The publication and web site U.S. News & World Report has listed Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic in their Best Jobs of 2012 report. The publication notes: "As one of the Best Jobs of 2012, this profession should see significant growth over the next decade."

The job rundown: "When the emergency call comes in and the sirens ring out, the margin of error is essentially zero. Lives are on the line and emergency medical technicians and paramedics are often the first to the scene and the last line of defense against tragedy. The pressure might be daunting for most, but the reality is that people's lives depend on the speedy, competent care that EMTs and paramedics provide."

The report goes on to say that an increasing call volume due to the country's aging population is expected to keep job prospects high for EMTs and paramedics: "The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects EMT and paramedic employment growth of 33.3 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding 75,400 more professionals to the 226,500 jobs currently in this field. The profession's strong expected growth helped boost it to the No. 15 spot in our ranking of The Best Jobs of 2012, right behind clinical laboratory technician and speech-language pathologist."

Read the full report here.