Ready Critical Care
Ready Critical Care
Dr Mara Hickey with a patient

About Mara

Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care

Ready Critical Care is the veterinary education and consulting practice of Dr Mara Hickey, Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care.

Mara graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2008 and completed a residency in emergency and critical care in Los Angeles before moving to Australia. She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care in 2016 and has since worked in private practices and university hospitals across both countries, including the Small Animal Specialist Hospital and the University of Sydney.

She has also worked as a telemedicine consultant with VetCT and previously collaborated with the Australian Defence Force and the Australian Tactical Medical Association to improve pre-hospital care for military and police working dogs.

Her clinical interests include trauma, electrolyte and acid-base disturbances, respiratory emergencies, transfusion therapy, and toxicology. Her favourite emergencies are sick blocked cats and neurotoxins; her favourite critical cases are head traumas and DKAs. Outside the clinic, she enjoys rock climbing, baking, reading, and escape rooms, and is the proud servant to her dog, Pumpkin.

In and out of the clinic

Emergency and critical care, and life beyond it.

Dr Mara Hickey in the ICU reviewing patient monitoring
Dr Mara Hickey examining a koala patient in clinic
Dr Mara Hickey caring for a litter of kittens in clinic
Dr Mara Hickey holding a tiny wombat joey in scrubs
Dr Mara Hickey with her dog
Dr Mara Hickey snorkelling underwater in a wetsuit
Dr Mara Hickey at a bookshop
Dr Mara Hickey on a bush hike with backpack
Dr Mara Hickey in a snowy landscape pointing skyward
Dr Mara Hickey peering through a giant red pumpkin sculpture
Dr Mara Hickey at a hilltop lookout wearing a bike helmet
Dr Mara Hickey rock climbing on sandstone
Dr Mara Hickey tackling a sandstone overhang on rope
Dr Mara Hickey climbing a tall cliff face on rope

The Practice

Ready Critical Care works with veterinary teams across Australia, offering education and consulting services designed around the realities of clinical practice — the complexity, the pressure, and the profound responsibility of caring for critically ill patients.

Mentoring

One-on-one and small group mentoring for veterinarians and nurses navigating the challenges of emergency and critical care.

Workshops

Hands-on, evidence-based workshops that build practical skills and clinical confidence in a supportive learning environment.

Clinical Support

Direct clinical support for teams managing complex or high-acuity cases, helping build capacity and capability in real time.

Systems Consulting

Practice-level consulting to help veterinary teams build the systems, protocols, and culture that support consistent, high-quality critical care.

Get in Touch

To enquire about education, mentoring, or consulting services, reach out directly.

[email protected]