Is This Track Right for You?
The 16-month track is designed for students who can dedicate themselves entirely to nursing school. If you're ready to step away from work and other major commitments to focus on becoming a nurse as quickly as possible, this track offers total immersion.
This track works well for:
- Career changers who can take 16 months to focus on school full-time
- Recent college graduates entering nursing immediately after completing their first degree
- Students who thrive in structured, intensive classroom environments
- Those who want to enter the nursing workforce as soon as possible
- Anyone who learns best through daily in-person interaction with faculty and classmates
What to Expect
The 16-month track moves fast. You'll complete four consecutive semesters with minimal breaks between them, finishing in December if you start in the fall or in April if you start in the spring.
Expect to be on campus or at clinical sites most days of the week. Nursing courses include lectures, labs, and clinical rotations that run concurrently. When you're studying acute care nursing in the classroom, you're also assigned to a hospital medical-surgical unit for hands-on experience. This integration of theory and practice means you're applying what you learn immediately.
The cohort model means you'll move through the program with the same group of classmates. Study groups form naturally, and peer support is common. Many students describe the experience as intense but rewarding—one of the most challenging and fulfilling periods of their lives.
Working while enrolled is generally discouraged. The schedule doesn't leave room for employment, and Regis recommends arranging your finances and support systems before classes begin so you can focus entirely on the program.
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Courses marked with clinical hours include rotations at Boston-area hospitals and healthcare facilities. Lab time is completed at the Clinical Resource and Simulation Center on the Weston campus.
Clinical Experience in the 16-Month Track
Clinical rotations are embedded throughout the program. You won't wait until the end to get hands-on experience—you'll be in hospitals and healthcare settings from your first semester.
Rotations take place at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and other facilities throughout the Greater Boston area. You'll rotate through:
- Adult medical-surgical and complex acute care
- Maternal-newborn and obstetrics
- Pediatrics
- Psychiatric and behavioral health
- Community and public health
In your final semester, you'll complete a preceptorship—an intensive one-on-one clinical experience where you work alongside an RN preceptor, managing patient assignments under supervision. This experience bridges the gap between student and graduate nurse.
Applications received after the preferred deadline are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis. Applying early is recommended.
Frequently Asked Questions: 16-Month Track
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How many days per week will I be on campus?
Most days. Expect to be in class, lab, or clinical settings throughout the week. The specific schedule varies by semester, but this is a full-time commitment.
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Can I work while enrolled in the 16-month track?
Working is generally discouraged. The intensive schedule doesn't leave room for employment, and Regis recommends planning your finances and support systems before starting so you can focus entirely on the program.
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What if I can't commit full-time?
Consider the 24-month hybrid track, an extended timeline, hybrid program that offers online coursework and in-person clinicals.
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When will I graduate if I start in the fall?
Fall starters graduate in December and are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam in January.
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Is everything on campus, or are some courses online?
The 16-month track is primarily on-campus. One course (NU 403B Evidence-Based Research) is delivered online, but the rest of your coursework, labs, and clinicals are in person.
