When The Ohio State University (OSU) quarterback Justin Fields took a brutal hit during the national semifinal game against Clemson, OSU fans around the country took a collective (virtual) gasp. Fields was rushed to the medical tent for further assessment to determine the full extent of his injuries. After thorough examination, he made his way back to the game and ultimately helped lead his team to clinch the victory and advance to take on Alabama for the CFB National Championship.
If you follow college football, you likely heard some of the chatter that followed based on a post-game interview where Fields commented, “I took like a shot or two in the (medical) tent and just ran back out there." That chatter reached all the way to full USA Today and New York Times articles discussing the ethics of potentially putting a school's interests ahead of the health of one of its star football players.
Fields has since spoken up about having his words being taken out of context, and we spoke with our own OSU alum Dr. George Matic, who has spent his share of time treating players on OSU's sidelines as an assistant team physician, to discuss what it's really like inside the medical tent on the sidelines.
Where did the pop-up medical tent start?
DR. MATIC: The medical tent started at Alabama in 2015. They designed it, patented it, and its use has spread to other schools and sports. It keeps athletes away from the fans and cameras, so medical teams can perform private evaluations without the stress of onlookers. That's why it was invented and has been successful.
What happens when a player is injured and first gets in the tent?
DR. MATIC: At OSU you've got the most elite trainers in college football and that's true for our team of trainers at Beacon, too. If the trainers on the sidelines decide a player needs to be evaluated further because it's more serious than what they're willing to handle, the team in the tent will already know something bigger is going on. 
Inside the tent, the #1 worry is injury location and cause/impact. Sports medicine teams are immediately hands-on and using our physical exam skills. I'm asking myself, is this a life threatening injury? Am I able to get the athlete back on the field, and more importantly, can they get back on the field safely? If not, what else is going on? I also ask the player: can you take deep breaths, can you throw?
As sports medicine doctors our main objective is to get players back in the game. Athletes work exceptionally hard, and especially now with more limited play time because of the pandemic, they want to be out there. And if we can do that safely — because player safety always come first — that's what we're going to do for them.
How can you get a player back in the game safely?
DR. MATIC: Injections, like in Fields' case, can get an athlete back in the game. Numbing agents like lidocaine can localize pain and decrease it, and anti-inflammatories like Toradol can help. Corticosteroids can also be very effective with pain and inflammation.
We're not sure what happened in Fields case, but it's likely some combination of that was done. Back in the locker room at half-time, specialists would've been able to get a better assessment of his situation once he's out of his gear. They possibly even did imaging since many locations now have x-ray capabilities.
When Fields came back out on the field, he had extra padding in the area he was hurt because the sports medicine team at OSU is doing everything possible to protect him and ensure he won't get re-injured. If he wants to play, they're going to get him back out there and continue assessing him throughout the balance of the game to ensure he's ok.
What happens after the game?
DR. MATIC: Schools have a lot of modalities to help athletes get back on track, which is what our Beacon sports medicine doctors and athletic trainers offer with our extensive therapy options. It’s important to get treatment to our athletes immediately and get them back to game-ready.
Constant evaluation throughout the week, including goal setting, is critical. If an athlete, especially one at Fields' caliber, is meeting those goals by game time, he’s good to go. If there’s a deviation, diagnostic tests and alternative treatment options come into play to help meet those goals. The player's feedback is also key. At the end of the day, it’s their decision if they want to get out there, and it's our job to help them make it happen.
The Ohio State University is also Dr. Matic's alma mater having earned his medical doctorate, master’s and bachelor degrees from the university. Learn more about his background.
