How long do you have to walk on tours? aka question on shoes and comfort

[funshine]

How long are tours of medical schools? 15 minutes? 30 minutes? 1 hour?

Just wondering, because I recently bought THE 2 pairs of really nice shoes that I plan to wear to interviews. However, they're kind of high, and I remember threads on here specifically warning us against wearing high, uncomfy shoes. Obviously, no pair of dress shoes you wear will be as comfortable as tennis shoes, and as long as the tour is <30 minutes, I thnk I'll be fine. I'm more worried that I won't walk as fast as the other students because of the heels, or that I trip

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[lulubean]

hi funshine!

after finally completing my interviews, i can tell you that you will do much more walking than just on the tour (which are roughly 20-30 min). interviews are often spread out throughout the campus, some being at affiliated hospitals. you also need to factor walking to each campus (from parking structures and bus stops which are not usually conveniently located). long story short, you will usually do a LOT of walking on interview days. in addition, most interviews will be in the dead of winter and if your whole feet aren't covered, you will freeze.

i bought a cute semi-comfy pair of dress shoes from Aerosoles and only wore them for two interviews before i switched to less stylish but more comfy dress boots.

 

[funshine]

i bought a cute semi-comfy pair of dress shoes from Aerosoles and only wore them for two interviews before i switched to less stylish but more comfy dress boots.

Hmm, the problem is I have no "less stylish," comfy but still interview appropriate shoes. I am a big fan of skechers

did you get blisters? THat's my major concern.

thanks !

 

[lulubean]

no blisters, at least i don't think, but very very very sore feet

 

[Ambs]

How long are tours of medical schools? 15 minutes? 30 minutes? 1 hour?

Just wondering, because I recently bought THE 2 pairs of really nice shoes that I plan to wear to interviews. However, they're kind of high, and I remember threads on here specifically warning us against wearing high, uncomfy shoes. Obviously, no pair of dress shoes you wear will be as comfortable as tennis shoes, and as long as the tour is <30 minutes, I thnk I'll be fine. I'm more worried that I won't walk as fast as the other students because of the heels, or that I trip

I've worn high-heeled dress boots from Nine West since my suit pants are long, and I didn't get them hemmed (I'm only 5'4"). I haven't gotten any blisters, and I can only remember my feet being sore once. I've had to walk quite a bit from building to building or from building to hospital or building to medical plaza to get to my interviewer, which wasn't fun, but you do what you have to do! It's just for one day; you'll be well-rested till your next one. From my experience, the tours aren't THAT long, plus you'll be sitting through the financial aid talk, the dean's talk, the lunch, your interview(s)... it'll get balanced out!

 

[lilmo]

at my interview, the tour was optional so i skipped it in favor of going home and taking a nap. most tours seem to encompass a ton of walking from one end of campus to the other

but since we are on the subject of shoes, has anyone found any cute comfy ones? i need to buy some new ones to wear to my preceptor and standardized patient stuff.

 

[lightnk102]

I've been perfectly fine in my heels for all interviews. I bought two pairs - low heels and high heels, but I ended up wearing the high ones for most of my interviews. they don't give me blisters, but i do have to admit that at the end of the day, my feet are sore. that's unavoidable in any high heel though since you're on the balls of your feet the whole day (greater force on smaller area = more pressure! there's some mcat physics for you).

However, there are right ways and wrong ways to wear heels. First, they absolutely have to be a good fit and good leather. No rubbing on any area of your foot and toes. Nothing will take you out faster than a shoe that gives you blisters. Plus, nothing looks more unprofessional than a girl limping her way down the hall in a suit. Second, BREAK THEM IN before you wear them on your interview. Wear your shoes on your next shopping trip and see how well you hold up in them. Thirdly, I would absolutely recommend that you go to the drugstore and buy those inserts that give some extra padding on the balls of your feet. They've made a world of difference for me, and give me the extra confidence to quell my shaking nerves before an interview, so I can square my shoulders and stride in on my heels like the powerhouse woman that I know I am!

 

[ads99]

i bought a cute semi-comfy pair of dress shoes from Aerosoles and only wore them for two interviews before i switched to less stylish but more comfy dress boots.

I did the EXACT same thing. They were the cutest shoes too... I withstood them 9 times before giving in and buying new shoes. Something in my foot was starting to rip and I was limping for days even in tennis shoes.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

You could always call the admissions office and ask about the tour. They'll usually tell you whatever you want to know about the interview day.

 

[DianaLynne]

That's some great advice on this thread. My pumps are fairly comfy, have a 2.5 inch heel and I've been able to get through the day in 'em. They were well broken in, I used to work in an office in them. But lemme tell ya, they went flying across my hotel room as soon as I was done though and I went right into floppy clothes.

 

[LauraMac]

you could wear the heels during your interviews and bring tennis shoes to switch into for the tour. i did that at two places, and it was well worth it.

 

[musiclink213]

if you are interviewing in a cold place where it's likely to be icy, or walking indoors, you may want to also scuff up the bottom of your shoes so they're not so slippery. i wish i had done that today before i went ot my grandfathers b-day at a nice restuarant with really cute waiters. i wore a cute pair of boots, and if i may say, i looked pretty good, and of course, as i was walking to the table with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, my shoe slipped on the just polished floor, and i went down. not the entrance i planned on making. the one graceful moment in my life abruptly ended. don't let it happen at your interview unless you want to risk leaving on crutches.

 

[erin682]

Hmm, the problem is I have no "less stylish," comfy but still interview appropriate shoes. I am a big fan of skechers

did you get blisters? THat's my major concern.

thanks !

I had serious issues with this when I wore untested shoes. The tour was much longer than expected and I had blisters so bad I couldn't wear anything but flipflops for over a week after. I was limping around and playing it off as a sprained ankle (which wasn't a complete lie because I had recently sprained my ankle but thats not why I was limping). After my second interview I got outside, took my shoes off and hobbled barefoot to my car. I never wore those shoes again! But on the plus side my parents felt so bad for me that they bought be a much more comfortable (and more expensive) pair of interview shoes. You can totally wear heels just make sure you test them out ahead of time.

 

[lightnk102]

But on the plus side my parents felt so bad for me that they bought be a much more comfortable (and more expensive) pair of interview shoes. You can totally wear heels just make sure you test them out ahead of time.

I've learned this lesson the hard way also. I almost always cough up for a more expensive pair of up-scale heels because they don't mangle my feet the way cheaper pumps do. When the leather is softer and of higher quality, chances of blisters decreases exponentially =).

Trust me, when yo'ure limping around wtih blisters, you realize you're willing to pay that extra 40 bucks just to make the pain go away.