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Background Healthcare systems are rapidly transforming in response to demographic pressures, changing funding models, technological advances, and new models of care. As a result, professions must adapt in parallel to remain relevant. In Canada, respiratory therapy stands at an inflection point. Respiratory Therapists (RTs) provide essential and complex care across diverse clinical settings, yet the profession remains anchored in traditional roles. Questions remain about whether RTs are evolving in step with broader system changes, and what may be lost if they do not. Methods This paper originates from a panel at the 2025 Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists annual conference. We used narrative methodology and composite narrative techniques to synthesize the reflections of four clinician–researcher panelists into a unified account. Drawing on clinical, professional, policy, and research perspectives, we co-constructed a narrative that highlights shared insights, tensions, and opportunities in the profession. Results We identified multiple sources of tension. RTs engage with evidence daily, yet most of this evidence comes from other health professions. This reliance constrains the development of RT-specific frameworks, guidelines, and research agendas. Additionally, scholarship in respiratory therapy often remains undervalued and narrowly defined, treated as an optional activity rather than a core part of professional identity. Finally, structural, cultural, and organizational barriers, further restrict the integration of evidence and scholarship into routine work. Discussion Moving forward requires deliberate action to embed scholarship and evidence generation within the respiratory therapy profession. We suggest that strengthening research literacy at entry-to-practice, creating formal roles for clinical scholars, recognizing scholarly work within career structures and innovation incubators and interprofessional collaborations can position RTs as co-creators of solutions to health system challenges. By embracing these suggestions, the profession can evolve in step with health system change, enhance its influence, and secure its relevance in the future of healthcare.
Elizabeth Rohrs (Mon,) studied this question.