Using the preceptor/student relationship as a foundation, NAEMT’s Paramedic of the Year and Los Angeles County Fire Paramedic Ricky Battle shares some of his strategies for survival on clinical shifts and beyond. This concept of “getting along” applies to both students and preceptors. How do we deal with personalities, organizations, and the things our personal lives throw at us—while just trying to get along? Ricky Battle has some personal and insightful answers for us.

Ricku Battle is a member of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department(LACoFD), a paramedic in Hawthorne, California, who was named the 2023 NAEMT/Velico Paramedic of the Year. This award recognizes the emergency medical technician who provides exceptional patient care.