Respiratory Therapist Career Guide

By MedXL Editorial Team · Updated 2026-08-26 · 6 min read

Respiratory therapists are the airway and breathing specialists of the healthcare team. They manage ventilators in intensive care, respond to codes and traumas, treat chronic lung disease, and support patients from premature newborns to adults at end of life. For people who want high-acuity, hands-on clinical work without a decade of training, respiratory therapy deserves a serious look. Here is how the career works in the United States and Canada.

RTs assess, treat, and monitor patients with cardiopulmonary conditions. Their daily work varies by unit but typically includes:

Managing mechanical ventilators and noninvasive ventilation, adjusting settings in collaboration with physicians

In this guide

What respiratory therapists do
Education and typical pathway
United States
Canada
Licensure and certification
United States
Canada
Where respiratory therapists work
Advancement paths
Thriving in a high-acuity career
Finding RT roles
Key takeaways