Doris Sophie (Gorka) Bartuska was born in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 1929 into a Catholic family in a Polish community. Her parents were Edward and Sophie (Wombal) Gorka. As a child, she studied piano, organ, and coloratura voice. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in biology from Bucknell Junior College (now Wilkes University) in 1949. At Bucknell College, Bartuska was encouraged to pursue a medical career by Dr. Charles Reif, although it was not a common career choice for women at the time. She joined the pre-med club and visited hospitals and medical schools.

After her graduation from Bucknell College, she married Anthony Bartuska, a captain in the United States Navy, in 1951. The couple moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she attended Woman’s Medical College and earned her M.D College in 1954. Dr. Bartuska gave birth to the first of six daughters between her third and fourth year at Woman’s Medical College. At Woman’s Medical College, she completed her internship, a fellowship, and her residency, and afterward held a traineeship in Endocrinology at Jefferson Medical College. At a time when it was uncommon for women to hold full-time jobs outside the home, Dr. Bartuska balanced her family and her medical career.

In 1958, she returned to Woman’s Medical College to serve as Assistant Dean and Associate in Medicine (Endocrinology) until 1966. For the next two years, Bartuska continued her post-graduate training as a National Institute of Health Fellow in Molecular Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bartuska continued her work at Woman’s Medical College as Assistant Professor of Medicine and Assistant Professor of Pathology from 1996 to 1971. She acted as consultant in endocrinology in 1970 for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Philadelphia.

Dr. Bartuska was one of the first physicians certified in endocrinology when that specialty’s boards were originated in 1972. In 1973, she began serving as Director for the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the (formerly Woman’s) Medical College of Pennsylvania, and served as the Associate Dean for Curriculum from 1974 to 1976. She accepted the position Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1977 and held this position as well as the directorship until 1995. Dr. Bartuska also spent three years as a consultant in endocrinology at the Philadelphia Geriatric Center, from 1982 to 1985. She became Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Drexel College of Medicine (formerly the Medical College of Pennsylvania) following her retirement in 1996. She remained a consultant in endocrine and rare metabolic diseases as well as the genetic endocrinopathies, aging, osteoporosis, and thyroid diseases.

Dr. Bartuska was active in many professional organizations and served in formal roles in them, including on the Board of Directors for the Thyroid Society of Philadelphia (1982-1985), President of the Philadelphia Medical Society (1989), President Elect (1986) and President (1987) of the American Medical Women’s Association, and on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (1992).

Among other awards and honors, Dr. Bartuska received the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (1974), the Outstanding Educator of America (1975), the Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania medal (1988), an honorary Doctor of Science from Wilkes University (1997), and the Strittmatter Award from the Philadelphia County Medical Society (2002). She was inducted into the American Medical Women’s Association International Women in Medicine Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2008, she was awarded the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Distinguished Service.

Dr. Bartuska was honored with a portrait, painted by her brother Paul Gorka, by Drexel College of Medicine in 2008. She was involved with the Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership at the College, appearing as a panelist for “Conversations about Women’s Health” and serving on the 20th Anniversary committee, among other roles. Dr. Bartuska passed on August 4, 2013 of complications from lymphoma at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.