Medical student's death ruled a suicide

Second-year medical student Ari Frosch’s death on Sept. 22 was declared a suicide, The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro, Mass. reported this week.

Frosch was on a leave of absence at the time. He was 26 years old.

An investigation by local and state authorities in Massachusetts determined the cause of death, a spokesman for the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office told the Chronicle.

Students at the Perelman School of Medicine were alerted of Frosch’s death on Sept. 26 in an email from Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum. The email was co-signed by Senior Vice Dean for Education at the Perelman School of Medicine and was sent on behalf of President Amy Gutmann and Provost Vincent Price.

“In sadness and with affectionate reflection, we write today to share that Ari Frosch, a second-year Medical student, died suddenly last week at home with family in Newton, Massachusetts,” the email said.

Frosch completed his undergraduate studies at Colorado College in 2012, and went on to work at Bryn Mawr College and the National Cancer Institute before enrolling at Penn.

Cade’s email also detailed Frosch’s dedication to community service. “Ari spoke fluent Spanish, had worked in Mexico, and volunteered at Puentes de Salud (“Bridges of Health”), a nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of Philadelphia’s Latino community. He loved rock climbing and also gave his time and talents to Habitat for Humanity,” she wrote.

Frosch’s father and brother also attended Penn, each earning their medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine in 1976 and 2014, respectively.

Frosch’s death is the eleventh of a Penn student since February 2013 to be ruled a suicide.

City News Editor Dan Spinelli contributed reporting.

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