Shy to go, I lisp about student of life (12)

I believe the answer is:

physiologist

'student of life' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'shy to go i lisp about' is the wordplay.
'about' indicates anagramming the letters.
'shy'+'to'+'go'+'i'+'lisp'='shytogoilisp'
'shytogoilisp' anagrammed gives 'PHYSIOLOGIST'.

I've seen this clue in The Irish News.

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