that at Jehenne de Brighue, right?

No prob!

And yeah, sure.

Why couldn't a Healer specialize in veterinary medicine?

They can, and there are specialized schools for that. A magizoologist isn't necessarily a magical veterinarian. They're more naturalists.

Have I been using the term wrong then? Cause that's really what I wanted Leo to be: the wizarding version of a muggle veterinarian. But then he'd also be a "normal" Healer who had wizards/witches as patients also.

My understanding is what Fee said: Magizoologists are more naturalists/researchers (think Newt Scamander!). I'd imagine they know basic animal care and management (in terms of habitat, diet, etc.), but not to the extent that a veterinarian would in terms of physiology and medicine. Does that make sense?

As for treating people and animals - they're fairly distinct, in my mind. While the very basic anatomy/physiology is the same, there are differences in practice and complexities that separate human and animal medicine. Personally I would say have him treat either humans or animals in terms of a primary practice - realistically, it's not possible to operate two different practices and physically see/treat patients in both simultaneously. Though I am admittedly biased because I'm in one of those fields. xD

I agree with Olivia and Fee, in that specializing in so many different body systems would take a long time and, unless your character has a very unique reason for doing so, I'm not really sure what the application would be.

That being said, if your character wants to specialize in veterinary medicine as a magizoologist, @Fee mentioned that there are specialized schools for that, one such school is Cernunnos. Without trying to shill for my school too much, if you're looking for a place that specializes in the biological aspect of magizoology, cernunnos is definitively a place for that. It is based off of real-world veterinary school curriculum, and specializes in the physiology and medicine aspect of the job (whereas most other jobs focus heavily on the ecology). Below is a rundown of the curriculum.

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▴ C U R R I C U L U M ▴

Regular students undergo three years of rigorous training at the school.

          First Year
Their first year in school, students take comprehensive general survey classes of avian, terrestrial, and aquatic magizoology. These cover general anatomy, physiology, behavior, and ecology. First year students will only interact with X, XX, and rarely XXX level creatures. Despite these being survey classes, students are expected to learn a lot of information and thus many tend to flunk out this year. This first year is meant to help students explore all different types of magizoology before they commit to any one field and ensure that all graduates have at least a basic understanding of all different animals. At the end of their first year, students declare their specialties and tailor their next two years schedules to fit it.
          Required First Year Courses:
               ▴ Botany and Potions
               ▴ General Anatomy & Physiology
               ▴ General Behavioral Ecology

          Second Year
Second year students are expected to take on much heavier course loads and responsibilities. In their second year, students take much more specialized classes that focus heavily on major-specific subjects. Here they go a step further than their general classes and learn physiology and healing in much more detail. Second year students interact with more XXX level beasts. For the most part, by the end of their second years, students should be essentially finished with their entire academic training. Second year is considered by the far the most challenging and difficult year, since it is when the majority of the learning is done. It is not unusual for a student to need to extend their second year to complete all of their courses.
          Required Second Year Courses: (all within their specific field: draconian, aquatic, avian, terrestrial)
               ▴ Advanced Physiology
               ▴ Behavioral Dynamics
               ▴ Ecology
               ▴ Evolution
               ▴ Healing
               ▴ Histology
               ▴ Illness Pathogenesis
               ▴ Reproduction and Heredity,
          Additional Elective Second Year Courses:
               ▴ Beasts in Muggle Mythology
               ▴ Magizoological Legislature
               ▴ Military Applications of Magical Beasts
               ▴ Natural History of Magical Beasts
               ▴ and many more

          Third Year
Third year is the most hands-on year where students use their previous studies and apply them to caring for actual animals. This is the highest level of classes and meant to help ease their students into real work. Third years are overseen by instructors, but mostly are responsible for working on their own and developing their own methods. Third year students are allowed to interact with XXXX beasts in the reserves, and the exceptional are chosen to interact with XXXXX beasts early on. Third years are also part of a mentor system with first years and often give presentations to help first years figure out what they want to do.
          Third Year Requirements: (there are no required courses)
              ▴ 150 hours of apprenticeship with an approved magizoologist outside of the institute
              ▴ An average of 15 hours/week completed on-campus caretaker and research hours
              ▴ The final thesis on an approved subject of student’s choosing (10 scrolls) AND a reflection (2 scrolls)
              ▴ 3 hour Magizoologist Dissertation with a three-professor council
              ▴ 5 seminar conferences OR 100 completed Mentor Program hours

Field Studies
Because not even the Cernunnos’s expansive grounds can hold every single magical creature in existence, travel and field studies are often arranged by professors (or exceptional third years) and spots on the roster are heavily sought-after. Most often, the students go on trips to the Black Forest, which is only a short ride away. Many students enjoy camping out in the wilderness, especially because it can be a little spooky at night (the Black Forest was the inspiration for many of the Grimm fairy tales after all). Other trips are to the deep North to research yetis or the far East to find death worms, though the locations are ever-changing depending on interest. First year students who are lucky enough to be chosen for to attend field studies almost always go back. Field Studies are a great opportunity to explore other aspects of the natural world, and high marks on a field study are always very impressive.

My understanding is what Fee said: Magizoologists are more naturalists/researchers (think Newt Scamander!). I'd imagine they know basic animal care and management (in terms of habitat, diet, etc.), but not to the extent that a veterinarian would in terms of physiology and medicine. Does that make sense?

As for treating people and animals - they're fairly distinct, in my mind. While the very basic anatomy/physiology is the same, there are differences in practice and complexities that separate human and animal medicine. Personally I would say have him treat either humans or animals in terms of a primary practice - realistically, it's not possible to operate two different practices and physically see/treat patients in both simultaneously. Though I am admittedly biased because I'm in one of those fields. xD

Yes! That totally makes sense! Thank you! <333 (It's actually what I had originally thought a Magizoologist was, but I guess I just didn't know what else to call a wizarding veteterinarian? Hence why I started referring to Leo as one. ;])

See, my mom is actually a Veterinarian (and I seriously considered becoming one myself for most of my life, up until my last year of high school), so I really should have probably come to that same conclusion all on my own. >> Obviously I was just thinking too ambitiously, even for Leo. haha



Thank you so super much for your input, @Olivia and @Meridian! I really appreciate it! :] <333!

After discussing things with @JT though, I think I've come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have Leo be a "normal" Healer. (Mostly for plot purposes and such.) I was still hoping he could help out a bit looking after the animals at Sugar & Spice (Leo and Jon's critter cafe), but it would mostly just be caretaking, I think. They'd bring in an actual Magizoologist/"Wizarding Veterinarian", if any of the animals were really sick or hurt.

One final question: With Leo being a decently skilled Potioneer (I'm thinking he's either already gotten his Silver Cauldron or is well on his way to getting it at this point), would it be realistically possible for him to make potions that could help and/or heal animals/magical creatures, as well as ones that help wizards and witches? Or would that be stretching things too far again? I guess I just don't fully understand how "potion magic" works... Like would only Healers be able to make potions that could work on humans and only Magizoologists/etc. be able to make potions that could work on animals/magical creatures? I'm probably just overthinking this, as per usual. ;/