Gail Iona Hodgson (née Crabbie) was born in Edinburgh and graduated from Priors Field School in Surrey and then Charterhouse, where she was one of the first girls. She received a degree in biochemistry from the University of Bristol in 1970 and a doctorate in biochemistry and X-ray crystallography in 1976. In 1977, she and her husband John set off in a Land Rover to Africa, meeting friends along the way and planning a reunion in Sudan. Her life path changed when she and John helped establish medical facilities for Ethiopian refugees. She decided to become a doctor and accepted a place at Edinburgh Medical School, interrupting her journey around the world. Despite being around 10 years older than her classmates, she won their affection due to her lack of ego and sense of fun and adventure.