Objective:To obtain information on the experiences of general practice (GP) trainees during their first general practice (GP) attachment.Design:Critical incident technique — a qualitative analysis of open‐ended interviews about incidents which describe competent or poor professional practice.Subjects:Thirty‐nine Western Australian doctors from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' (RACGP) Family Medicine Program who were completing their first six months of general practice in 1992.Results:Doctors reported 180 critical incidents, of which just over 50% involved problems (and sometimes successes) with: difficult patients; paediatrics; the doctor‐patient relationship; counselling skills; obstetrics and gynaecology; relationships with other health professionals and practice staff; and cardiovascular disorders. The major skills associated with both positive and negative critical incidents were: the interpersonal skills of rapport and listening; the diagnostic skills of thorough clinical assessment and the appropriate use of investigations; and the management skills of knowing when and how to obtain help from supervisors, hospitals and specialists. Doctors reported high levels of anxiety over difficult management decisions and feelings of guilt over missed diagnoses and inadequate management.Conclusion:The initial GP term is a crucial transition period in the development of the future general practitioner. An analysis of commonly recurring positive and negative critical incidents can be used by the RACGP Training Program to accelerate the learning process of doctors in vocational training and has implications for the planning of undergraduate curricula.