Prof Mary Rickard graduated from the University of Sydney, trained in radiology and worked in hospital and private practice before being appointed as director of a pilot mammography screening project in 1987. The pilot projects became part of BreastScreen Australia and Mary continued with BreastScreen as a Service Director and later as NSW State Radiologist.

Between 2006 and 2018 she worked at Sydney Breast Clinic as Chief Radiologist, and in 2022 was appointed as Medical Director.

Since 2010 she has held a position of Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney in the Faculty of Medicine and Health. Mary has published extensively and has been actively involved with numerous professional bodies.

In 2002 she received a Member of the Order of Australia award for service to medicine through the integration of population-based screening for early detection of breast cancer, and the development of education programmes for health professionals.

In October 2015 she was elected a Life Membership to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the College and to the profession.