ARS is the country club of rad onc. The male chairs of many departments attend this meeting faithfully and it's a parallel gathering of the "Stepford wives" of these chairs. Despite lower annual dues (mentioned above by
@Chartreuse Wombat), the ARS meeting is by far the most expensive meeting you will attend--unless you're a resident with a travel grant.
Back in the day, meetings were held at cool international destinations--always ending at 12 noon each day, but since the crash of 2008, academic institutions put a moratorium on international travel. Now meetings are limited to high class domestic resorts. Despite 5-star meeting venues, world class receptions fit for an ambassador, and its being the oldest oncology organization with a long line of illustrious ROs as past presidents, it's got little to show for financially. It owns no property and its HQ is based wherever the hired management company is located. Unless you're a featured keynote VIP speaker outside of rad onc, you will pay full registration, travel, and hotel. Members who speak/moderate/serve on committees, do so as a labor of love.
After the ACR stopped supporting the former ACR Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for radiation oncology (excellent evidence and expert based recommendations on treatment going several levels above NCCN and specfic to RO), and ASTRO decined to take it on, it was the ARS that stepped up to take over the AUC, continue to support the committees for all the organ sites, and publish updates to recommendations. The ACR is still involved, but to a much lesser degree (the ARS leaders who took this on are also ACR members).
ARS supports an online panel of experts who can weigh in on any tough case you have. It's a shame how little it's being used, since everyone is using MedNet--but I've not been disappointed. I submitted a tough case about a year ago, and got a response from a Harvard rad onc the same day.
ARS has a medical jeopardy game at their meetings that pit residents from various programs against faculty. The questions are primarily topics in RO, but there are other neat trivia categories too. Always thought ASTRO/ARRO should have done something like that, but it's become a popular program at the annual mtg.
ARS also offers enough SAMS credits at their meetings to fulfill 2 years worth of MOC requirements--free with your registration, unlike ASTRO who charges $$ for each module you sign up for.
Finally, as a smaller meeting, you will also meet and have an easier time interacting with the giants and movers and shakers in the RO world. This includes many well known RO's from Europe and Asia.
Nice organization to belong to. If you don't have the $$ to attend their meetings, you can still get involved and serve on their committees during the year.
