Here at 6minutes we know how wonderful doctors are, but does your family really appreciate the benefit you (literally) give to their lives?

Findings from a new study show that having a doctor in the family leads to a longer life in better health, with those lucky enough to have a medic or nurse as a relative 10% more likely to live beyond the age of 80.

In fact, the researchers were so struck by the effect that they recommended nurse-outreach programs and longer-term patient relationships with GPs for those who don’t have a doctor in the family.

The US researchers examined data from Sweden, where healthcare access is universal, and compared the health of families of individuals who went to medical school with those who had the grades but didn’t go.