Mary MacCara grew up in Plainfield, Nova Scotia, and graduated from Dalhousie University with a BSc (Pharm) degree in 1974. After completing a pharmacy residency program and working as a pharmacist in both community and hospital settings in Halifax, she moved to Minneapolis where she was awarded a Pharm D from the University of Minnesota in 1978. Mary returned to Halifax and served as a faculty member at the College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University for 34 years.