Will job cuts flood Tampa market with pharmacists?

As many as 138 pharmacists in Tampa, Fla. may lose their jobs as part of announced job cuts by Express Scripts, according to a published report.

Express Scripts recently announced it would lay off 1,900 employees nationwide. At the company’s Tampa facility, pharmacists make up the largest number of employees expected to lose their jobs, followed by order entry technicians (87), data entry employees (51), pharmacy service reps (41), and call support technicians (24).

Ed Peachey, president and CEO of CareerSource Tampa Bay, believes there are plenty of pharmacy jobs in the Tampa region to absorb those losing jobs.

"We know that there’s a demand for pharmacists. I doubt that a pharmacist is going to have any problem finding a job," Peachey told the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

Peachey also said his group would work with those who lose their jobs, possibly holding a job fair. "A lot of times with a layoff that large, we'll work with them ... to let them know about our services and opportunities for them," he said.